The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-11-09
The PHOSPHATE TROUBLE.
Farmers' Company Sends Notice OF Readi-
ness to r.


tinues to be a matter of the greatest
public Interest to the parties concerned
as well as to the people at large, and
Cne maj outcome is awaited with the
greatest degree of interest. Yesterd ay
one OF the large companies notified
Governor Tillman, as chairman of the
state board OF phosphate commission
erS, that his company was once more
ready to resume operations, and asked
some very pertinent questions which
are or vital Importance to all the phos
phate miners. This Is the letter and it.
is self-explanatory:
ORANGEBURG, Oct. 80, 1893.
Governor B. II Tlllman:
saw published in the Charleston
News and Courier of the 10Th of Sep.
tember last set Of resolutions claimed
TO De adopted 10y the phosphate COM
mission assembled at Beaufort. have
never received any official notice from
ihe board OF its action, which I have
oeen expecting until yesterday. l re-
ceived letter Informing me MIR. Broth
erhood had received Communication
OF some sort, but did not say what it
was.
commenced work immediately after
the storm, and now l am ready to 90
TO work with one dredge. l do not
know what the companies are going
TO DO. l do not understand the res0.
lutiOnS exactly.
The point is ii the Farmers Comma
ny alone goes to work and guarantees
It's proportion OF the $4,000 will it, be
entitled to all the benefits mentioned
by the board? We presume this to be
the meaning, but before proceeding in
SO important a matter wish official as
SuranCe that we are correct.
| Another pint is, does the board ex.
pect OF require an unconditional guar
antee, or would the destruction of our
| plant by fire or storm for instance.
! which have got to be quiet common
now, operate rs release for pro rata
portion according to the time of such
accident. We have just succeeded in
turning over and raising our dredee
DelaWare, and she Is reported as being
wreck and not repairabe. We are
ready with the Columbia and her wash
boat to 90 to work, and beg the favor
| OF reply at the earliest Onyeni.nco
| OF the board. Most respectfully sab.
mltted. PAULS FEIDEn
President Farmers Mining Com panv.
Orangeburg, $. g.
Governor Tlllman at once wrote the
following in reply, which, in view of
the present status of the phosphate
trouble, will be OF the greatest interest
TO the other miners and the people:
COLUMBIA. S. c., Oct. 30, 1898.
Paul S. Fielder, Esq, President Farm
e efs, Mining Company, Orangeburg,
Dear Sir-You of the 9th received
and contents noted. The resolutions
published in the News and Courier of
| the 18th OF September last are official:
and arc binding on the board of phos.
phate commissioners. The resolutions
are plain enough, but to remove all
possibility of doubt or misunderstood.
ing l will state:
l. Only those companies can avail
themselves of a reduction of the royal-
ty OF fifty cents per ton, on tho rock on
hand August q, or mined and sold I'D
to the lst of January next, which noti-
| ty US In writing between now and the
| 10Th OF November Of the acceptance of
the conditions imposed in those resolu
| tlOns. The companies which do not
accept must pay the royalty as hereto.
| fore at the rate Of 81 Q5. If all do no,
| accept then the royalty will be collect
ed at that rate and rebate of 90 cents
ton given those who agree to resume
operation.
2. During the year 1894 the State
must set apart $75,0 900 in phosphate
royalty to redeem the new bonds Un.
til that amount is raised the ROYALTY on
the rock mined next year must con-
tlnue, at the same rate prevailing at
the time the contract with the bond
holders was made, viz: 81 .O5 per ton on
dried rock and after said amount of
$4,000 has been received all the rock
| mined during the year 1894 will be
| free of charge.
Should the amount Of rock minded
next year be less than 70 900 tons the
|
Should any Of the companies drop out
OF business the $4,000 to be raised will
be prorated among those companies
continuing to mine, which notify us
OF such purpose by the 10Th day of
January, 1894.
In brief: TO get the reduction on the
rock on hand or mined up to January
next we must have written notice by
the 10th of November, 1893; to get the
reduction on rock mined next year, we
must have notice by the 10Th of Janu-
ary, 1894, Of intention to resume. We
Will not require guarantee Of the
S7o,OOO, but cannot reduce the ROYALTY
during the year 1894 until that sum
has been paid in. You can understand
the difficulty Of making any liked rule
to govern the concessions we wish to
make unless all the companies accept
the conditions offered. The trouble is
we are hampered by the contract with
the bOndhOlders, and cannot change
the conditions existing at the time the
bonds were issued without breaking
faith with them, the request made by
the companies for reduction TO SO
cents for five years is not to be consld.
cred because the price might 90 up and
then the State would have no share in
| the rise. The miners should know that
the State cannot afford to oppress them
and that our successors on the board
could and doubtless would consider
the situation which may then exist and
act wisely and justly towards them.
Ii they cannot trust The State they can
not in reason ask the State to trust
them. Yours respectfully.
Is. Il. TILLNIAN.
80 far none of the other companies
have sent any intlmation os their in
tentions in the matter, to Governor
Eillman, and the situation is Just as
much unsettled now as it was before
the meeting of tie board. The Cover
nor says that he has sent the miners