Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1893-03-30

mining establishments
rida. 30 in South Carolina and II. .,v.;..
Carolina.
Phosphates were discovered in South
Carolina in 1s67-'s, and the importance
of discovery was promptly rec Snized
and appreciated, both by scientific and
by business men. In 1868 the South
Carolina mines produced 12,262 tons,
while in 1891 they produced 5772,949 tons.
The Florida phosphate deposits were
discovered in 1878. and their last annual
output vas 532.o27 tons. The last an
nual output OF South Carolina mines was
Gas, ,979 tons. and of the North Carolina
mines reported $500 tons, or a total for
the whole industry of 1,231, ,703 tons.
This quantity was valued at the mines at
81. .153,2 POL
Operators in all the four States men
toned control 265, ,633S acres of land ard
l70t miles of river OF the land, l93,-
34S acres in Florida. The total value of
the capital invested in plants in the in
dustry is 81, 7o5.5S2, and in land, Sl4 ,366,-
0G7. The average number OF hands en-
ployed in the industry is 9.!G5, and of
this number 5.242 are employed in the
South Carolina mines The total expen-
diture for laoor for the last year was
81, 4733, 265.
The average earnings in .he Florida
land mines was $2ll. for each person
employed, and in the river mines $3.50, a
higher grade of skill being required in
the river mines than in the land mines.
In South Carolina, the average earn
ings in the land mines was S2S7 per ar
mum. and in the river mines $27S.
Through the phosphate industry, the
amount of wages paid to this class of
men being, for 1892, sl2l ,695; while the
wages paid for manipulating and con-
verting phosphate into super-phosphase
arc estimated. at S1,5S7,G0O, or a total
wage roll added to the industry of the
States named, through the discovery of
phosphate. of 81, lS2. .9l0, the raymehe of
this large sum being due entirely to tho
new industry of phosphate mining, and
it is of course constant yearly addition
to the economic force Of States in which
the industry is carried on. In addition
to this, labor is benefited through the
wage cost of transportation, drayage,
warehousing and other handling, which
in the aggregate amounts to very con-
siderable sum.
The Department of Labor has taken
greatest pains to ascertain the future
opportunities for labor by collecting in
formation on this particular point. DR..
Wyatt, in .'Phosphates of America"
gives the lowest estimate for South Ca
rolina, in round numbers, as 100000
tons in sights This amount, at the pres
ent rate of production, would keep the
industry in full activity fer Henty-eight
years from 1891.
Capt. Tucker, of the Department of
bduOI usiS tusiue fcl Seii SlAi SStihusseso
relative to Florida, North Carolina and
Georgia, and other States, and he con-
cludes that in the State of Florida the
amount in sight is 133, ,095, 1885 tons; fof0
the other States, 100000. These yari-
Gus estimates show total of s49, ,055, ,Ss5
tons Of phosphate in sight, and this
statement shows better than any other
the future opportunities foremplo ployment
of labor in this industry.
No discoveries Of any considerable
eeaantitieSof phosphate have been made
slring the past two years. OF course,
the commissioner remarks, it is im-
Sible to say what developments viii
place IN The future N the way of
Asies
9oocotton factory At gam IN /