The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-11-08
THE PHOSPHATE TROUBLE.
Farmers Company Sends Notice Of Readi-

ed by the August hurricane, still con-
tinues to be q matter of the greatest
public interest to the parties concerned
as well az to the people at large. and
the final outcome is awaited with the
greatest degree of interest. Yesterda 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 of vital Importance to all the phos-
phate miners. This Is the letter and it
Is self-explanatory:
>ORANaEBURe, Oct. 20, 1893.
Governor B. r Tillman:
I saw published in the Charleston
News and Courier Of the 10Th of Sep.
| tember last q set of resolutions claimed
to be adopted by the phosphate COM
mission assembled at Beaufort. I have
never received any official notice from
the board of Its action, which l have
been expecting until yesterday. l re-
ceived letter informing me Mr.. Broth
erhood had received communication
of some sort, but did not say what 1t
| was.
commenced work immediately after
the storm, and now I am ready to go
to work with one dredge. I do not
know what the companies are going
to do. I do not understand the reso.
lutions exactly.
The point is if the Farmers Compa.
ny alone goes to work and guarantees
it's proportion of the $4,000 will 1t be
entitled to all the benefits mentioned
by the board? We presume this to be
the meaning, but before proceeding In
80 important matter wish official as
surance that we are correct.
Another pint is, does the board ex-
pect or 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 as release for pro rata
portion according to the time of such
accident. We have just succeeded IN
turning over and raising our dredge
Delaware, and she is reported as being
a wreck and not repairable. We are
ready with the Columbia and her wash
boat to 60 to work, and beg the favor
of a reply at the earliest Convenience
of the board. Most respectfully sub.
mltted. PAUL S FIELDER.
President Farmers Mining Company,
Orangeburg, s. G.
Governor TIllmsn 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. 80, 1893.
Paul s. Fielder, Esq, President Farm
ers' Mining Company, Orangeburg,
SC:
Dear Slr-Yours of the 9th received
and contents noted. The resolutions
published In the News and Courier of
the 18th of September last are official;
and are binding on the board of phos.
phate commissioners. The resolutions
are plain enough, but to remove all
possibility of doubt or misunderstood
ing I will state:
/. Only those companies can avail
themselves Of reduction Of the royal
ty of fifty cents per ton, on the rock on
hand August 27, or mined and sold up
to the 1st of January next, which noti.
fy us In writing between now and the
18th of November of the acceptance of
the conditions imposed In those resolu.
tions. The companies which do not
accept must pay the royalty as hereto
fore at the rate of $1.05. If all do not
accept then the royalty will be collect
ed at that rate and a rebate Of SIS cents
q ton given those who agree to resume
operation.
2. During the year 1894 the State
must set apart $4,000 in phosphate
royalty to redeem the new bonds. Un.
til that amount Is raised the royalty on
the rock mined next year must con-
tinue, at the same rate prevailing at
the time the contract with the bond
holders was made, viz: $1.05 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 Is 900 tons the
royalty will remain as heretofore.
Should any Of the companies drop out
of business the SIS, 600 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 18th 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
5000, but cannot reduce the royalty
during the year 1894 until that sum
has been paid in. You can understand
the difficulty of making any fixed 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 we're issued without breaking
faith with them, the request made by
the companies for reduction TO 5O
cents for five years Is not to be consld
cred because the price might 60 up and
then the State would have no share in
the rise. The miners should know that
the State cannot afford to Cypress them
and that our successors on the board
could and doubtless would consider
the situation which may then exist and
act wisely aud justly towards them.
If they cannot trust the State they Can
not IN reason ask the State to trust
them. Yours respectfully.
| B. r. TILLMAN.
30 far none of the other companies
have sent any intimation o. their In
tentlons in the matter, to Governor
Tlllman, and the situation Is just as
much unsettled now as it was before
the meeting of tie board. The Cover.