The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-21
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
THE INDUSTRY AS IT HAS GROWN
AND NOW EXISTS.

Paid.
WASHINGTON. March co. Commissioner
of Labor Carroll d. Wright has, in COM
pliance with a resolution OF the Senate, just
forwarded to that body a report of the
phosphate industry. The chief materials
for this report have been collected by Capt.
James +. Tucker, one of the departments
special agents. and a gentleman thoroughly
familiar with the industry. The report
gives in the introduction brief
resume OF the character oe
phosphate as used for fertilizing
and then in chapters l and 2 a very full
account Of the industry as it has grown and
now exists In Florida and South Carolina.
The industry is located in the states OF
North and South Carolina, Florida and
Georgia. But little is done, however. in
the first and last named states.
The commissioners report covers 1877
phosphate mining establishments, 1O6 being
in Florida, 80 in South Carolina and 1 in
North Carolina.
Phosphates were discovered in South
Carolina in lS6I-6S and the Importance of the
discovery was promptly recognized and ap-
preoiated both by scientific and by business
men. In 1868 the South Carolina mines
produced Il, 262 tons, while in 1891 they
produced 572, $40 tons.
The Florida phosphate deposits were dis
covered in 1855 and their last annual out
put was 532 O21 tons.
The last annual output of the South Caro-
lima mines was $685. ,9l6 tons and of the
North Carolina mine reported, 200 tons, or
total for the whole industry OF ,23l, ,7O3
tons.
This quantity was valued at the mines at
81, 1853, ,201.
The operators in all the four states mem
toned control 265,6S8 acres OF land aud
17015 miles Of river. OF the land 1913. .349
are in Florida.
THE CAPITAL INVESTED.
The total value of the capital invested In
plant In the industry is 81, 705 ,5S2 and in
land $14 ,366, ,067.
The average number OF hands employed
in the industry Is 9, l65, and OF this number
5,242 are employed in the South Carolina
mines.
The total expenditure for labor for last
year was s2, ,473, ,265. The average earnings
in the Florida land mines was S2lI for each
person employed, aud in the river mines
1855. higher grade of skill being required
in the river mines than IN the land mines.
In South Carolina the average earnings in
the land mines was $2S7 per annum, and in
the river mines 1878.
The report gives all the available facts
relating TO the cost of production and op-
| portunities for labor, as well as the general
statistics. these being given in detail aud
| by summaries.
| Relative to the opportunities for labor it
is found that wages are very fair, 80 far as
rates are concerned. the annual earnings,
Of course, depending upon the number Of
| days the mines are operated in each lo-
| palitV The a aVQraua nav If bIaoxaguIkha I'm
| Florida is 81 So; Of biasters 81 25 dredge-
| men. ST 25; engineers, s IS; carpenters,
| 81 SO; captains of dredges, S3 SO; machin-
lists, So 45; flremen, 81 SO, and foremen
| 81 93.
In South Carolina chief engineers and
mechanics receive 81 16 per day on the
| average, engineers 50 o. foremen 81 % /;
machinists SO 81, blacksmiths 81 As and
carpehtenters 81 60. All these wages for
| both Florida aud South Carolina are for
| land minds. In the river mining the aver
| ages are usually higher in some respects,
carpenters receiving 81 SO per day, en-
gineers So &c and mschinists SO 48
| in Florida, and in South Carolina
engineers receive S3 "a, foremen So SO,
machinists 81 81, etc.
In addition TO the wages paid in the mines
large body OK longshoreman have been
brought into employ ment through the
phosphate industry, the amount OF wages
! paid to this class Of men be-
ing, for 1892, Sl2l,695, while
the wages paid for manipulating
and converting phosphate into super
phosphate are estimated at Sl,5S760O, or a
total wage roll added TO the industries Of
the states named through the discovery OF
phosphate Of "a, 1872 ,9l0, the payment Of the
large sum being due entirely TO the new in-
dustry of phosphate mining, and 1t ts, OF
course, a constant yearly addition to the
economic force OF the 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 Ia
the aggregate amounts to very consider
able SUN.
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES.
The future opportunities for labor in this
industry are besC illustrated by considering
the quantities of phosphate In sight. The
department Of labor has taken the greatest
pains to ascertain the future opportunities
for labor by collecting information on this
particular point DR.. Wyatt In 'The Phos-
pilates Of America" gives the lowest esti-
mate for South Carolina in round numbers
as u, ,OOO 900 tons in sight. The amount at
the present rate Of production would keep
the industry in full activity for twenty
eight years from 1891.
Capt Tucker of the department Of labor
Florida, North Carolina aud Georgia and
other states and he concludes that IN the
state Of Florida the amount IN sight is 1885,,
Og5, ,S35 tons, and for tie other states ,00,-
900. These various estimates show
total Of I49.U55, S35 tons Of phosphate Ia
sight, and this statement shows better than
any other the future opportunities for the
employment of labor In the industry.
No discoveries Of any considerable
quantities of phosphate have been
made during the past two
years. OF course, az the commissioner
remarks, it is impossible 10 say what de-
velopments will take place in che future in
the way Of discoveries. The opportunities
for labor, therefore, have been considered
solely with reference to the existing condi-
tions. The estimates are conservative, and
probably below rather than above the real
facts. Endeavor has been 10 avoid all the
exaggeration which comes from speculative
estimates and 10 secure only those 1udg-
ments which are based upon absolute knowl-
edge and, In many cases, upon actual meas
urements.
Knlad ar a Fire