The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-14

Phosphate Mines.
| am still perusing he inland towns
and find content and prosperity and
good people wherever 60. Now there
is Inverness that is only two years old
that is the county seat of Citrus County
and has only three or four hundred
people, and is yet in the woods, but it
has a good trade and look of pros
perity. The lakes near by are lovely,
and the phosphate plants give every
thing a lively appearance. There is
one right close up to the village-the
Covebend-that belongs to Mr.. Jack
son, that is, perhaps, making more
money for its cost than any in Florida.
The outlay for the plant and the land
il only $4,000, and its products are fif-
teen tons of rock per day at cost of
81. so ton loaded on the cars. He gets
$3.50 per ton f. o. h.-that is business.
Sixty dollars a day net profit! He has
no salaried officials, no bosses, and has
built no houses for laborers, but seems
to boss everything himself. If the
pockets give ont, he can pick up and
move with little loss or delay. The
Hamburg plant, a mile or two away,
! is an immense concern with unlimited
capital. All Of their products go across
the water, and are made into fertilizers
and sold in Germany at s75 a ton.
They have now on hand 5000 tons
ready for shipment. The plant with
all its machinery and outbuildings cost
$780, and yet they cannot tell how
soon the deposit will give out. In fact,
it did give out on one side the day I
was there, and left clean wall of
sticky sand that was worthless. Never
theless there are several extensive pits
near by that still hold out, and the
company has no fears of exhausting
the deposits for years. The overseer
told me that their greatest provocation
was the uncertainty of negro labor.
All along the line of this road from
Pemberton toArcher are to be seen phos-
phate plants or turnouts that lead to
them; and the wages Of the laborers are
freely spent and give life and activity
to the little towns. Most of the plants
are foreign or northern capital and
whether they make money or not, the
wages are spent. The magnitude of
this business grows on you as you trav-
el. England, Germany, France and
Scotland are heavy purchasers, and are
feeding their millions from crops fer
tilized with Florida phosphates.
To my great pleasure I found Mr..
and Mrs. Vance on the train going from
Tampa to Suwanee sulpher springs
The Senator was languishipg in the
sleeper upon pillows wherewith to rest
his rheumatic limbs, for he had been q
great sufferer of late and said be had
found no relief from the doctors. Then
he quoted Scripture with sad smile.
land Asa was diseased in his feet and
sought not the Lord but physicians
and be slept with his fathers" We
recalled the pleasant evening spent
some years ago at Judge Ashes house
in Wadesboro, and when + remarked
that + had many time repeated the
good stories he and Judge Ashe told
that night, smiled and said, "Major, /
hope you treated me better than Sen
ator Vest does. When I tell him 9
good story he tells it again ard if the
crowd enjoys it heartily he gives no
quotation marks, but if it falls. fat he
is sure to say I got that from Vance" "
His good wife is merry hearted wo-
man and is yet beautiful in feature
and bright in conversation. 1t seems
like her very presence would cure rheu-
matism-at least maD ought to be
willing to have it with such comfor-
ter around. 1t was with great reluc-
tance that I bade them goodby at
Dunellen.
From there T departed for Crystal
river. When about five miles away
our car became uncoupled and the
train with eight freight cars went on
and we felt as helpless as painted
ship upon painted ocean. At the
next station the engineer missed US
and came back, and so it was quite late
when we reached the little town that
had invited me to come and talk. AT.
ter hurried supper on the best oysters
I have found in Florida, 7 went to
the church and found it quite full OF
good people awaiting me. Taking a
SIDE seat in front I was introduced to 3
number of pleasant gentlemen-some
of them from Georgia, of course. felt
fattered that so many people had
turned out to hear me, for it is little
hamlet. Directly an old gentleman,
who seemed to be master Of ceremonies
came to me and with great dignity
and kindliness of manner said, "Maior
would it be at all improper for US to
take up little collection to remuner'
| ate you for your travelling expenses.
We have conferred about it and think
you ought to have that much if it is
agreeable to you"
My photograph ought to have been
taken right then. turned my face
toward the door to see if it was possible
that there was no doorkeeper. There
was none and more people kept walk
ng in just like they were coming tc
church. 1 looked at my venerable
friend 2nd said: "Have none of these
people paid anything?"