The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1894-03-23
THE SOUTH IN wINTER.-vIII.
PAsADENA, Fla, March II, 1874

n mooted ouestiop as to its origin. Many
theories have been advanced and each
furnish proofs satisfactory to themselves,
at least. but nearly all agree the immense
beds are due in a great measure 10 sea
birds, prehistoric, yet in secondary de-
gree Florida, in the past ages was
without question under water. smell
fish of every description We're on tne
bottom and ''iu the SWIM" Ihelr shells
left behind, formed lime banks. In
time, these were lifted to the surface ana
above, sea fowls of various kinds maze
this their home, breeding and deposit,
ing droppings for centuries. ram caused
an ipiiltration and the bird guapo
containing, as it does, large quanClGy OF
phosphoric acid, owing to their diet,
transformed the lime into phosphate of
lime. This has been going on for centu-
ries and resulted in beds of great size
and deph. This is the supposed cause.
Some claim, among their many geolo-
gists, the acid was derived from the
ocean, now held in solution. Many
shells secrete phosphate of lime ana may
have helped swell the amount.
These banks if we so term them, nave
been covered with sand various depths,
sand which characterizes the FLORIDA OF
TODAY. Hundreds of square miles ex.
tend. under which crock phosphate"
underlie. and are located by driving long
iron rods with sharp points through the
sand until the phosphate is reached. In
places this deposit is so feet thick, and
underlies sand varying from two to ~
feet. Over 100 mines are now opened IN
the State. These mines vary from
small opening made by some farmer on
his own land, up to immense quarrles
furnishing tons of phosphate daily. In
this immediate vicinity are several quar-
ries, one but little developed, containing
80 per cent of phosphate, but this is an
exception, 80 per cent. being considered
A /. The quarry, if one may SO term u,
is first uncovered, the rock phosphate
ouarried out with blast pick and shovel.
II is then ground very much as our mills
grind the Nova Scotia, and shipped to
Baltimore and other northern ports.
where it is combined with, or subjected
to. sulphuric acid. The resultant pow
der is mixed with various fertilizing ma
terials, as nitrates, or bones, blood,
horns and refuse from packing houses,
packed in sacks and shipped all over the
world. These deposits of phosphate
have only been dug for market since 1887,
but careful estimates place the amount
in sight at 1873 million tons. Many sim
ply dig the rock and break it into small
pieces or powder with any means at
hand, and apply to the land. AS it comes
from the quarry it looks not unlike iron
ore, perhaps not quite as dark, some
pieces quite light in color, hut when
ground is white. 1t is used as under
Diuning, some pieces being as large as a
flour barrel. 1t is very hard and heavy.
An expert starts from Washington this
month to try and find out something
definite about the origin of the deposits.
These deposits are the largest in the
world, and it is providential, for no
country under the sun has more need of
this very article than this part of North
America.
Again, the money received for this
same phosphate has built the railroads,
and day furnishes them large share
of their freight The supply is inhausta-
BILE. and must prove to Florida what the
granite and marble industry has been to
Vermont-a mine of wealth. In the CEN
trail and western part of the State the
soil is underlaid with stratum of phos-
phate pebbles. feet in thickness; sup
posed fragments of rock, already de-
scribed, worn by the waters action into
round shapes and mixed with bones of
extinct animals. Remains of sharks
teeth and bones of elephants and masto-
dous are frequently found. Beds of
streams furnish large supply, and are
mined by scows furnished with engine
and pipe, the pipe extends to the bottom
of the stream and sucks up the gravel,
etc which is brought aboard and over
sleeves, where the refuse is thrown away,
the rock being loaded into vessels for
shipment. The busine S is yet in its in
fancy and may, doubtless will, rival the
orange and other fruits industry which
depend in more or less degree, upon this
same fertilizer for their success. Flori-
da is many years behind her sisters, and
we who are now living, may not see her
in her glory, yet we believe time will
demonstrate her possibilities, and pre-
dict for her a grand future.
However, her present plan of dispens-
ing justice will have to be changed, as no
Northern man can get justice in suit
with a native. Let us cite a case re-
Gently held near here. The judge and
clerk draw from hat and hand names OF
jury to sheriff.
Judge-"Who have you there?"
Sheriff-"Mr So-and-So."
Judge-"He is a Northerner, and nc
good. Try again; who have you?'
Sheriff-"Mr. -"
Judge-"He is a good cracker, and all
right: let him serve"
And so it goes through the list. Com
ment IS unnecessary. The same 'jus'
tice" is meeted out to all hailing from
the North. Instead of giving him an
equal chance, or for that matter Offering
q live man inducements to come and set
tie, he is met at the threshold with every
disbursement, and the man is plucky
who stays, He can, however, earn ever
lasting gratitude and hearty welcome by
forever renouncing the North and adopt
ing measures in vogue We doubt this
plan working well for the future good Of
Florida, however, but ''proffered advice
stinketh'' and we keep num-
The weather for the past week has
been rather too warm for us, 10 to S0o
and were it not for the breeze, would bt
uncomfortable. We cool off by reading
home paper and endeavoring to strike
an average. Cannot realize it is so colo
there. Our June and July day cannot
surpass the weather we are having here
The aligators have come out from theil
hiding places and can be heard nightly
The noise they make is not calculated tt
inspire a love for or more intimate &C
quaintance WITH these amphibiOus ami
mails. 1t is somewhat like the 6ullfrog
but can be heard for over mile on the
water, and they keep up the short sounds