The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-01-08
OUR PH0SPHATES.
THE ANNUAL REPORT OF INSPECTOR
JONES ON THE MINES.

He ANNUAL HeFOHl Of INSFEC ON
JONES ON THE MINES.
Business in Phosphate Rock Is Very Dull
One Large Company Suspends Operations
Indefinitely, and Others Reduce their
Force.
COLUMBIA, Dec. 31.-Froln the re.
port of Phosphate Inspector Jones il
appears that the phosphate industry is
in much demoralized condition. In
deed, Mr.. Jones concludes that 'the
outlook of the business is gloomy IN
the extreme" The report goes on to
show as far as possible the reasons fol
the depression, and how the condition
should be met. Mr.. Jones recon,
| mends reduction in the royalty to
twenty-five cents per ton.
The report will not only be Of great
importance to the lower tier of coun'
ties, engaged in phosphate mining,
but to the people of the State at large,
for the special reason that the revenue
from the phosphate royalty goes tc
the sinking fund for the liquidation
of the State bonds. The report reads
/ have the honor to present herewith
my annual report of the operations
and condition of the States phosphate
industry for the year commencing
September 1, 1894, and ending August
| 81, 1895. During the year the mining
operations have beer carried on by the
following companies:
Coosaw Mining CompaDy-Five
dredges and wash boats, sixteen light
ers, forty longing flats and five tug
boats.
Farmers Mining Company-Three
dredges, sixteen lighters, forty tong
ing flats and one tug boat.
Beaufort Phosphate Company-One
dredge, thirteen lighters, seventy
longing fats and one tug boat.
Carolina Mining Company-One
dredge, twenty-five lighters and two
tug boats.
". Y. Fripp-Eight tonging flats.
James O'Hear-Suspended.
John G. Nelson-Suspended.
James Reid-Included in Farmers
Mining Company.
At the beginning of the year, Sep
tember l, 1894, the above companies
had fully recovered and rehabilitated
their mining plants wrecked by the
cyclone of August 26, 1898. and have
added saving devices so as to reduce
the cost of mining to minimum, and
are today in better condition to mine
and handle phosphate than ever be-
fore.
The total number of tons of rock
shipped for the year commencing
September 1, 1894, and ending August
81, 1895, was ia, 4OO. .25-100 tons. OF
the rock shipped or sent to market
there have been shipped: To foreign
ports, 129, ,S22 tons; to coastwise, (out-
side OF State,) 30,451.25 tons; taken at
Charleston. 6,573 tons; taken at Beau
fort, 1854 tons. Total shipments,
Ia, 4OO.25 tons.
The amount of royalty paid the
State, under the Act of 1898, for act
ual shipments, without regard to the
price of the rock per ton, is as follows:
Coosaw Mining Company, tons ship
ped, rs, 120; royalty, s39,060
Farmers' Mining Company, tons
shipped, "a, 46s; royalty, S17, ,234.
Carolina Mining Company, tons
shipped, 80, 426; royalty s16,713.
Beaufort Phosphate Company, tons
shipped, %, ,1s1; royalty, 81, O90.50:
W. Y. Fripp, tons shipped, 2o5.25;
royalty, s1O2 .63.
Total tons shipped, ia, 40025; total
royalty, $S7, 200. u.
Second. Additional royalty paid the
State for excess OF value free on
board" over four dollars per ton; Coo
saw Mining Company, s256.57; Farm
ers' Mining Company, s137.5O; Beau
fort Phosphate Company, : Carolina
Mining Company, sos; total, $457. OF
Royalty paid the State on shipments,
sS7, 300 13; royalty additional for ex-
cess Of value, $457. OF. Total royalties
for the year, SS7, 657.20.
Statement of number of tons mined
during the year is estimated at 2O1, 400
tons. The number of tons on hand
September 1, 1895, is estimated at 35, )
S57 tons, as follows:
Coosaw Mining Company, 10,925
tons.
Farmers Mining Company, 1928
tons.
Beaufort Phosphate Company, 7,437
tons.
Carolina Mining Company, 4,944
tons.
John G.. Nelson, 452 tons.
W. Y. Fripp, 153 tons.
James O'Hear, 623 tons.
Total on hand, 35.S57 tons.
The outlook of the business is gloo-
my in the extreme. Prices have sunk
to figure never before reached, and
the greatest Encouragement prevails
both in South Carolina and Florida.
1t is impossible to get in Europe now
even as high as I'd a unit; the prices
vary from sd to SD. At these prices,
after paying royalty, and with the
most favorable rates of freight, the
mining companies are unable to net
more than 81 per ton for their rock.
This does not enable them to live. The
strictest economy is being practiced,
wages are being reduced, saving devi.
ces are being adopted, and the cost OF
mining has been reduced to mini
mum. But even with this, unless
there is an improvement in the mark
ct the phosphate companies must stop.
regret to report that this sterling
company, representing a large amount
of English capital, has suspended op-
erations indefinitely. AL hands have
been discharged Its efficient presi-
dent, Mr.. Brotherhood, (the largest
individual stockholder in the com
pany,) has resigned, and his resigna
ton has been accepted. The plant is
laid up permanently, and no one but
caretaker is at the extensive works
hitherto so busily employed. There
is no prospect of an early resumption