The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-31

, steamers, some of which bring from
| 1000 to 5000 tons. From twelve to fiji
teen vessels are thus brought into our
! port every year, adding to the, volume
| of the of our port n help
! ing the trade of the city, a. the sail
; ore come ashore n spend their money
! and the ships are supplied by our mer'
| chants with provisions for their out
| ward voyage. The supply of phosphate
| rock is also brought here in vessels
| and as forty or fifty vessels are thus
| brought to our port annually and ado
| that much to our commerce..
ADJUNCTS TO THE PLANT.
North cf the acid factory there is a
building filled with furnaces for dry
ing wet phosphate rock and other ma
terials that it is necessary to dry.
On the front is a brick boiler-room
for supplying the steam for tie acid
chambers. Near by it, on the water
front, is a still larger brick building
containing a battery of boilers, a 250-
morse power CCrliSS steam engine n
a 5-horse power Sempbold engine, for
running the fertilizer factory. In this
building there are also machine shops
with lathes, machinery, tools and
equipments necessary to make all the
repairs for the factory. A force Of
mtachinists are kept constantly at work
in the shops.
Ia short distance away there is also a
Blacksmith shop that is kept going all
the time.
On the water front there is a. store
room where piping, hardware, tools and
other goods are kept to supply the fac-
tory Immediately, as such things are
constantly needed while the factory is
in operation.
Situated at a safe distance from the
mill, as a precaution against fire, is an
oil storage, where the l~ubricating oils
are kept in bulk.
South of the fertilizer factory is a
large warehouse for storing phosphate
rock, and another for storing potash,
kainit, etc. Connecting with the ware
houses at the wharf is a hoisting en-
CINE for unloading vessels.
On the grounds there is a neat two
story office building, equipped with
counting room and telephone connec-
tion with the city. On the second story
of this building is a complete labora-
tory, where the formulas for the
various brands OF fertilizers are pre-
pared. Here also tine phosphate rock
is esssayed and complete analyses of
all the brands of fertilizers are made
and kept on record.
III Gil, llIcIc are IOuTt6Sn In
the immmedialte factory plant, and the
works are among the complettest in to
be found anywhere in this country.
Around the factory has grown up a
substantial village of 100 inhabitants.
The houses were erected and are owned
by thee oumpany, which has also erect
ed a nice church where the factory
hands and villagers can hold their
Sunday school and religious services.
They secure the services of first one
and then another preacher from the
city. and there is hardly a Sunday that
there is not religious services.
SHIPPING FACILITIES.
Besides the water facilities giving
communication with the ports Of this
country and the balance CT the world.
five tracks, consisting of about ten
miles of railroad, run into the works.
connecting h factory with all the
railroads running into and out of Will
mington. This affords the very hes.
facilities for shipping the products of