The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-01-19

tion between these two officers has beer
considerable annoyance to the com
mission, in that the Comptroller Gen
eral has refused to sign deo6s rl lqairec
to be made by the commission. Thi
is matter to be settled by Legislation
and your body should do something Il
harmonic the differences. 1t is no
the purpose of the Sinking Fund Com
mission to seize the taxes which are
levied for the purposes of support o
State and county governments, and the
agents OF the commission should moi
be allowed to seize money in the
hands of the county treasurers. The
Comptroller General, | presume, will
present his side Of the case to you al
length In his report, which Is herewith
submitted.
regret TO say that this industry has
never recovered from the storm OF 1893
and fear before the close of another
year 1T may become Improbable to the
miners, and the State will cease to re.
ceive any income from this source
The report of Phosphate Inspector
Jones shows the total number of tons
| OF rock mined the year en- ling Angus,
81, 1896, estimated 1873 70S tons, as
againsb the year ending August 81
1895, 1876, III tons, a decrease for the
year Of 73 069. The total number ot
tons OF rock shipped during the yoai
ending August 81 1896, was 12l,602
and for the same period Of 1895, III 4uO
showing decrease from the year 1896
of 52,797 tons. The amount OF tue
States royalty for tho year ending
August 81, $50, S53.76, the amount for
1895, $S7, ,2O0.l3, showing decrease
| from The last phosphate year OF $26,
346 81. The amount OF royalty actually y
PAID into the treasury from January
to December 81, 1896, was $5l $40 63,
leaving n balance due by the phosphate
miners, $9,503 l3. This deficit is due
by the Farmers Mining Company, MIR.
q. q. Pinckney, president. This com
pany has been behind since the first
year of my administration.
When the matter was brought to nv
attention took immediate steps to col
lect the amount due, and succeeded in
doing so. Special Instructions were
given to the officers to see that no
further extensions were allowed, and
| that this company be made to pay it's
royalty as promptly as other miners.
For some reason, inexplicable to me,
they again failed to pay the royalty,
and the matter was Immediately called
to the attention Of the Board of Ptos-
phate Commissioners. The Board
gave an extension of time and accepte d
royalty due. One of the notes has been
paid but | am informed by MIR. Pinck-
ncy that he will be unable TO meet the
note of SIS, 900 due the 1st of January.
The matter has been placed in the
hands OF the Attorney General, and he
will no doubt take such stops "a he
deems best to collect the amount due.
Last March, in view Of the depression
in this industry, the Phosphate Inspec-
tor and the Chairman Of the Board de-
termined to visit the mines in, the
State of Florida, with view of asccr-
tanning the cost of mining in that State
as compared with that in our State,
and to ascertain the causes OF depres.
| sion, We found the business in Florida
stagnated and in more depressed
copdition, If possible. than in our State.
1t would be impossible for the mines
in Florida or Tennessee to compete
with the mines in South Carolina
under ordinary conditions. The mines
of Florida are in the interior, and in
most instances large top burden of
sand has to be removed. 1t is then
placed on board cars an transported
to the ports, whose freight rates are
fro )rty to eighty cents higher per
ton than from Port Royal and Charles
ton ports. 1t will thus be seen that
our miners have an advantage right
here over the miners Of Florida of
more than the royalty paid the State
The cause OF the de- preston Is not from
competition with Florida aud Tannes-
see, but Is the result of a depression in
prices of agricultural products all over
the world. The phosphate miners
have petitsoned the .ooard for o reduc-
tion in the royalty TO % cents per ton.
Their petition accompanies the report
1IsSI Il l.1,, - 1,
submitted for your consideration. lam
satisfied that u reduction OF this royalty
would III no wise tend to rclieve the
general depression, and ] WAS assured
so by the attorney OF one of the largest
minors in the State. The truth of the
business Is the phosphate territory no
longer affords rock Of sufficiently
high grade to make the industry profit
able. The territory has been mined
too, In 81 manner that has materially
injured the deposits in the river. This
entire matter can be dealt with by the
Phosphate Con mission without legis-
lation on your part, and should be left
to their good Judgment. Unde. the
bond act the phosphate royalty to the
amount OF 1915, 900 per annum Is appli-
cable to the sinking fund. 1t has been
so applied, and L regret that the
amount this year falls short about
| $15, 900 of the required amount
RAILROADS.
A report OF the Railroad Commits
sioners shows better condition of the
roadsof the State and a large increase in
all branches of business. .Thecommission
put into effect the rates on fertilizers
provided for in the act passed at your
| last session. There was disposition
on the part OF the roads to contest the
| validity of this act and the right of the
commission to reduce rates. An agree
ment was finally had which resulted
In the rates being placed into imme-
diate effect. A protest was filed by
MIR. Thomas, minority of the com
mission, which is fully set forth in the
report; but as the roads have acaui.
esced and seem desirous of co.Operat-
Ing with a majority OF the commission
In the interest of the people OF the
State, deem 1t unnecessary to call
further notice to the contention OF Mr..
Thomas.
1t Is unfortunate that there should
be this want of harmony among the
commissioners, but this is human ma
ture and matter to be dealt with as
you deem proper. In the meantime
the interests OF the State are not suf-
fering. The Southern Railway has
filed It's charter with the Secretary OF
State as provided In an act relating tu
the same, and IL Is now domestic COR
poration. / had some doubt as to the
| cOnStitutiOuaiity of this act and the