The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-01-21

tion of $5, 900 in the ordinary sinking
| fund, which the Board decided to holt
for contingent expenses, ETC., connected
with its collection and disbursement
PHOSPHATEs.
It will thus be seen that we have
realized four and one half per cent
upon the entire fund, although the
loans have not been made for u year
If this policy is pursued by compound
ing the interest the State will be made
to realize six and seven per cent. upon
the entire fund, and when the bonded
debt OF the State natures this fund
will be more than sufficient to retire it.
| In the construction of the statute
regulating delinquent taxes, as to when
the same become liable to be forfeited
to the sinking fund, u difference of
opinion exists between the Comptroller
| General and the Secretary Of State, the
agent OF the commission. The c0ntefi.
tlon between these two officers has beSa
considerable annoyance to the com
mission, in that the Comptroller Cen
eral has refused to sign deeds required
| TO be made by the commission. This
is matter to be settled by legislation
and your body should do something to
harmonize the differences. 1t is not
the purpose of the Sinking Fund Com
mission to seize the taxes which are
levied for the purposes of support Of
State and county governments, and the
agents of the commission should not
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 at
| 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 ending August
81, 1896, estimated 1887 tons, as
against the year ending August 81,
year of 73,OG9. The total number of
tons of rock shipped during the year
ending August 81, 1896, was 121 ,GO2,
and for the same period of 1895, 174, 400
showing decrease from the year 1895
of 52,797 tons. The amount of the
States royalty for the year ending
August 81, $50, ,853.7G, the amount for
1898, $S7 POOLE showing q decrease
from the last phosphate year of $780,
SAG. 81. The amount Of royalty actually
paid into the treasury from January
to December 81, 1896, was SOL ,34063.
leaving balance due by the phosphate
miners, S9,5O3 IL. This deficit is due
by the Farmers Mining Company, MIR.
G. G. 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 sec that no
further extensions were allowed, and
that this company be made to pay its
royalty as promptly as other minors
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 accepted
notes or the company in payment of the
royalty due. One of the notes has been
paid but am informed by Mr.. Pinck-
ney that he will be unable to meet the
note of $5, 900 due the lst of January.
The matter has been placed in the
hands OF the Attorney General, and he
will no doubt take such steps as he
deems best to collect the amount due.
Last March, in view of the depression
In this industry, the Phosphate Inspcc-
tor and the Chairman of the Board de-
termincd to visit the mines in the
State of Florida, with view of asccr-
tanning the cost of mining in that State
rs 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
condition, 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 ant transported
to the ports, whose freight rates are
from forty 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 depression Is not from
competition with Florida and Tonnes
see, but is the result of depression in
prices OF agricultural products all over
the world. The phosphate miners
have petitioned the 6oard for reduc.
tion in the royalty to rs cents per ton.
Their petition accompanies the report
of tho commission, and is herewith
submitted for your consideration. Lam
satisfied that o reduction Of this royalty
would in no wise tend to relieve tho
general depression, and J was assured
so by the attorney OF one Of the largest
miners in tho 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 manner that has materially
injured the deposits in the river. This
entire matter can be dealt with by the
Phosphate Commission without legis-
lation on your part and should be left
to their good judgment. Undo. the
bond act the phosphate royalty to the
amount OF $4,000 per annum 10 appli-
cable to the sinking fund. 1t has beon
so applied. end l regret that the
amount this wear falls short ahnnt