The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-11-18
MT. PLEASANT
PHOSPHATE.
1t is Proving an Immense
Source of Wealth.
A MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR
In the Prospective Prosperity of Middle
Tennessee 'Tom' and "Dick" are
G. alIy Changing Into "Mr. Thomas"
aud Haar. Richard"
Nashville Banner.l

ant, Maury County, is probably one G
of the most important factors in the
prospective prosperity of Middle {
Tennessee, even though it is one of
the things about which Middle Ten |
nesseans know less than almost any I
of their many magnificent resources.
1t is not by any means an eXdggera-
tion to say that very much more
knowledge and appreciation of the
valuable deposits here exist outside
of Tennessee than in it. Why this
is so, as in all such instances, will
probably always remain mystery.
The geological formation of this
rock has been ascrlbed by the best
geological authority to the teaching
of the carbonate out of the capitol
limestone, which is the common sur
face limestone of the Middle Ten
nessee basin, leaving porous, high
grade phosphate of lime. This
would place this rock in the silurian
age.
A few others have contended that
we have here the same rock as the |
Hickman County" or "blue" phOs-
phate, which, in the process of ero-
sion which formed the central basin,
was lett in places, settling down like
blanket over the rolling knobs, left
by the sub. erosion, the settling caus-
lug it to become broken and wavy,
and the disintegrating action of
moisture and soil acids making it
porous. This would place it in the
DevOnian age.
Knowing the high authorities en-
dUrsing both theories, the writer
would not dare to differ with either,
and luckily he finds himself able
from a long and thorough observa-
tion to endorse both of them. A
critical examination of a section of
the phosphate deposit at almost any
place in the field will show that 1t
consists of two distinct parts, the
lower of which is undoubtedly
leached limestone and the upper
lust as surely is the same as the
blue rock, very much dlsintegrated.
Theories, however, right or wrong,
do not affect the value of the depos-
its commercially or otherwise. At
any rate, we have little pocket OF
some nine thousand acres OF land,
9 variously distributed over which are
about 1000 acres of first class, easily
available phosphate rock, showing
, analysis varying from 70 per cent. to
81 per cent bone phosphate of lime,
= covered by from one to twelve feet
n of easily removed overburden, and
yielding from $500 to 5000 tons OF
3 marketable rock per acre. A con
i servative estimate would fix the
: available tonnage of high grade rock
Y at about 6 900, 900 tons, which means
at least twenty years work to eX
haust it. 1t also means, if properly
handled, some four or five million
b dollars in profits to somebody, yet as
J.; usual the bulk of that profit will &C
e outside of Tennessee. Discovered
n In the summer of 1895, when ever
! gold dollars were not easy to dispose
u of, it was naturally extremely diff
n cult to interest capital in the de
l. velopment of the industry, and al
r the stuff is so easy to mine that any
body can work it, very many people
who could work but had no none!
N got into the business and soon th'
= unheard-of spectacle was witnessed
1t of 80 per cent. phosphate rock beinj
t, hawked about the market by Tom
a, Dick and Harry at prices varying
p from 81 to 81 40 per ton t. o. b. car
>, at the mines, with painfully few tax
eTs.
I'd Well, Tom and Dick are graduall
at changing into Mr.. Thomas and MI
Richard, and Harry has very nearl.
worked out his little dab of chea
rock, so that, whereas in 1896 an
a 1897 only $4,000 tons were shippe
IN and most of this at nearer the lowe
v. of the above prices, so far in lSS
:. over E40,OO0 tons have been shtppe
W at prices ranging from $l.50 to $3.5
ed per ton, and it is safe to predict a
o. annual output for the future OF $500
he 600 tons.
! Mount Pleasant rock found its wa
into the European markets in con
ct netition with Florida hard rock ,
6rst. because it was offered cheaI
and IL afterward found it's way int
ll- the Eastern domestic markets
of competition with Florida pebble an
South Carolina rock, because OF I'll
~ war stopping the cOastwise trade
m seams to hold it's own in both place
h nv reason of its really being sup
NO rior article. ,
II is also very probable that tt
;e' general demand has very great
IN, Increased, since prices of the 9th
as phosphates mentioned have also vel
greatly raised. The principal shiI
6ers from the field are: The Te
pessee Phosphate Company, J
OIL Carpenter & Co., the Blue Ora
ms Phosphate Company, the Columola
ed Phosphate Company, the Centr
mr. Phosphate Company, the Petrln'
" Rome Mining Company, Rob
III Jones, +. Hardy u Co, and the NJ
ia Pleasant Phosphate Company
35: addition to which are several SINS
si. individual miners and shippers.
No two Of these seem tn see allk
/; and there is no semblance of organ
l; zation or unity. of action, though
on course. it Is better now in the
spect of cut-throat prices than