The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-07
PHosPHATE ROCK.

Florida phosphate rock is now practically
out of the market What is meant by this
is chat mixers are making 10 rev con
tracts, simply trying 40 fiji the OH con-
tracts.
notwithstanding Florida mines run full
forces, they find it imDoss he to supply
even orders OF long-standing with h gh
grade land phosphate. Exports through
savannah Port did not quite rea- n he fig
ures of last year lacking however olly
in the ne shborhood of $500 tons. This
shortage is due 10 competition i'm Fernan-
dina ana Tampa, chiefly the former port.
exporters finding it probably less cOnven-
lent in the matter of handling, but more
convenient in the sense of its being nearer
to the mines Prices range 81 to $3.50 PER
ton, higher on low grade Florida eravel aud
500 10 S3.5 per ton higher on high grade
rock phosphate, over last year at the cor
responding season. This advance In price
can only be attributed 10 the increased de-
mand for high grade land phosphate
throughout the commercial world. No diff
hculty is experienced IN procuring vessels
for shipment of rock, it being customary
TO load il in connection with cotton.
Freight is unusually high just now with a
prospect for sim another advance, but this
makes litte difference with men who are
handling the rock under consideration. as
they have contracts of loug-standing
which they are compelled TO nh regardless
OF freight rates. OF course this heavy rate
OF freight eats largely into the profit of
the exporter Yet he would exercise poor
judgment should he cease work to await
the reduction Of freight.
Germany is the chief customer for this
material at The present moment, but al
most every European nation has contracts
with Florida phosphate factors These ma
tons demand almost exclusively the high
arr.t fez J gs- Of w.
teral that is shipped through Savannah.
over 72,000 tons of high grade fertilizer
has been exported through this port this
season. An average of 500 tons per
month. During the past twelve months not
a single month has passed without from
one 10 three cargoes of this commodity
passing through Savannah. Twenty-n. ne
vessels have been emp'oyed during the
twelve months in the exports of Florida
phosphate.
Taking into consideration the fact that
Savannah is only one of three principal
ports for the exporting of this material;
chat Tampa ships as much and Fernan-
dina more, that Brunswick is not far be-
hind in exports; that almost the entire
bulk of low grade material is shipped from
other ports the enormousness of the total
output of this fertilizer at once becomes
apparent. There is, however practically
small proportion of the low grade ma
terial imported, as home farmers seem
satisfied to use this grade of fertilizer,
while Europe demands the high-grade ar
ticle. The increased demand for this ma
terial is due entirely to the 1attering
business outlook prevailing in the COM
mercial world throughout the country.
With the demand for the present moment
far greater than the supply; the mines
taxed to their utmost to fill old contracts
and an increasing demand from all quar-
ters, the prospects are favorable for an
increased trade for the future, with prices
even higher than quotations now indicate.
The total shipments We're 72,270 tons.
The following table shows the monthly
EXPORTS: