The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-29
THE FERTILIZER
OF THE SOUTH
Business Almost Controlled by One
Concern.
VIRGINIA CAROLINA COMPANY.
The Large Purchases Recently Made
by 1.-THE Probable Effect OF
the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ton of Moment.
CAROLINA COMPANY.

A savannah (Ga) paper has the fol-
lowing. which will be Of interest 10
many:
Apparently the fertilizer manufactur-
ing business Of the South IS about TO be
concentrated IN the hands d one con-
Germ. In fact. this is nearly me case al
ready. The recent purchase Of the prop
critics of the Commercial Guano Compa-
ny at Savannah and Columbus by 'he
Virginia Carolina Chemical Company Is
only one Of several large purchases OF
similar character made by The latter
concern.
The deal with the Commercial Guano
Company has been very quietly con-
Quoted. though % has been IN progress
FOR some time The vice president ana
general manager. Mr.. John w. hustI is
IN Atlanta and there Us no one hese lu
position to give Information. Inc t"o
plants at Savannah and Columbus were
easily worth in the nolghoorhooo OF
10000. that AT Columbus being almost
new, and as ID IS understood that i'd
.ral price was received for the proper
ties. II Is not likely that the figure is any
thing less than $J0o.0o.
VIRGINIA-CAROLINA-
only a few months since the Virginia
Carolina Company bought out The Bald
win Fertilizer Company OF savannah
with ifs large factories at Port Royal.
S. c. About the same time the Virginia
company acquired the Standard Feruli1ef
company OF Charleston. and IL Is now re-
norted on good authority that Il mas
more recently acquired the Edisto Manu-
Fs,turiue Company OF that city, the
sfandard and the EdistO being two OF the
largest fertilizer companies IN South Car
DINA. The Virgin.a-CarOlina Chemical
Company also owns large phosphate IN
terests m South Carolina and FLORIDA
having acquired practically all Of the
SiO0.O0O Of the capital stock or the fea'e
River Phosphate Mining Company OF
FLORIDA. which was largely owned in Sa-
vannah and Atlanta.
The first laree deal OF the Nirgin'a-Car~
olina Chem cal Company in this section
was when IL bought out the Southern
FERTILIZER Company which included me
large prop rites formerly operated by
Ceorge W Scott Of Atlanta and Conner,
Hull A Co. of savannah. The recent pur-
chase Of the Commercial Guauo Company
gives the Richmond corporation every
fertilizer factory al Savannah. with the
execution Of the Savannah Guauo 'ou-
pany. Not only this but 10 Is said mat
there s. only one other fertilizer Iac-
tor,, IN the state VII en- Is not controlled
by this corporation, small plant al VOL
dosta. Pretty much the same condition
exists in South Carolina, where the Viz
ginia-Carolina Cheml al Company has ac-
quired everything In the fertil zer line,
with the exception OF few smah
plants.
The Virginia-Ca~oluo Chemical Com
many is capitalized at t240oocoo and IT'S
headquarters are at Richmond. IL IS ev-
identity the purpose of fits promoters TO
secure control of the entire fertilizer man
ufacturng business Of the south, ana
very good progress has now been mace
ga tbis direction No. less than several
millions Of dollars must have been re-
quircd 90 purchase the prop rifles recent
is obtained IN th a section. The transac-
lion with the Commercial Guano Com
pany is said 90 have been on a cash
OASIS.
PROBABLE EFFECT
What will be the effect Of this big
consolidation Of the ferth Ger manuiac-
turing interests VII Doe remains 20 Doe
seen. but 10 is a QUESTION OF consueIa-
bic moment % the business interests OF
Savannah and Che surrounding TERRITORY.
one effect Of the consolidation has ale
ready been forecasted. and that is AMIN
mediate advance in the price of fertile
zers. Fertilizers were lower than usual
last season IN the face Of the fact that
there was a very cided advance IN
phosphate The advance in the cost OF
fertilizer can very readily he attributed
10 the increased cost OF ma -erals. and IS
only what might have been expected any
way
Another very percep' bic effect Of the
constellation VIII be the decrease In Of
fee force and IN the number Of travelling
men on the road. II is estimated that the
fertilizer companies Omn'ayed last season
a. many as 80 travelling men in this
state with practically all the interests
consolidated and no competition 90 speak
Of II IS already predicted that the NUM-
Der OF trot yelling men in the field for the
fertilizer Interests VIII Doe cut down 90 q
tract on Of what % was duing previous
seasons Savannah has already felt the
effect % the reduction in office forces.
or the three local companies which have
been absorbed by the Rchul md concern
the Offices Of an three have been discon-
t.nued
In this connection 30 is announced that
Nir Joseph Hull has res gned Dis posi-
ton as manager for Georgia with the
Nrgnil & arc ina Chemical Company and
that Mr j ". Hueer. formerly general
manager Of the Commercial Company
been appointed manager for Georgia for
the former company His office VIII be
IN atlanta. Mr. Hull has embarked IN
the basiness OF mining phosphate and
orher ores and minerals.