Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-01-27
HIGHER PRICES OF FERTILIZERS.
The Manager Of the Trust Makes Some Ex-
plantations.

The Manager Of the Trust Makes Some Ex-
plantations.
The following, credited to the Wash
ington Star of January 81, clipped from
The News and Courier of Wednesday.
1t is quite likely that it was printed in
both these papers at the expense of the
fertilizer men, who are naturally anx.
ious to have their position favorably
understood by the farmers. Whether
all the alleged facts stated in the arti-
Gle are true, THE ENQUIRER is unable
to say. 1t is our own opinion that the
confidence with which the fertilizer
factories are naming higher prices is
due at least in measure to the trust
agreement among them. The reader
will draw his own conclusions.
"Now that the season for the ship.
ment of fertilizers has arrived, the
puano factories are on the eve of the
busiest season of the year in that
branch of business. The Virginia Car
olina Chemical company's two facto'
ries here-the Navassa factory and
the Powers, Gibbes & Co. factory-are
prepared to ship an output of $4,000
tons this season, the proportion being
about two thirds for the Navassa com
pany and one-third for the Powers,
Gibbes & Co. factory.
"For the past month or more the
Powers, Gibbes & Co. factory has been
thoroughly overhauled and put in first
class condition, so that now it is able
to handle an increased output. The
machinery has been put in such condi-
ton that the full capacity of the
factory can be utilized, and the facili-
ties for handling the product have also
been increased. The Navassa factory
is up to it's usual efficiency, and both
factories are in the best condition to
manufacture and handle goods prompt
ly.
"The feature, however, which will
doubtless most concern the agricultural
interests, is the material advance in the
price of fertilizers this season. With
the expansion of prices generally on
all manufactures and products, the
prices of fertilizers will follow suit.
"Mr. w. H. Malloy, manager of the
Virginia Carolina Chemical company
h ere, yesterday stated to Star repre-
sentative that the price of acid phos-
phate has advanced from 20 to 80 per
cent. over last years prices. This
means an increase of 1925 to So per
ton. He says the increase is owing to
the scarcity of phosphate rock, and a
consequent increase of 20 to 30 per
cent. in the price of rock, and also on
account of an increase of from Is to 20
per cent. on the price of pyrites and
birthstone, materials which enter into
the production of acid goods, as sui
phuric acid is manufactured from these
materials. One cause for the advance
on phosphate rock, he states, is the
|uuprofitablepess of former prices of
rock. Owing to low prices only one
company out of FIVE engaged in devel-
oping the phosphate mines in Florida
weathered the storm. The others
were bankrupt in the business.
"As for ammoniated fertilizers, Mr..
Malloy states that there has been an
advance in price of from 81 to $3.50,
or 20 to 80 per cent, due also to the
advance in the price of phosphate
rock, and an increase of the price OF
material from which ammonia is deriv-
ed. He remarked that generally speak
ing, the advance 10 prices of fertilizers
may be due in part to the universal
revival of business throughout the
country.
"As a matter of interest, in this con
nection it may be stated that potash
fertilizers have. advanced 10 per cent.
in price, the cost of kainit being now
81 per ton more than last years price.
As for cotton seed meal, the price per
ton, has increased from $3.50 to IS,
according to the distance from pro-
ducing and shipping points"