The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-06-28
The "OCTUPUS "
To All Appearances, It Hasn't Yet
Hold on
The Phosphate Interests at Mt. Pleas
ant, and the Probability That
it will is Small.
Special to the Herald.

Mt. Pleasant.J une % The phosphate
OCTOPUS" is still here, but to those on the
outside there is just as much distance
between the consolidation in fact and
the consolidation in the breezes, as ever.
The Philadelphia gentlemen, Messrs.
Rogers d Gray, are still working at the
idea, but the combination seems to re
fuse to yield to their picks, md it begins
to look as if they will have to utilize
other instruments from what they are
now employing, There is no question
but what the combination is very diff
cult one to work, and it will take very
| skillfull "crooks' to make it go. The
phosphate owners who are all on the in
side, are cock sure of the consolidation
going through. The suspicion is enter
tanned, however, that the wish is papa"
to the thought in their case. They are
all, everyone of them, dead anxious for
the consolidation, and they naturally see
the bright side, OF course, they think
the consolidation is just the thing for
Mt. Pleasant. To hear them talk, the
town will grow "clear out of the county"
in weeks time after the thing is per
| fected. Still, there are great number
of those who don't look through these
spectacles They are the common peu-
pie" so to speak; or, in other words,
they are the people who have no big
phosphate lands and mines to unload,
but whose living, at least in this place,
depends upon the prosperity of the town
and the activity of work in the phosphate
mines. These people look askant at the
consolidation. They can't see the silver
| ha Gu, If n
trust. The conceded idea of the consol-
idators is to force up the price of Ten
nessee rock. Well, let's see; to force up
the price, miners must demand stipu
lated sum and if consumers don't come
to that price the miners must hold the
rock until users of it will come to terms.
OF course, the mines will close down
during this forcing business, for the one
big company which will own the field will
} not mine rock unless there is market
for it. Another thing; all the consolida
tons in the world will not force up the
, price of Tennessee rock. The price of
rock, like the price of cotton, wheat and
, corn, depends upon the demand for it in
the markets of the world, and the supply
, that is available to meet that demand,
J and it doesn't make any difference
) whether one company or dozen com
} panies own this field, the price of Ten
nessee phosphate rock will be il. sym
pathy with the demand for it. However,
coming back home, the consolidation is
; afar off.
t By the way, talk about hot! The sun
r set fire to every kiln of rock belonging
to the Petrified Bone & Mining Co., to-
5 day, but it was put out by Capt. Charley
Hart
I Prof. w. D. Strayhorn and DR.. VIM
: H. Kittrell will leave next week for Vel
= owstone Park, California, and other
/ places west.
: Jas. English has recovered from spell
of sickness.
e Geo. G. Collins and family are spend
e ing month at Primm's Springs.
e Misses Carrie and Mary Howard have
S returned from an extended visit tt
Franklin and Nashville.
It Mrs. Robt Picketts has returned tt
J. Memphis after visit to the family O
# Recorder F. M. Ricketts,
l. Pink H. Mickey and wife are spending
l. the week at Iron City and WaylanC
e fSprings.
e Mrs. R. w. Watkins spent Sunda.
e with her sister, Mrs. Herman ID. Ruhm
IS A Surprise Marriage.
b Mr.. Ernest Erwin, who has been il
. Texas on visit, wired to frienC
% here to-day that he was married yes
terday at Cleburne, Texas, to Mis-
Z Emma Wilson of that place and vii
arrive at Mt Pleasant with his brid
the latter part of the week. This mar
riage was quite a surprise to tn
friends of the young people at thi
% place, as Mr. Irwin did not max
It known his intentions before leaving
If here. The bride is charming younl
e lady, and Is we'll known here, having
Us formerly lived in this county. Sh
e was on visit here about year ago
II Mr.. Irwin is one of Mt. Pleasant
g most progressive young business men
Y and has many friends who will wisl
+ for him and his bride much happiness
y RTSMARCIki IRON NERVE