The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1901-07-12
Bat Guano and a Guerrilla story.

great interest IN the phosphate lnuuS-
try in Tennessee. Fortunes have been
made in a short time-and some lost,
alasi
! l wonder how many Of the older peo-
pie recall the fact that soon after the
civil war there was considerable
revenue derived from the gathering up
and shipping of bat fertilizer? 1t was
found in the many big caves through
out the State, and brought fine price
per ton.
The other day 1 was talking with
the pioneer of the bat-fertilizer move
ment in Tennessee B. w. Sparks,
now of McMinnville, but formerly Of
Georgia. l got quite an interesting
story out of the gentleman relative to
his enterprise and two or three other
matters.
! He was Southern soldier, follow
ing General Lee to the close of the
war. Finding nothing to do at home
when hostilities were ended, he joined
the United States regular army. When
his time expired, he drifted to Balti-
more.
| about that time" said he, saw
/ the first phosphate shipped to Balti-
I more for fertiIizing purposes. 1 was
told that it did not contain a sufficient
! quantity of ammonia. Knowing some
thing about chemistry and kindred
sciences, l thought at once of the bat
caves of Tennessee. Securing part
/ ner with some ready cash, 1 went to
what is called the Mountain District
fn he
reading of the skeletons and bat de-
/ posits here in some biologists work
! l visited the caves in Van Buren,, War
rem and other counties, and was we'll
| pleased with my discoveries. So had
my friend and a gentleman of Warren
! county made headquarters at McMinn-
vile, and began shipping the guano.
| This was about 1868 Or 1869, soon after
DR.. Ravenelle discovered phosphate. 1t
sold readily at sixty dollars in gold
! per ton.
For some time we were in high
| spirits, and made good money. The
| prospect for the future looked bright,
for the deposit seemed almost mex
haustible. AS we'll as l can recollect
we disposed of about five thousand
tons-when phosphate became more
plentiful. Its plentifulness was the
death-blow to our enterprise, being
| cheaper than the guano in the caves;
| and we soon gave the business up.
But" continued DR.. Sparks, 81
want to tell you what a great risk 1
ran when 1 began to explore the first
cave in the mountain district. 1t
was in Van Buren, county, in the Cum
berland Mountain valleys, called coves.
l inquired where l could find a guide,
and some one suggested a man named
Bud Carter. If 1 had not been a
stranger there, would have hesitated
getting Carter, but it turned out well
enough as you will see presently.
I'm the counties about the noun
tains there were, during the war, sew
eral bands of bushwhackers. In White
there was Champ Ferguson's band,
who sympathized with the South; in
Fentress Tinker Dave Beaty's gang of
UnionistS were terror; while in Van
Buren, were Carters men. George
Carter, one of the most daring men
that ever lived, was their leader, and
vast cavern, was one of his most
desperate followers.
81 had some money with me, and
was dressed well enough to lead any
one to think 1 had more. Knowing
now as much of Carter as 1 do, /
wonder that my bones are not lying III
that cave.
We'll, we proceeded on our ex
ploration. We found Indian relics
such as pipes and arrow-heads. and
soon found plenty of bat guano. What
bothered me, though, was that l never
could get Carter to go in advance. He
would not even walk beside me, but
Jagged a little behind. When we got
out of the cave, l asked why he acted
that way. To tell you the truth he
replied, L was afeared you'd shoot me-
l never let anybody get the drop on
mo if 1 can help it.
And what became of Carter, you
ask? He, a short while afterward, did
thing few men would have under
taken. He needed some money as he
thought it best to leave the country.
Old man William Hill was a farmer
who had considerable means, and so
one night Carter kidnapped him,
fastened him in cave, and swore he
would let him die there if he did not
give him two thousand dollars!
at was bold. Few others would
have been desperate enough to try it,
Yet Carter succeeded. Mr.. Hill paid
him the $2,00-and he skipped. He
was afterwards captured somewhere on
the Tennessee river, and brought back,
having trends enough to go on his
bond. He was at large pending his
trial at court, and made threats against
the two men who captured him on the
Tennessee river. When they heard of
his threats, it is said that they laid in
wait, and shot him down. His death
was not regretted, and his slayers were
never indicted. Can you tell me why
man so desperate did not attack me?
He must have thought had no money,
or not enough to justify him in fight |
ing prosecution, since it was known |
by several that he and / entered the |
cave. There would have been too |
strong proof against him, he probably !
John A. Murren, Land Pirate.
The reference to the outlaws of the |
tot