The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-03-19
HOW THEY DIG PHOSPHATE,
Sh;ft1ess - egro Lsssso,oTers, In the Roolx
Fields Near Charleston, s.. q.

The Bunng1t 1ellb on low cottage,
j whose tall white ehimneys and oyer.
/ hanging red roof brings TO mind q
Dutch picture. The view from its
! vine-olad porch opeu4 on one Of the
! loveliest landscspss ofthe Southland.
] There are no mountains, nor 10 there
! any sea, only q dne| slipping lawn sur.
rounded by avenues of live oaks,
which have numbered their centuries,
and from whose widespread arms hang
J streaming pendants Of grey moss.
These trees, like sentinels, seem
guarding the approach to colonial
mansion now in ruins.
In sunehins and shadow, in -A;n, in
storm, or fair moonlight, these oaks
are even grand and beautiful. In.the
stiffness Of dawn they stand motion
less, bat for the quivering OF their
billion leaves, which seem to nod and
shake md say: 1--WE are a.iye, and
have been here for ages; we know SO
much, oh, 80 very muohl We know
the joys and sorrowb Of the many
generations who have passed under
or arms; We know natures secrets
that you poor mortals are yet cropping
blindly to find out"
eve are as God made us, while
you, who s.. made in His image, are
ever defacing His handiwork in yonr
natures as well as your deeds. You
are ever making crosses and burdens
for your own aching backs, by striking
against your Creator, oh, ye puny
men, Of SO small wisdom!''
Beneath these, oaks spreads
smooth, wide lawn, with shaggy sheep
browsing on dry tufts Of grass It
was here our ancestors mounted their
horses for the chase, here the children
gambolled, Welcomes were extended
and farewells said. Here the slaves
were gathered to receive largess in the
Christmas season, here burned the
bonfres which celebrated the births
and marriages Of the children Of the
house, and hence wsnded the shadowy
PROFESSIONS when the dead were taken
to their last resting place in the family
vault, which stoods amid the towering
shrubs on the, bank Of the winding
river.
Entering small gate one seen
garden covering acres Of ground, which
might aptly be termed an earthly
paradise, so bewilder;ng is the confu-
sion Of flowers that bloom in the
springtime beneath the oaks.
They border the shadowed lakes and
seem to follow the shining river be-
you'd, they fringe the broad paths and
color every vista with their brilliance,
in each opening between the tree tops
is seen the turquoise blue Of q South
ern sky. (.
All sounds are distant and mellow,
the rumbling OF . cart, the blows OF
the busy hammer, the far-away whis-
tie Of locomotive, the dull throbbing
Of q phosphate-washer, o sharp call OF
one laborer 60 another, the occasional
lowing OF o caIiiess cow, the roos-
ter's shriil GROW and the ceaeeless
ohirping Of the birds while busy about
their daily portion. Nh
One is loath to leave the languorous
quiet Of such agpot, but the time ap-
pointed FOR 9 visit 70 the phosphate
fields had arrived, go We stepped
across the intervening corn beds to
tho narrow track, where q small loco
motive and empty trucks were ready
for their outward trim TO the rock
fields. Comfortably seated in the
front part Of the engine, q shrill whis-
tie announced the departure and We
rush noisily past the quiet forest
trees, low banks Of gteen moss and
ferns, near bnbbling spring where
the work horses are slakipg their
thirst; past bare rock fields, whose
yield had been exhausted, or lies too
deep for profitable digging, thus they
are abandoned, with unheaved sur
face. and strewn with upSooted trees
lying prone and dead. Near. the track
are nu1nbers of negro cabins. the
dwellings ofl the phosphate abSf ! s. orc.
These houses lave no claim to The
rustic .attractiveness Of the days Of
slavery. There ID now no generous
wood pile nor grunting SOW, with
squealing litter, no scratching, fussy
hen, with brood Of chicks, nor the
numbers Of fat, greasy, happy little
picaninnies basking in the sun, There
We sse only che bare, dingy looking
y y