Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-07
New Method of Mining Sulphur.


of mining sulphur the United States i'm
ported ninety-nine per cent of the guam
tity consumed In this country, and ninety
FIVE per cent of of this came from the
Island of Sicily, which had enjoyed a
practical monopoly of the sulphur busi-
ness Of the world.
This process was first introduced at
Sulphur Mine, Calcasieu parish, in 1895,
when several thousand tons were pro-
duced from one we'll. but our methods of
drilling. equipping and pumping the wells
were not. sufficiently developed to make
it pecuniary success. The amounts pro-
duced, however, were sufficient to justify
an attempt to overcome the difficulties in
our way and we entered upon a period of
lasted for about eight years. The old
methods of producing sulphur, mining in
levels and hosting 1t through shafts and
subsequently melting the rock, which is
would not have been financially succ; S.
full In this country, even had there been
no technical difficulties In the way, be-
cause American labor could not compete
with the .pauper labor Of Sicily. and the
location Of that island, as far as transpor-
tation Ly water is concerned. is SO favor
able that sulphur can be brought from
Sicily to New York at a much lower rate
of freight than from our Louisiana mines
Inc capacity of our mine was in
II.
ments which at first supplied only the W st
and were extended to New York, and our
first shipment to Europe-a steamer with
cargo of sulphur for Marseille, France
sailed from New Orleans In the fall Of
1904.
THE importation of Sicilian sulphur
into the United States diminished year by
year, falling from 1T 600 tons in 1902 to
10000 tons in 1905.
Shipping Sulphur to Europe.
Tho advent of this new American in
dustry caused the greatest disturbance In
Sicily, where the majority of the popula-
ion depend upon the sulphur industry
for livelihood. The sulphur mines Of Sic
lily have played great role in the his
tory of Italy, and have experienced al
ternatcly periods of prosperity and de-
preston which have caused the Italian
government a great deal Of trouble. in
volvtng, as ii did, so important a provin-
clal industry.
I'm 1898 / changed my arrangements
with the Standard Oil Company. doing ex-
pert work only In order to obtain more
time to give to this new enterprise.
Three years ago I Cancelled my contract
with the Standard OIL people entirely to
devote my whole time to the sulphur
successful, both in a technical and pecu-
mary way, and we are today In position
to supply the whole consumption of the
world.
Prior to the operation of our sulphur
mine" said Mr.. Frasch. 1.-THE United
States obtained their supply of brinstons
from Sicily only one-half Of one per cent
being produced In this country. Now W.
are exporting to Europe more than tn,
Sicilians have been shipping here. and we
United States-the largest sulphur-con
Stunning country in the world.
FOR ten years prior to August 1, 1906,
eighty-five per cent Of the sulphur pro-
Anglo Sicilian Sulphur Company, limited.
of London. which practically had a mo.
pnopoly of the sulphur business of the
world during that time. When we began
TO ship sulphur In good earnest, three
years ago, the English and Sicilians ridi-
culed the fairy tale Of melting SULPHUR In
the ground and pumping 1t out They
called 1t a Yankee trick to depress
prices. On August 1. 1906. when the con-
tract between the Anglo-Sicilian Sulphur
minated. the Anglo-Sicilian Company
found itself with a stock of $50, 600 tons
of birthstone on its hands and the ST.
Gillian producers were now at liberty to
sell their sulphur in the OPEN market at
any price they saw fit.
Dependent on the Industry.
"Sicily has 225. 200 people dependent
upon the sulphur industry, and a reduc-
ton in the price of birthstone would mean
| a revolution, because the people are al
| ready so poor. They are down to the
| lowest notch. Even at the present wages
| riots are of daily occurrence and s, me of
the largest mines on the island are on
| fire. There Is no doubt In my mind that
they have been set on fire by the opera
tives of other mines to prevent produc-
| ton.
THE Italian government sent two COM
| missions to Sulphur Inc. Louisiana, ana
| found that we could not only compete