The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-11-05
Camps Building Large
Terminals at Jacksonville
Phosphate Industry Reviving In This
and other Sections of Florida

Before the outbreak of the world
war the United States produced near
ly one-half of the entire output of
phosphate rock in the world. Tunis
produced more than one-fourth, while
the remaining output was widely dis
tributed
The total annual output of phos-
phate rock for the five-year period
from 1909 to 1913, averaged slightly
more than 100000 tons,
Florida produces the bulk OF the
phosphate mined in the United States,
and in addition is by far the largest
exporter of phosphate of any state in
the Union, due to two reasons-frst,
on account of its nearness to the sea-
ports, and second, on account of the
superior grade of rock produced in
Florida.
The production Of phosphate rock in
Florida was constantly increasing up
to the outbreak of the European war,
and for the five-year period, 19O9-19l3,
the annual production averaged about
100000 tons. OF this amount the
production of land pebble amounted
to about 100000, and hard rock
about 100000 tons.
During the past five years the phos-
phate industry of Florida, like many
other lines of commercial activity de-
pendent upon ocean transportation
and foreign markets, has been seri
ously curtailed The total world
shortage of phosphate now is some
thing enormous, and Europe must i'm
port phosphate in large quantities TO
| restore her soil to its former prOduc-
\ tivity, and now that all embargoes
/ have been lifted and vessels are daily
becoming more available for the NOV
i ing of tonnage the utlook for the
H phosphate industry in Florida is ex-
H ceedingly bright.
Il In Florida there are three distinct
II kinds of phosphate being mined at
II the present time-Florida hard rock,
/ Florida land pebble and Florida soft
Il phosphate.
II The hard rock industry, which has
been lying practically dormant for
N over five years, is now actively reviv.
II ing and production of this grade of
II rock will soon be on its pre-war basis
" The GUNNER Lumber Company at
! Newberry are putting all their wash
q ing plants in working order, and ex
\ pect to have five mines in operation
z befoie the first of the year. In add
! ton to these five mines this company
3 Is building at their terminal in Jack
4 sonville plant for the drying and
Z pulverizing of soft phosphate. The
! mining and pulverizing of soft phos.
: phate, which is put on the market
Z ready for the soil, has now reached
Z the stage of an established business
! and its development is going to NEAR
I much to Florida, as formerly this pro
7 duct was washed away in the mining
7 and washing, of hard rock.
! Messrs. G. and J. Camp of Ocala
I are at present operating three mines
I in the Dunnellon section and are
I erecting two new washing plants, sc
J this company also will soon have five
I mines producing phosphate.
{ c. and ]. Camp, phosphates in con
! junction with the Mutual Mining Co.
I of Savannah, Ga, have just let thu
( contract for large drying plant AMI
I loading terminal, which will be locat
! ed at Fernandina. These two com
I panies intend to have a storage a
= Fernandina for 10000 tons of driet
- rock, and their terminal will have
capacity of 400 tons loading per hour
This will give them capacity t.
load the average phosphate vessel il
i one day.
1 The Dunnellon Phosphate Compan,
/ in addition to operating several q
/ their mines in the Dunnellon section
are now actively repairing their othe
| plants with view to getting them al
producing at an early date.
In addition to the companies a
4 ready mentioned the following ar
either now producing hard rock O
are making necessary repairs to thei
properties so that they can begin mir
| ing at an early date, viz: T. A. ThomI
| son. Fort White; Franklin Phosphat
l Company, Newberry; Holder Pho:
| plate Company, Inverness; Mutus
| Mining Company, Floral City; ]. But
| genbach & Co., Dunnellon, and seveI
| al other companies.
| There are now five plants mimi
and pulverizing soft phosphate fan