The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1920-11-25

door open was the key to treasure
island containing millions of tons of
high grade phosphate of lime.
Owned by London Company.
Australian capitalists were offered
the chance of forming a company to
work the phosphate fields of Ocean
island, but they turned the PROPOSE
ton down Certain fnanciers in Lon
don We're then approached They
sraspe dat once the possibilities of
the phosphate rock as a fertilizer and
accepted the proposal. and today this
company owns the rich phosphate
fields of both Ocean island and Nauru
island
Despite the distance the cost and
the hundred and one difficulties of
setting mp an industry on an island in
the loneliest and most unfrequented
portion of the Pacific they with true
British persistency made the giant
effort
Striking features of the magnitude
OF the industry on both islands are
the immense spider-hke cantilever
jetties by which the phosphate is
loaded onto the tramp steamers to be |
carried to the great agricultural |
countries Of the world
For the most part the phosphate !
mines. or fields. are open pits, dug .
down few feet below the surface of .
the earth. Here the phosphate rock
is loosened by pick and shovel, plac-
ed on the trucks and conveyed over
the light railways to the works. where
Il is made ready for the market
Crushed, pulverized and treated with
strong acids, it is called super hos-
phate, a grayish powder. with such
amazing powers that a pinch given to
any plant in ordinary soil doubles its
'ertility. making two ears of corn
grow where one grew before.
AS certain phosphates combined
make a very dense smoke, this fact ;
vas utilized in an interesting way
iuiing the war Clouds of phosphor-
nus smoke We're constantly employed /
o conceal vessels in danger of sub ]
marine attack. and many valuable !
argOes and crafts We're saved in this j
manner.
Origin of Deposits.
1t seems strange that nature should Z,
ave set down in so remote a part of +
he world this valuable product, yet j
he explanation is simple. The silence
nd solitude of the great ocean waste q
+ the central Pacific were necessary O
o the workings of nature in forming s
hoe to # In oct
Ountless myriads of sea birds hndis- 70
urbed by the presence of man or an C
nal, made these coral islands their $
ONE. subsisting solely upon the fish
hat inhabited its waters. They Gre ;
ted vast deposits of guano, which,
lingling with the coral rock so rich
/ lime produced, as the result of
opious rains and occasional sub
lergings by sea water, phosphate of u
me-a buff colored rock that con- c
lins the all essential virtues of a
rhine soil fertilizer, as well as yield b
lg a high grade phosphorus. But \
luch as birds had to do with the rich u
'easure of phosphate found on Ocean
land, there is scarcely a bird to be s
zen there today, only a few frigate
irds, pets of the natives, and the
omestic fowl.
on Ocean island some 2OOO natives
,cruited from the Gilbert and Ellice
lands, find work in the fields, super g..
sed by so white officials, mostly n
ritish and Australian. Another 1900 c
'e needed on Nauru island. The NJ
ngle men live in spacious barracks v,
Id are boarded free, and the married ST
en- in comfortable bungalows, all
fasting of their electric light and re
.throoms and other modern conven-
noes.
Native Population.
On Ocean island there are 500 of the
iginal natives. fine picturesque NJ
ce. They are the richest natives in
e whole of the Pacific. Apart from
e large sums they receive from the Oh
osphate company for their land the
mpany has to contribute to the gov
nment a sum of sixpence for every de
n of phosphate exported, which is SC
ed solely for the benefit of the ma In'
es. fb
The British administration is ex- ma
with a kind of self-gOv as
lment for the natives on Ocean is
ID A body of intelligent men has Ar
en- selected and trained as magis An
ties, clerks and police. A court has An
IN established presided over by "a Al
tive magistrate who lectures de An
quents fines and imprisons them, 30
ties matrimonial affairs and sees $50
It all the sanitary regulations are 800 800
thfully carried out in the villages. 30
is form of Government is expected 30
no introduced on Naur, leland 30
ose king, shortly after the coming B I3o