Phosphate dredge on the Peace River

Phosphate dredge on the Peace River

Good Day to all!  Did you know that during the 1890’s, Punta Gorda’s port was the world’s major supplier of phosphate?  It’s reported the soapy rock was first discovered just south of Zolfo Springs in the early 1860’s, by a group of men traveling down Peas Creek (Peace River).  However, unaware of its composition and potential value, they merely noted its ability to lather well and went about their business.

Phosphate’s presence in the river surfaced again some 20 year or so later in 1881 when Francis LeBarron, a captain in the Army Corps of Engineers, was tasked with surveying the river from Fort Meade south.  Farmers had petitioned Congress to fund construction of a barge canal connecting the Peace and St. John’s rivers.  At the time there were no railroads and folks sought a more efficient route for getting their produce to market.

Several large deposits of high-grade phosphate were noted in LeBarron’s report, but still, no one other than he grasped their significance.  For several years he tried to interest potential investors in the practicality of mining the river’s bed and banks to no avail.  Sometime later, George W. Scott, an Atlanta fertilizer manufacturer became aware of the report and travelled down the river confirming Captain LeBarron’s observations.

Realizing the rock’s value, over the next two years, Scott quietly purchased over 10,000 acres of riverfront property covering about 21 miles of riverbank (both sides) and formed the Peace River Phosphate Company.  He soon came to an agreement with Hugh Comer and Joseph Hull of Savannah, Georgia to run the mining operation.  Hull came south to build storage bins, docks, and a few houses on the river’s east bank, south of Arcadia.  The settlement soon came to be known as “Hull”.  Not much remains today, but it still appears on maps midway between Nocatee and Fort Ogden.

The first phosphate shipments from Punta Gorda occurred in April 1890, with over 14,000 tons shipped that year.  With improved mining techniques, over the next five years, almost 400,000 tons were shipped around the world.

Early methods involved digging the ore from sand bars and banks with pick and shovel, drying it by fire, then barging it downriver or loading it on train cars for transport to waiting ships.  Mining was soon improved using steam driven suction pumps.  Wet ore was then transported to raised drying bins allowing water to seep out naturally.

Construction of bins and barges was overseen by George Brown, an African-American expert ship’s carpenter from South Carolina.  Albert Dewey, brother of mining superintendent, George Dewey, received the contract to tow loaded barges downriver.  Brown and Dewey eventually settled in Punta Gorda, becoming prominent citizens.  More on area phosphate production in my next column.

Visit Charlotte County’s website to view phosphate related photographs.  Select “Community Services”, then “Libraries and History”.  Click on “Physical Items”, then “Archive Search”.  Enter the subject of your search on the “Search” line.  Photographs can also be viewed on the Punta Gorda History Center’s website.  Select “Online Collection”, then “Keyword Search” and enter the search criteria.

Check out History Services’ yearlong project, “Telling Your Stories: History in the Parks”.  It began in January 2021 with placement of the first interpretive sign “Charlotte Harbor Spa” at South County Regional Park.  The last was dedicated December 15, 2021 at Centennial Park featuring Florida postcards.  All dedicated signs can be viewed at online library resources.  Select “Programs and Services”, then “History Services” and “Virtual Programs”.

Visit the same site to access recently released oral histories featuring 40 local folks.  Select “History Services” and scroll down, or phone 941-629-7278, to find out what history related programs and videos are available.

“Did You Know” appears, typically, every other Wednesday, courtesy of this newspaper and the Charlotte County Historical Society.  The Society’s mission is to help promote and preserve Charlotte County’s rich history.  We are also always looking for volunteers and interested individuals to serve as board members.  If you believe our area’s history is as important as we do, please visit Charlotte County Historical Society on-line at https://cchistoricalsociety.com/, or call 941- 769-1270 for more information.

 

 

October 11 column