42 
FLORIDA STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 
occurrence of phosphate, concluded that the phosphate deposits 
of Florida extended entirely across the State from the Georgia 
line through Hamilton, Suwannee, Alachua, Marion, Sumter, 
Polk and Manatee counties to Charlotte Harbor. (Mineral Re¬ 
sources for 1885, pp. 450-453, 1886.) 
During 1886 and 1887, owing doubtless to the efforts of 
Captain LeBaron and to the general interest in phosphates, care¬ 
ful investigations were made of the Peace Creek section by 
private interests. These investigations resulted in the purchase of 
lands and the initiation of mining operations in the river pebble 
district, the first shipment of Peace River phosphate having been 
made in 1888. 
The deposits that we now know as the Florida hard rock phos¬ 
phate were discovered in 1888 by Mr. Albertus Vogt. In May 
of this year Mr. Vogt, while deepening the well at his place, near 
Dunnellon, dug into a rich matrix of gravel, soft phosphate and 
sharks’ teeth. In June, 1888, a sample of this material was taken 
to Ocala and was there analyzed by R. R. Snowden and was 
found to be a high grade phosphate. 
The time of the discovery of the hard rock phosphate in Flor¬ 
ida has been variously given as spring of 1888, fall of 1888, and 
spring and fall of 1889. The dates given above are from a letter 
from Mr. Vogt of August 26, 1909. The discrepancies in the 
various publications as to the date of discovery probably came 
about from the fact that the discovery was not made known to 
the public at once. 
As soon as the existence of high grade phosphate rock was 
made generally known, prospecting became very active and the 
hard rock phosphate belt substantially as we now know it was 
quickly outlined. 
THE BEGINNING OF THE FLORIDA PHOSPHATE 
MINING INDUSTRY. 
As has been already mentioned the first attempt at mining and 
utilizing the phosphates of Florida was made by Dr. C. A. 
Simmons, of Hawthorne, in 1883. This plant, however, was not 
successful and was closed down in 1884. 
