16 JOURNAL OF THE 



to 'Mjriiig Xorth Carolina together in one building/' where she 

 might be studied by specialists in science^ or by persons looking 

 to an investment in the State, and where the people of the State 

 might go and become familiar with her native wealth — vl plan 

 full of promise; but, unfortunately Professor Kerr, had neither 

 the time nor funds to enable him to carry it into full exe- 

 cution. He collected from all parts of. the State a large amount 

 of material, consisting mainly of specimens of rocks, minerals, 

 fossils, soils, marls, agricultural products, woods, and others of 

 miscellaneous character, but had not been able to arrange them 

 fully up to the time when press of other work and declining 

 health compelled him to give up all endeavor in this direction. 



But it is impossible in a few statements to give an adequate 

 conception of the extent and of the benefits, to the people of the 

 State, of Professor Kerr's work^ — benefits that will continue to 

 be felt during years to come. He begun his work at a time in 

 the history of the State — just after the close of the civil war — 

 when her industrial as well as her social condition was one of 

 disorganization and suspension. It was his desire and aim to 

 stimulate and encourage her material prosperity, and while 

 favored with good health he gave himself up to this endeavor 

 with a foresight, energy and devotion not often surpassed. 



Among other results of general interest, it may be stated that 

 Professor Kerr has left us a fairly good knowledge of the physi- 

 cal structure and climatology of North Carolina and has mapped 

 the outlines of the geological formations of the State much more 

 fully and accurately than had been done before. Could he have 

 lived a few years longer he would heve added materially to our 

 knowledge in these directions. His scientific work was chiefly 

 in physical geology, and though not extensive, it was sufficient 

 to give him an enviable position among American geologists. 

 Professor Dana savs of him, in the American Journal of Sci- 

 ence for 1885 (xxx, p, 248): "He was an excellent observer in 

 geology, and in his few publications brought out results of great 

 interest. He was the first in the country to call attention to, 

 and rightly explain, the unequal steepness in the opposite banks 



