GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEYS. 73 



consistent with minuteness and dispatch, and he shall prepare and hiy before 

 the legishiture. at the commencement of everj' session, a detailed account of all 

 remarkable discoveries made and the progress of the work, accompanied with 

 proper maps and diagrams, including a geological chart of the State. 



Sec. 3. It shall further be the duty of the geologist of the State, at those sea- 

 sons not suited to active prosecution of the geological survey, to analyze und 

 ascertain tlie qualities and properties of mineral substances or soils left at his 

 office or residence for that purpose by any citizen of the State and taken from 

 any proportion of the territory of the State. 



Sec. 4. That the said geologist, appointed by virtue of this act. shall be subject 

 to the orders of the executive of the State, and shall hold himself i-cady on rea- 

 sonable notice to make geological examinations in the vicinity of internal im- 

 pi'ovement which the legislature has or may hereafter direct to be made: Pro- 

 inderl. That this act shall expire at the termination of the year 1S38, unless tlie 

 same be reenacted by the next legislature of this State. 



Sec. 5. This act to be in force from and after its passage. 



Approved February f>, 1S37. 



Dr. David Dale Owen, by this act, was appointed State geologist 

 and made a reconnoissance of the State, takng a general view of 

 the several formations and designating, with a fair amomit of ac- 

 curacy, the boundary of the coal fields. According to manuscript 

 notes by Dr. Richard Owen he had no assistants. He made his own 

 field observations (traveling on horseback), and his chemical analyses 

 m his laboratory at New Harmony. No topographical work was 

 attempted. He made but one report, which was issued in two parts 

 in 1838, when he resigned to accept an appointment under the Gen- 

 eral Government. Owing to the financial depression, 1838-1840, 

 no successor was appointed, and the survey came to an end. 



In 1850 the subject of a survey was once more brought up, and the 

 following resolutions passed, though without apparent effect: 



A joint rpsoliitfon npoo tho subject of a grant cf land for n e:Polo>;ic<il survey of the 



State of Indiana. 



Whereas, a large part of the mineral lands in the State of Indiana belong to 

 the United States, and their value consists chiefly in the minerals under the 

 surface that are not so easily to be ascertained without a geological survey of 

 the district in which they lie; and whereas, the people of this State desire the 

 direct and indirect advantnges that would grow out of the development and use 

 of these minerals and deem it justice that the General Government should con- 

 tribute its fair proportion to the cost of bringing its own lauds into market : 

 wherefore — 



Section 1. Be it resolved by the flcneral Assenibl}/ of the State of Indiana, 

 That our Senators in Congress are hereby instructed and our Representatives 

 requested to use their exertions to procure a grant of a township of land, or its 

 equivalent, of the unsold lands of the United States in Indiana for the purpose 

 of aiding the State in making a full geological survey thereof. 



Sec. 2. He it further resolved, That his excellency the governor be requested 

 to transmit a copy of this joint resolution to each of our Senators and Repre- 

 sentatives in Congress. 



Approved January 21, 1850. 



