104 BULI.ETIN 109, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



B. Silliman, of Yale College; Dr. C. T. Jackson, of Boston: and Dr. 

 D. D. Owen and Dr. J. G. Norwood, of Indiana. 



Doctors Owen and Norwood, in their letter, spoke of the utility of 

 such surveys, in the information they gave as to the renovation of 

 soils, in the knowledge obtained of valuable ores and minerals, of 

 building materials, and as a guide to internal improvements, etc. 

 They estimated the cost of a general survey at about $4,000 a year 

 for three years, saying that a full detailed survey would cost much 

 more and require more time. 



Prof. B. Silliman dwelt more on the scientific benefits from such 

 a survey, and gave no estimates. 



Dr. Cliarles T. Jackson especially advised attention to the economi- 

 cal advantages. 



Preoccupied by the stirring events of the war with Mexico, the 

 legislature appears to have taken no action on this memorial of the 

 historical society. 



In 1853 a " INIemorial of the Agricultural Associations of the State 

 and Many Citizens " to the general assembly of Kentucky in an octavo 

 pamphlet of IG pages, with an accompanying Geological Sketch Map 

 of Kentucky ("partly conjectured"), colored to represent the sev- 

 eral geological formations as then known, was presented to the legis- 

 lature. This memorial was signed by Benjamin Gratz, George Rob- 

 ertson, and Robert Peter, committee of the Fayette County agricul- 

 tural and mechanical association ; George W. Hancock, Philip Speed, 

 and W. D. Gallagher, committee of the southwestern agricultural 

 and mechanical association at Louisville; Robert Mallory, Daniel 

 Brannin, and William S. Helm, committee of the Union agricultural 

 and mechanical association of Shelby, Henry, and Oldham counties, 

 and Alex. M. Brown, William C. Lyle, and G. W. Williams, com- 

 mittee of the Bourbon County agricultural and mechanical associa- 

 tion. 



The memorial was written by Robert Peter, who also added the 

 map, which he colored mainly from a geological map which had 

 been published shortly before this time by a Mr. Lawrence,* who had 

 been traveling through Kentucky, making observations and lectur- 

 ing on geology. This map showed, approximately, the extent of 

 seven formations: blue limestone, gray limestone, dark slate, red 

 sandstone, and Carboniferous limestone. Coal Measures and conglom- 

 erate, and Cretaceous — the Tertiary of the southwest corner of the 

 State supposed at that time to be of this formation. 



The memorialists respectfully urged the propriety of instituting a 

 geological survey of the State, believing " that the prosperity of any 

 country bears a relation to the development and improvement of its 



» Presumably I>yrein Lawrence. 



