158 BULLETIN 109, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



opinions were obtained from nearly every scientific man of impor- 

 tance within the State limits, and the advisability of topographical, 

 hj'drographical, geological, and biological surveys fully considered. 

 It was estimated that the survey as outlined would require an appro- 

 priation of $385,000, which could be made payable in 15 installments 

 of $25,G6G each. Although the reports of the committee and opin- 

 ions expressed by those consulted appear to have been almost uni- 

 formly favorable, yet no definite action toward the establishment of 

 the survey seems to have been taken, nor had a State survey been 

 reestablished up to 1900/ 



MICHIGAN. 



FIRST GEOLOGICAL SURVEY UNDER DOUGLASS HOUGHTON, IS37-1842.* 



The importance of a geological survey of the State of JNIichigau 

 became early apparent through the work of Schoolcraft and others, 

 particularly in the copper regions adjacent to Lake Superior, but the 

 most powerful and perhaps the deciding motive for the establishment 

 of such was the urgent need of finding larger and cheaper supplies of 

 salt than could be furnished from sources beyond the State limits. 



Organization. — Michigan was admitted to the Union on January 

 26, 1837, and on the 23d of February following an act was signed 

 by Gov. S. T. Mason providing for a geological survey of the State. 

 The following is the text of this act : 



An act to provide for a geological survey of the Statft. 



Section L Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represeniatives of the 

 State of Michigan, That the governor is hereby authorized and directed tw 

 nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the senate, to appoint a 

 competent person, whose duty it shall be to make an accurate and complete 

 geological survey of this State, which shall be accompanied with proper maps 

 and diagrams, and furnish a full and scientific description of its rocks, soils, 

 minerals, and of its botanical and geological productions, together with speci- 

 mens of the same; which mnps. diagrams, and specimens shall be deposited in 

 the State library, and similar specimens shall be deposited in such literary and 

 scientific institutions as the governor shall direct; and the governor is further 

 authorized to appoint, from time to time, as the exigencies of the case may re- 

 quire, competent persons to act as assistants under the direction of the geologist. 



» Ry an act approved June 3, 1003, a second survey was begun, witJi WilHam N. Rice, 

 dh-ector. See Bull. 4G5. U. S. Geolosioal Survey, 1911. 



''Condensed from manuscript by Dr. Alexander Wincbell. The portion of this manu 

 script relating to Prof. WInchell's own work and that of nou^hton is reniaricnbly full 

 and detailed, and may seem to give uudue prominence to the Michigan survey. Inasmuch, 

 however, as it v/as prepared by one thoroughly acquainted with all the details, and him- 

 self a participant in the worlt, and inasmuch, further, as Houghton's reports are out of 

 print and quite inaccessible to most students, it has seemed advisable to print it as 

 written and In almost its entirety, cutting out only occasional personal and perhaps 

 pointed references to certain individuals. 



