GEOLOGICAL, AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEYS. 275 



appropriation for a geological survey as a part of a general sys- 

 tem of internal improvement. 



Apparently as a result of the spirit prompting this recommenda- 

 tion, surveys of the Meramec, the Salt, the North, Grand, and Osage 

 rivers were started, under a board of internal improvements, and the 

 geological examination of the Osage River was made under Dr. 

 Henry King, president of the Western Academy of Natural Sciences. 

 After this the matter of investigation by the State seems to have 

 fallen into neglect for several years. 



In October, 184G, at a convention held in Springfield in the interest 

 of internal improvement a memorial was framed to the general as- 

 sembly, in which special stress was laid upon the value of the de- 

 velopment of the mineral res')urccs of the State. 



In the message of Gov, John C. Edwards to the assembly in the 

 same year the subject of a geological survey was again recommended 

 for consideration. The matter was referred to the committee on in- 

 ternal improvement, of which Dewitt C. Ballou was chairman. In 

 a report of eight pages this committee strongly advised the inaugura- 

 tion of such an undertaking. No immediate action, however, fol- 

 lowed, and at the session of the general assembly of 18-18 a memorial 

 of 13 pages was presented from the Historical and Philosophical So- 

 ciety of Missouri, again inviting the attention of tlie legislature to 

 the matter. The immediate effect of this was another memorial from 

 the legislature to Congress urging that tlie National Government 

 have made a geological survey of the State. Nothing seems to have 

 resulted from this memorial, and in the following year (1850) Gov. 

 Austin A. King, in his message to the sixteenth general assembly, 

 again urged the importance of attending to these matters. Again 

 nothing immediate seems to have been done, but the matter con- 

 tinued to be agitated, and during the session of the legislature of 1853 

 an act creating the first geological survey of the State was passed and 

 approved. 



The following is the text of this act : 



An act to provide for a geological and mineialogical survey of the State. 



Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, os follows: 



1. The governor of this State is hereby nnthorized nnd reqiiired, as soon as 

 may be after the passfige of this act, to appoint a State preologist. who shall be 

 a. i»erson of competent scientific and practical knowledjre of the sciences of 

 geology and uiineralogy; and the said State geologist shall, by and with the 

 consent of the governor, appoint any nnniber of sn'table persons, not exceeding 

 four, to assist him in the discliarge of liis dntiop, who slmll be sidllful, analytl- 

 eal, and experimental chemists; and may appoint such other subordinate assist- 

 ants, as he may deem necessary. 



2. It shall be the duty of the said State geologist, and his said principal as- 

 tilstants, as soon as may be practicable after their appointment, to commence 



