GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEYS. 345 



m^ acljoinino- his residence, where his -work was carried on until 

 1852, when lie removed to a larger house. In 1857 he erected a very 

 commodious brick building in which the work was carried on until 

 his death. 



By the act of 1850 the legislators cut off all appropriations for 

 current expenses and salaries, according to J. J. Stevenson, tliough 

 for some reason, which is not apparent, the contract for engraving 

 illustrations for the reports was carried on and small appropriations 

 made for drawings. Although the State thus signified its intention 

 to abandon the work. Hall refused to give up.' Confident that it 

 would some time be resumed, he retained his assistants for a time 

 and continued the collecting and drawing until 1855 at his own 

 expense. About that time, despairing of any assistance from the 

 State, he accepted a proposition made years before by Sir William 

 Logan that he become paleontologist of the Canadian survey. This 

 came to the ears of the Hon. Elias Leavenworth, then recently elected 

 secretary of state, who realized that to abandon the work in its in- 

 complete condition would be discreditable to the State. He urged 

 Professor Hall to delay, and called a meeting, which was attended 

 by J. D. Dana, Louis Agassiz, W. E. Logan, Mr. Blatchford, L. C. 

 Beck, and others, to consider the matter. At this conference a plan 

 for continuing the work was prepared. Professor Hall consenting to 

 remain in case the legislature confirmed the agreement. Through 

 the influence of Mr. Leavenworth such agreement w^as reached, and 

 Professor Hall remained to carry on the work for 43 years longer. 



With the apparent purpose of showing the legislative cominitteo 

 the value placed upon his work by others than those immediately 

 interested. Hall in 1855 submitted to Sir William Logan, of the 

 Canadian survey, a series of questions bearing upon the subject. 

 These, together with their answers, are given below : 



1. Have you been acquainted with the progress of tlie paleontology f»f Nevi, 

 York, and for how long a time? 



2. What is your opinion of the value and usefulness of the work to geologi- 

 cal science and to the advancement of a knowledge of the geological structure of 

 the United States? 



3. Has this work, as far as published, been of use to you in your geological 

 explorations in Canada? 



4. At the eonunencement of the investigations of the paleontology of New 

 York, the collections of the geological survey contained some fiO or GO species 



> In the report of the iis55eml)ly coramittep (Assembly Doc. No. 124, Apr. 1, 1851) ap- 

 pointed to take chai-jre of the pnbiicntions of the KPolo<iical reports, .\pril. 1851, an csti- 

 mafo is given by Vvoti-fsor Hall of three additional volumes on paleontology. These It is 

 thonght would cost $10,000 a vohnnc, <>xcUisive of pnlariea and printing. They recom- 

 mended that the work be completed in accordance with these estimates, and that for the 

 purpose of entering this the sum of .S2.500 be paid Professor Hall on the presentation ot 

 the manuscript letterpress of each volume ready for the printer, together with the fossils 

 deecribed tlioreln. Nothing seems to have come from this. 



