GEOLOGIC.UL. AND NATUEAL HISTORY SUllVEYS. 387 



Unfinished work of the survey. — Excepting the report on the min- 

 erals and mineral localities (ch. 1 of a'cI. 2 of Geology of North Caro- 

 lina) brought out in 1881, the State map in 1882, and the report on 

 the Ores of North Carolina (ch, 2 of vol. 2), published in 1887, none 

 of the results of the work of this survey have been published since 

 1875. 



After the death, in 1885, of Kerr, nothing more was done until 

 1891, when J. A. Holmes, of the State university, was appointed 

 State geologist and continued to hold the office until 1901. No 

 systematic work was carried on b}' this organization, which was oc- 

 cupied, as opportunity offered, in other consideration of special prob- 

 lems relating not only to geology, but timber resources and road 

 construction as well. In 1905 a new act was passed establishing the 

 present surveys.' 



OHIO.== 



The geological explorations of Ohio were begun in the interest of 

 salt manufacture. The difficulty of securing this article, and the 

 high price which it bore in the Ohio Valley all through the early 

 years of the present century, seemed to the pioneers of this region 

 the most serious obstacle to their success. All the salt that they used 

 was brought across the Alleghanies on the backs of pack horses or 

 up the Mississippi in fiatboats. The price ranged from 8 to 16 cents 

 a pound. 



The early settlers, noting that certain springs of water slightly 

 charged w^ith salt were much frequented by animals, made in 1798 

 their first attempt at the home manufacture of salt at the " Old 

 Scioto salt works." To prevent monopoly Congress, in 1808, re- 

 served 6 miles square at this place for the use of the State and 1 

 square mile at each of the other two localities wdierc salt springs 

 were known to exist. These were the only places in the State at 

 which this substance was found. 



The first attempt at drilling for salt was made a few miles below 

 Zanesville in 1817. Such was its success tliat many borings were 

 made with varied results until, in 1826, the salt reservations were 

 no longer considered necessary and the land was sold. Through 

 ignorance of the formations much mone}- w^as wasted by boring for 

 salt where none could exist. The invariable presence of gas in salt 

 wells was taken as a guide in new drillings. Boring was often be- 

 gun where the presence of gas was noted, but all other indications 

 of salt were absent. 



> S<>e Bull. 465, U. S. Geol. Survey. 



» Mainly from manuscript notes compiled hy Miss D. M. Scott under the direction of 

 Prof. Edward Orton. 



