GEOLOGICAL AND XATUEAL HISTORY SUItYEYS. 389 



Tavern. It is tlescribed as a coal of very fine quality, especially 

 noticeable for its high specific gravity (1.6), that being higher than 

 the specific gravity of the English cannels or the American anthra- 

 cites: exhibiting a conchoidal fracture and resinous luster, and burn- 

 ing with bright flame and less residuum than our common coals. 



During the year 1831 the legislature chartered the Historical and 

 Philosophical Society of Ohio. In an address delivered before this 

 body by the Hon. Benjamin Tappan on December 22, 1832, he says: 



I am aware that a society like this, without fiinris and without uiany scientific 

 associations of wealth and leisure, can not in*omise itself to obtain a geological 

 survey of a whole or even of any very considerable part of the State in many 

 years; but this society may commence the work, and when we shall have 

 proved that we have at hand the necessary science to -complete it we need not 

 doubt but that Ohio will follow the example of Massachusetts and Tennessee 

 and take under her munificent patronage the com[)letion of the work. 



By far the most valuable contributions to the American Journal 

 of Science and Arts were from the pen of Dr. S. P. Hildreth, of 

 Marietta. He was specially interested in geology, and was one of 

 the best paleontologists in the State. From time to time he sent in 

 communications with regard to the topography and geology of his 

 own county and that of the ^tilley of the IMuskingum, giving de- 

 tailed descriptions of the rock formations Mnth sections. His con- 

 tribution of 1836 excited widespread interest. An abstract of it is 

 to be found in the London and Edinhvrgk PhUoHojyldcal Magazine. 

 The paper is the result of his observations on the bituminous coal 

 deposits of the Ohio Valley and the accompanying strata. These 

 observations extended over the southeastern part of the State of 

 Ohio, southwestern Pennsylvania, and all of the valley of the 

 Kanawha, covering a tei-ritory measured approximately by 5° longi- 

 tude and 5° latitude. The topography of the county is minutely de- 

 tailed; the geology given at length with illustrating sections; also 

 the character, quality, and value of the limestones, sandstones, and 

 clays; the location of coal beds and the quality of coal with the thick- 

 ness of the seams; the character, quality, and mode of occurrence of 

 iron ore: the depth of the rock salt, the general location of the wells, 

 the density of the salt water, its analysis, and yield of salt; descrip- 

 tions of the various fossils found, with accompanying plates; and 

 notices ot relics of ancient life, animal and vegetable. 



Private interest was thus generally excited before the State, as 

 such, evinced any concern. After the expenditure of a considerable 

 sum of money, without return, in digging for coal at Cincinnati, 

 silver in the Muskingum Valley and salt where none could be found, 

 public interest was first manifested in the annual message of Gov. 

 Robert Lucas, on December 8, 1835. The following is an extract: 



