390 BULLETIN lot), UNITED STATES NATIONAI^ MUSEUM. 



I am impressed with tlie importance ol e;illing the attention of tlie general 

 assembly to the subject of the geological survey of the State. For want of a 

 correct knowledge of the geology of the State large sums have been at various 

 periods expended in useless searches after coal, iron, salt, gypsum, marble, and 

 various other minerals. It is known that our country abounds in all the 

 minerals above mentioned, with many others of great value. I would therefore 

 respectfully submit to your consideration and solicit your inquiry into the 

 Importance of authorizing a general scientific geological survey of the State. 

 Such a survey could not fail to furnish the State with a mass of information 

 of the highest importance. Surveys of this character have been made under 

 the State authorities in some of the Eastern States. Massachusetts has caused 

 such a survey to be made, and obtained and published under her authority a 

 scientific report of the geology, mineralogy, botany, and zoology of that entire 

 State. * * * 



I therefore respectfully solicit your inquiry into the expediency and utility 

 of authorizing a general geological survey of the State, by a scientific, practical 

 geologist to be employed by the State for that purpose, whose duty it should 

 be to make an accurate and detailed report to the general assembly of his 

 geological and mineralogical observations. 



The house committee to which this portion of the governor's mes- 

 sage was referred made through its chairman Mr. Creed the fol- 

 lowing report concurring in the opinion of the governor : 



The subject is deserving of legislative action in that the survey will show 

 the extent of deposits of useful products. It will reveal new localities and per- 

 haps new minerals, thus causing great advancement in the industries of the 

 State; it will reveal the probability of the existence of other valuable deposits 

 beneath the surface of the earth in certain places; it will prevent useless waste 

 of capital ; it is of great importance to the agricultural industries of the State 

 in revealing the nature and durability of the soils and their best fertilizers; 

 it will diffuse correct information among all citizens, preventing the errors pre- 

 vailing where no such examination has been made; it will acquaint every man 

 not only with the agricultural value of his own soil but also with its hidden 

 mineral wealth. 



This survey will be greatly facilitated by the origlnnl survey of the territory 

 by the General Government into small rectangular tracts which will enable 

 the geologist without further horizontal admeasurements to make a map accu- 

 rately designating the extent and limit of the various rock formations and the 

 precise locality of every valuable mineral deposit. The extensive vertical ad- 

 measurements made by the canal engineers have shown the general elevation 

 of the State above the sea and lake and the relative height of different parts. 

 The committee append as evidence of the confidence which may be placed in the 

 order of strata a report from England by Featherstonhaugh ; also an essay on 

 geology by Lnpham, noting in particular the stratified appearance and regular 

 order to be observed in rocks, and an extract from the address of the Hon. 

 Judge Tappan before the Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio relative 

 to the importance of a correct knowledge of the composition of soils, durability 

 of building stone, and to the importance of geologi^^al maps of every county 

 correctly delineating the extent and quality of every rock formation, the loca- 

 tion of mineral deposits and coal beds, and the number and thickness of such 

 beds. The committee advise the appointment of one or two practical geologists 

 by the general assembly to make a preliminary report to the next legislature. 



