GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTOKY SURVEYS. 403 



consulted abroad by those who wish to invest their capital or fix their hoaies 

 in America; and, furthermore, as these reports are considered the only authentic 

 and thorough]}' reliable exposition of the agricultural and mineral resources of 

 a particular section, it is easy to see how important it is that Ohio, one of the 

 first States of the Union, should no longer delay in giving to the world adequate 

 scientific information of the vast elements of wealth tliat lie treasured in lier 

 bosom. 



There is, furthermore, a scientific necessity for this in the fact that the 

 elaborate surveys of Kew York and Pennsylvania in the East and Kentucky, 

 Michigan, Illinois, and other Western States make Ohio a needed keystone in 

 the geological arch, an invaluable member, without which the symmetry and 

 connection of the whole can never be obtained. 



The practical advantages to agriculture and mining, the interests 

 which " underlie all others and constitute the groundwork of our pros- 

 perity," were thoroughly emphasized. 



Ohio's rapid growth in population and its sequence — the increasing reduction 

 in her agricultural export — create an additional necessity from year to year 

 for the development of her mining and manufacturing interests. By this means 

 a better home market will be provided for the products of her soil, while at 

 the same time there will come with new sources of wealth new demands for 

 labor which would give employment for any surplus population. The agri- 

 cultural resources of Ohio, great as they are, scarcely equal those which lie 

 beneath her svu'face and which i)romise an exhaustive field to her genius, labor, 

 and capital. 



To n new and complete survey of Ohio the old partial one would serve a 

 valuable purpose as a pi'eliminary recoimoissance, while at the same time the 

 labors of the geological corps would be greatly facilitated by the elaborate 

 sinveys of jidjacont States. These considerations should l»e taken into account 

 in estimating the cost of a new survey. 



The cost of one or two other State surveys w^as given, together with 

 some estimates of the survey of Ohio. In conclusion : 



From the best information they can gather your committee believe that a 

 good survey of Ohio can be completed on the plan presented within three years 

 at an expense, including that of publishing reports, of not exceeding .$50,000, 



The importance of the report procured the printing of 500 addi- 

 tional copies for the use of the members. 



Accompanying the report v.^as a bill providing for the survey, [n- 

 asmuch as it supplied the missing keystone, it is given in full : 



An act providing for a geological survey of Ohio. 



SkctionI. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That 

 the governor is hereby required to appoint, by and with the advice and consent 

 of the senate, a chief geologist, who shall be a person of known integrity and 

 competent, practical, and scientific knowledge of the sciences of geology and 

 mineralogy; and upon consultation with said chief geologist, and the like 

 concurrence of the senate, the governor shall appoint one or more suitable 

 assistants, not exceeding three in number, one of whom shall be a skillful ana- 

 lytical and agricultural chemist; the said chief geologist and assistants to 

 constitute a gcoJogical corps, whose duty it shall be to make a complete and 



