GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEYS. 525 



Hopkins, chairiuan of tiie senate committee, I returucd to Albiuiy to foru-urd the 

 ren^aiuing copies of the first vohinie and to prepare for the publication of the 

 second voinme. Within two weelcs after 1 left Miidison the legislature passed 

 some resolutions reflecting upon the course of the geological commission and at 

 the same time passed an act repealing the law for the geological survey without 

 giving any party an opportunity to he heard in explanation. The nature of the 

 original law, I dare say, you will remember. This law authorized contracts 

 with certain parties and required an investigntiou by the governor before any 

 person could be dismissed. 



This act repealing the law prevented the drawing of any money by the 

 ^^ovcrnor on account of the survey, and though I was compelled to go twice to 

 Wisconsin after this, and to continue investigations already begun, I was un- 

 able to draw any pay from the State under my contract, or in any other way. 



Notwithstanding all this, I carried on my investigations in preparation for 

 the second volume, in accordance with my contract, and have not ceased to 

 woi'k at tbe collections already made for the illustration of the report on the 

 paleontology of the State. The subject of publication was before the legis- 

 lature duriiig tlie last sessioTi, but they declined to take any action in the 

 matter. 



I have in my possession the m-anuseri[)t and reports, maps, ;)nd diagrams of 

 Colonel Whittlesey upon the RIenomonee region, and upon the iron region of Lake 

 Superior, also a report upon the drift of the eastern part of the State. 



In the department of paleontology I have prepared descriptions of fossils, 

 rtiid at my own expense have had a considerable number of drawings made to 

 illustrate them, and some engraving done in anticipation of the order for pub- 

 lication. The materials in my hn))ds are sufficient to make a volume as large 

 or larger than the one already published. This volume will require the en- 

 graving of sonie maps and about 30 plates of fossils. It would l)e of great 

 value and Interest to the people of Wisconsin find would be prized in all the 

 libraries of the country, as well as among all scientific persons and all 

 students in geology. There can be no question as to the value of the matter 

 I have prepared, and there should be no question as to the desirableness and 

 importance of publishing this work. The efforts of Wisconsin to secure a 

 geological survey have been so often thwarted in one way or another that now 

 v.'hen an opportunity offers of making a respectable and creditable conclusion 

 of the work tbere should be no hesitation on tlie part of the legislature. The 

 results of the investigations are ready for publication, v.'hich is the very con- 

 dition so long desired by the people and the legislature, and if they would ob- 

 tain the benefits of the survey the publication must be made. 



In tJie present attitude of the affair I have been deprived of the money ac- 

 tually due me, and, moreover, have been compelled to expend money in carrying 

 on the work and in going to Madison on several occasions, not contemplated in 

 the beginning of the work and subsequent to the repeal of the law. 



Although I believe and am .so advised legally that my claim against the State 

 under my contract is good and can lie sustained, I would much prefer tliat the 

 legislature, taking an enlightened view of tiie matter, should order the publi. 

 ■nation of the results and fulfill the agreement on the part of the St:!te as I have 

 done mine. 



As the matter now .stands I am placed in the awkward jiosition of holding 

 in my possession materials belonging to the State, while the act of the legisla- 

 ture has deprived me of all connection with the State or power to act in the 

 premises. The extensive collections of geological specimens and fossils are 

 chiefly in my possession (some part of them having been returned to tlie uni- 



