KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



it was a good start for a grand work, which should have been continued ; and it is a stain 

 upon the vaunted intelligence and enterprise of our people that it was not resumed long 

 ere this. 



The survey was organized with the following personnel (Journal of Education, vol. 1, 

 page 125): Professor B. F. Mudge, State geologist; Maj. Frederick Hawn, assistant 

 superintendent; Prof. G. C. Swallow, paleontologist; Tiffin Sinks, M. D., chemist and 

 meteorologist; C. A. Logan, M. D.. botanist, and the sanitary relations of the State. 



The Educational Journal adds that "the geological corps is composed of gentlemen 

 whose literary merit is unquestioned, and who are in every way well qualified to dis- 

 charge the duties severally assigned them. We greatly need a thorough geological sur- 

 vey of the State, and if it could discover nothing but coal and salt, we would be richly 

 repaid for the cost. The appropriation is small, too small to enable it to be at all thor- 

 ough ; but if the scientific men of the State will aid all they can it will do much to in- 

 crease its thoroughness. We would call especial attention to the request published in 

 this Journal to send botanical specimens to Dr. Logan. Much can be done in this way 

 to aid each department in gathering information. 



" The mineral wealth of our young State is the property of its inhabitants. Providence 

 has distributed these bounties for the benefit of his creatures, and placed them just far 

 enough below the surface of the earth to promote our industry and education. Success 

 to our geological corps." 



The Educational, Journal, by the way, did much to promote a healthy love of nature 

 in those days, and abetted the early struggles of science in the State not a little. It pub- 

 lished many scientific articles, encouraged the geological survey, and was in every way 

 the friend and helper of scientific research. 



Prof. Mudge's report for 18(54 was published by Hon. John Speer, of Lawrence, the 

 State Printer, in 1866. It has now become very rare and difficult to obtain, and I am in- 

 debted to the courtesy of the State Historical Society for the privilege of examining a 

 copy in their invaluable collections. 



Prof. Mudge's work was conscientiously done, and as thoroughly as a most economical 

 disposition of the public funds set apart for the purpose, and supplemented by his private 

 contributions to the expense of his explorations, would allow. The report was a most 

 valuable exposition of our economic resources and of the scientific knowledge then at- 

 tainable, and will long stand as an honor to the early days of science in Kansas. 



In 1865, Prof. G. C. Swallow published a report on the Geology of Miami county, 

 Kansas, issued, I think, in Kansas City. In 1866 he also published a report upon the 

 Geology of Kansas, which was printed by Jno. Speer. He was appointed under an act of 

 the Legislature of I860, (ch. 40, p. 89,) authorizing a survey. This work, owing to the 

 troubles on the frontiers, was confined to the eastern part of the State, and was, he says, 

 mainly a continuation of his work in connection with the geological survey of Missouri. 

 It was also largely an extension of his report upon the collection of Major F. Hawn, pub- 

 lished in 1858. This last report is supplemented by a contribution on geology by Maj. F. 

 Hawn; one upon the sanitary relations of the State, by Dr. C. A. Logan; and one also 

 by Dr. Tiffin Sinks, upon the climatology of Kansas. As a whole, the publication is of 

 great scientific and historical interest. It is quite rare now, as much so as Swallow's 

 ' Rocks of Kansas." 



These reports contain the bulk of the scientific work accomplished, and represented 

 about all there was known of our natural resources up to the time of the organization of 

 the Academy. From them and from the various scientific articles contributed to the 

 miscellaneous periodicals of the State, we learn what was the scientific condition of the 

 field in which it was proposed to start a scientific society. The material which would 

 render such an organization possible, we should at this distance of time consider rather 

 meager; we can but wonder that it was attempted at all. But the founders were en- 



