Eighteenth Annual meeting. 



THE EELATION OF A STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY TO THE WORK 

 OF THE NATIONAL SURVEY. 



BY A. H. THOMPSON, TOPEKA. 



In view of the facts that the United States Topographical and Geological Survey 

 has extended its work to include the entire national domain, and that its scientific 

 operations are much better executed than can ever be accomplished by any State 

 organization alone, it was deemed advisable by some of the members of the Academy 

 that some correspondence should be had with the directors of the national survey, 

 with a view of ascertaining what we should best do to work in concert with them. By 

 cooperation we could, it was thought, accomplish more and better work than by work- 

 ing independently, and we could assist the general survey by the contribution of ob- 

 servations we have already made. 



So the writer, acting independently, wrote to Major J.W. Powell, Director of the 

 United States Geological Survey, to ascertain what we had best do to secure the best 

 work for our State. It was explained that we had been hammering away at the matter 

 of getting a bill passed by the Legislature for a State Geological Survey for some 

 years; that the people were in need of such a scientific work, that our resources might 

 be developed, and the wasteful expenditure of capital in the blind search for minerals 

 be avoided; that there was great interest in the matter, as manifested by the numer- 

 ous schemes which have been before the Legislature for the purpose, but that we had 

 been unable to accomplish anything as yet. But now, in view of the fact that the 

 United States Geological Society intended to cover the entire national domain, and 

 the topographical survey having been already begun in Kansas, that we, the Kansas 

 Academy of Science, desired to know what we should do in order to cooperate with 

 the Government work, that we might get the most benefit out of it for the people of 

 the State. 



To this communication a courteous reply was received from Major Powell, saying 

 that the topographical survey of Kansas was progressing satisfactorily, six sheets 

 of the atlas being in the hands of the engraver, and six more were ready for him^ 

 Kansas will thus have an accurate map. No geological work can be done without 

 the topographic basis, and how soon this will follow he did not say. He will take 

 pleasure in cooperating with the scientific men of the State in making a thorough 

 geological survey. With the letter he also sent the volume, "On the Organization of 

 the Scientific Work of the General Government," which is the testimony given by 

 Major Powell before a Congressional commission in December, 1884, on the subject. 

 This report is a perfect mine of information upon the much-mixed subject of the 

 United States surveys in particular and of Government scientific work in general. To 

 that volume I am indebted for such facts as are herewith submitted. 



In the first place, be it understood once for all, the United States Geological Sur- 

 vey is not intended to take the place of State surveys, nor to do the work demanded 

 of them by the interests of the people. While the topographical and geological work 

 is thorough and elaborate, neither one is of suflficient minuteness to answer the local 

 purpose for which such maps are used. But this survey should be followed and 

 amplified by State work, which should proceed further and give more details upon 

 enlarged maps. Some States — Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, for 

 instance — have made additional appropriations for the use of the United States Geo- 

 logical Survey, that that organization might make the maps on a large scale, and 

 thereby give greater detail. The people of these States now have maps as accurate 

 as the latest science can make them, and as elaborate as they will require for all pur- 

 poses. The survey work is, of course, much better done than any State could afford 



