A CENTURY OF GEOLOGY IN INDIANA. Ill 



The Geological Survey of Dr. R. T. Brown. 



By 1852 the State had recovered somewhat from its Internal Improve- 

 ment venture.* A number of persons interested in the more rapid devel- 

 opment of its resources began an agitation for the renewal of the Geological 

 Survey, and we tind that on January 12 a joint I'esolution was passed and 

 approved providing "That our Senators in Congress be instructed and Repre- 

 sentatives requested to use their votes and influence to effect the passage of 

 a law giving to the States respectively, in which there is so much unsold 

 public lands, one township in each land office district to be applied by the 

 proper authorities of the State for the purpose of making a Geological, 

 Agricultural and Topographical Survey of such State." The Governor was 

 also requested to furnish one copy of this resolution to each of the Governors 

 of the several States, and request them to lay the same before their legis- 

 latures. 



Dr. Ryland T. Brown, a scientist of repute and a citizen at that time of 

 Montgomery County, evidently did not believe in the delay which this joint 

 resolution entailed and we find that on the evening of January 22, 1852, he 

 delivered to the legislators in the Hall of the House of Representatives a 

 lecture entitled "The Geology of Indiana as an Element of Wealth to the 

 State," in which he set forth the need of a survey which "should not only 

 embrace the geology and mineralogy of the State, but in which the topog- 

 aphy of each county should be carefully examined and accurately marked on 

 the map." He mentioned the great value of the coals of the State, the drift 

 origin of most of the soils, and incidentally the occurrence of gold in the drift 

 of Brown County. He asked that a liberal appropriation be immediately 

 made to carry on the Avork, but there is no record of a bill introduced or passed 

 to that effect. 



It seems, however, that the State Board of Agriculture, which had been 

 organized in May, 1851, had taken some action in the matter and had 

 authorized Dr. Brown to act as its "Geological Agent," as we find on 

 pages 299-332 of the Third (1853) Transactions of the State Agricultural 

 Society, a letter from Dr. Brown to Governor Joseph A. Wright, 

 president of the State Board of Agriculture, headed "Geological Survey of 

 the State of Indiana," which is a very large title for such a brief paper. 

 He starts out by saying: "In consenting to serve the State Board of Agri- 

 culture in the capacity of Geological Agent, T have done so without any A^ery 

 definite idea of what the precise duties were which the Board expected of me. 



*In the Acts of that year we find one providing that so much of the pubUc works 

 lieretofore constructed by tlie State, as has not been granted to any private company, 

 be surrendered to the counties in which they lie. One section of tliat act is somewhat 

 curious in that it provides that: "So much of the National Road witliin the State 

 lieretofore ceded to this State by the United States, as has not been granted to any 

 company, together with all materials to or near the same and now the property of the 

 State, shall on or before the first day of October next be put up at pulihc auction, after 

 due notice of sale, by the Auditor of State in convenient lots, and sold to the highest 

 bidder; and the proceeds of such sale shall be paid into the State Treasury. ' 



