DEVELOPMENT OF CHEMICAL SCIENCE IN INDIANA. 391 



Tlie state geologist died while in office and the brother, after winting and 

 publishing a comprehensive annual report, was appointed to succeed to the 

 office. The chemical and geologic work done before 1860 laid the fou da- 

 tion for future work in the development of the varied industries of the state. 

 But small appropriations and poor equipment made possible only a begin- 

 ning in spite of the earnest endeavors of these most conscientious, gifted and 

 scientific men. The civil war period produced an hiatus in the Avork Avhich 

 was first resumed in 1869 under the efficient management of state geologist, 

 E. T. Cox, and his assistants. Under the leadership of Governor Conrad 

 Baker the powers and purposes of the office of the state geologist had been 

 enlarged, and provision made for building and equipping a chemical labora- 

 tory. The first year was largely occupied in building this laboratory as an 

 addition to the east side of the state house; but when completed it was 

 said to be one of the best equipped laboratories in the west. In his first report 

 Mr. Cox says, "I trust soon to be able to commence a series of elaborate 

 Investigations of the iron-smelting ores, iron ores and fluxes used in the 

 blast furnaces of Indiana, that will, it is confidently believed, prove of great 

 utility to the iron masters, and materiality advance the manufacturing in- 

 terests of the state." And he goes on to say that a large portion of his time 

 had been spent in receiving visitors and imparting geological information to 

 capitalists from many parts of the country, who were desirous of investing 

 money in the various branches of manufacture within the state. 



Mr. Cox, who, was not only a great geologist, but a great advertiser of 

 the state resources, elxtended the scope of analytical chemical work to in- 

 clude hydraulic eemeiit clays, pottery clays and glass sands; and he so greatly 

 advertised the work accomplished that in the ten years of the occupancy 

 of the office probably millions of dollars were invested in Indiana industries. 

 In the first annual report there is a full page illustration of a blast furnace in 

 operation. In the lrt72 report there is long descriptive letter, -wTitten by 

 Hugh Hartman, of the then new Bessemer process of steel manufactui-e. 

 The next year the same gentleman has a description of the industries repre- 

 sented at the Vienna exposition. In 1871 he writes "chemistry as a science 

 was almost unknown in its practical applications fifteen or twenty years ago ; 

 now it is the only foundation upon which even practice can grow. Chemistry 

 is at the bottom of modern iron production." Infinitely truer is it today. 

 Not only in the iron industry, but in a thousand others it is the foundation 

 for financial success. 



The study of glass sands led to the erection of a number of glass factories 

 which, later, were stimulated by the discovery of natural gas in the state. 

 These became, and for years remained one of the larger industries of the 

 state. In this and following administrations analyses of the clays of the 

 state opened the field for the cement industry which, in both the southern 

 and northern sections has become so important an addition to our economic 

 wealth. It is probably true that the analytical work done under the direction 



