PAPERS ON GEOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY 207 



WORK OF THE ILLINOIS STATE 



GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



James H. Hance 



State Geological Survey, Urbana 



Topographic mapping in Illinois was begun in 1887 by 

 the U. S. Geological Survey. In 1905 a co-operative agree- 

 ment was entered into by the U. S. Geological Survey and 

 the State of Illinois, according to which each party was 

 to make an equal annual allotment. From that time up 

 to the present a total of from $16,000 to $30,000 has been 

 spent each year in carrying this work forward. The 

 State determines the areas and order or progress of the 

 work, whereas the Federal Survey with its corps of 

 trained engineers does the field work, and the maps are 

 engraved and printed at Washington. 



The present rate would necessitate about 35 years to 

 complete our own State work as well as that of the United 

 States. Recent detailed study of this situation has shown 

 the need for greater expedition of the work, and a recom- 

 mendation has been made to speed up the rate so as to 

 complete it in about 12 or 13 years. Such a program calls 

 for an annual appropriation by Illinois of $35,000.00, to 

 be met by a like amount from the Federal Survey. While 

 this may appear a large amount, the urgent need of the 

 maps can be appreciated from such considerations as the 

 following : 



1. Public Utilities. 



Available topographic maps made by the U. S. Geological 

 Survey saved the City of New York hundreds of thousands 

 of dollars and years of time in extending its water supply. 

 This need was emphasized by the time and work required 

 where the maps were lacking or obsolete. 



After expending $10,000 in examining sources of water 

 supply for Waterbury, Conn., the city engineer had ac- 

 cess to topographic maps of the area and from an inspec- 

 tion of these was enabled to develop a better supply which 

 is used at present. 



2. Industrial Development. 



The value of a topographic map of one quadrangle in 

 Washington was estimated to be worth more than its en- 



