NATURAL HISTORY. 



41 



GEOLOGY OF VERMONT. 



GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



trated with excellent engravings. Eighteen 

 volumes have been published, five of which 

 are devoted to zoology, four to geology, 

 four to agriculture, one to mineralogy, two 

 to organic remains, and two to botany. 



The subject of a Geological Survey of 

 Vermont was first brought before the legis- 

 lature of the state in 1836*. In 1837 the 

 subject was referred to the committee on 

 education, in behalf of wliich. Professor 

 Eaton submitted to the Senate a very able 

 Report, accompanied by several important 

 documents. The report closed by recom- 

 mending the passage of a resolution, ordci*- 

 ing the report and documents to be printed 

 and circulated among the people of the 

 state, and by expressing the belief that, 

 upon due consideration, the popular voice 

 would be in favor of providing for the sur- 

 vey at the next session of the legislature. 

 In 1838, the subject was again taken up, 

 discussed and dismissed, without any pro- 

 vision being made for commencing the 

 survey; and nearlj'^ the same process, with 

 the same result, was repeated at each suc- 

 ceeding session of the legislature down to 

 the year 1844, when a bill, authorizing a 

 Geological Survey of the state, was finally 

 passed, in the Senate, by 20 yeas to 7 nays, 

 and in the House, by 96 yeas to 92 nays, 

 and received the Governor's approval. 



This act authorized and directed the 

 Governor to appoint a competent State 

 Geologist, who sliould have power, with the 

 Governor's approbation, to appoint the 

 necessary assistants, fix the amount of their 

 compensation, and direct their labors. It 

 made it " the duty of the State Geologist, 

 as soon as practicable, to commence and 

 prosecute a. geological and mineralogical 

 survey of the state, embracing therein a 

 full and scientific examination and descrip- 

 tion of its rocks, soils, metals and mine- 

 rals," and report to the Governor, anmi- 

 ally, on the 1st day of October, the progress 

 of the work. For the purpose of carrying 

 the provisions of this act into effect, the 

 sum of $2,000 annually, for the term of 

 three years, was appropriated. 



His Excellency, William Slade, Esq., 

 being Governor, upon him devolved the 

 appointment of the State Geologist, and the 

 arrangeipents, on the part of the state, for 

 carrying the contemplated survey into 

 efl'ect. After some time spent in delibera- 

 tion and inquiry, he finally commissioned 

 Charles B. Adams, at that time Professor 

 of Chemistry and Natural History in Jlid- 

 dlebury College, the State Geologist, who 

 was to enter unon Iiis duties on the 1st day 

 of March, 184ot. 



* See Part II., page 104. 



t Since the above was ^\Titteii, I have received the 

 painful intelligence of the death of my esteemed 



In arranging the details of the survey, it 

 was provided that, so far as should be found 

 practicable, eight suites of specimens of all 

 the rocks and minerals shoxild be collected, 

 trimmed and ticketed. These specimens, 

 when the material admitted, were to be 

 three inches square, and from one to two 

 inches thick. The destination of these 

 suites of specimens were as follows : — one, 

 (and the best, where there was a choice,) 

 for a state collection a* Montpelier; one for 

 the University of Vermont ; one for Middle- 

 bury College; one for Norwich University; 

 one for each of the Medical Colleges, at 

 Castleton and "Woodstock ; one for the Troy 

 Conference Academy, at Poultney, and one 

 to be the property of the State Geologist. 



With the apjprobation of the Governor, 

 the State Geologist appointed the Rev. S. 

 R. Hall and Z. Thompson, general assis- 

 tants in the field labor, and Dr. S. P. La- 

 throp, assistant in the depot of specimens, 

 and in occasional field services. The field 

 labors were commenced as soon as the 

 advancement of the season would permit, 

 which was early in May, and were prose- 

 cuted during the summer with unremitted 

 diligence. Tlie labors of the general assist- 

 ants were confLned to the northern half of 

 the state ; and, during their four months' 

 services, they together, or separately, visit- 

 ed and exploied, more or less thoroughly, 

 about 110 townships. The State Geologist, 

 with Dr. Lathrop and other occasional 

 assistants, labored, for the most part, in 

 the southern half of the state. During the 

 season, about 6,000 specimens were collect- 

 ed and forwarded to the depot, in Middle- 

 bury. These were mostly trimmed , ticketed 

 and catalogued, in the course of the follow- 

 ing winter. 



During the years 1846 and 1847, the 

 business of the Survey was diligently prose- 

 cuted by the State Geologist, and the assist- 

 ants were employed, for several months in 

 each summer, in field labors. At each 

 session of the legislature reports were made 

 to the Goveimor, of the progress of the 

 work ; and these annual reports were pub- 

 lished and circulated among the people. 



friend, Prof. Charles B. Adams. He died of fever, 

 on the 19th of January, 1S53, on the island of St. 

 Tlioraas, W. I., whither he had gone for the double 

 object of improving his health and furthering himself 

 in his favr'rite pm'suits of Natural History. In the 

 death of Prof. Adams, the scientifio world has lost a 

 most indefatigable and successful laborer. During 

 the last ten years, few individuals have done more 

 than he did, for the advaucement of the natural sci- 

 ences. By his contributions to Conchology, and his 

 minute investigation of the geogra])hical distribution 

 of moUusks, ho has erected to himself an honorable 

 monument ; and, although removed by a mysterious 

 Providence, in the prime of life, and in the midst of 

 his usefulness, his name will long be chtrished by 

 his personal friends, and will be handed down to 

 future generations, deeply eugi'aved upon the records 

 of science. 



