360 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1904. 



He recognized the plant origin of the coal beds, considering them 

 as products of growth in low, moist, and warm bogs, which were at 

 no great height above sea level, and which were frequently subjected 

 to slow and gradual submergence and reelevation, in this following 

 the other authorities of the day. 



In 1837 there was organized a State geological survey of Michigan, 



the sum of $3,000 being appropriated for the carrying out of the 



work the first year, the amount being increased to $6,000, $8,000, and 



$12,000, respectively, for each of the three succeeding 



Mich^a ", '^ r 4i in years, which limited the life of the organization. 



Douglass Houghton, then not 30 years of age, 

 was made State geologist, and during his term of office issued five 

 annual reports, the last bearing date of 1842. His chief assistants 

 were Bela Hubbard and C. C Douglas. During the winter of 1837-38 

 the survey was reorganized with particular reference to provisions 



for zoological, botanical, and topographical 

 departments, and additional assistants were 

 appointed to take charge of these branches 

 of the work. 



In his first annual report, a document of 37 

 pages, Houghton noted the geological fea- 

 tures of the Lower Peninsula, classifying the 

 formations under the heads of upper sand 

 rock, gray limestone, and lower sandstone or 

 gray wacke group, lying for the most part in 

 ♦nearly horizontal positions. The sandstones 

 of the Upper Peninsula were regarded as 

 belonging to the Carboniferous series." 



In his second annual report he detailed 

 the topographical and general character of 

 the northern portion of the peninsula, with special remarks upon the 

 clays, marls, and gypsums. He devoted considerable attention to a 

 consideration of the change of elevation in the waters of the Great 

 Lakes, which were then at a higher point than had been known for 

 many years. Many rather startling and mysterious reports had been 

 previously circulated regarding the abrupt change in the level of the 

 water of the lakes, and hence Houghton's report at this time was of 

 particular significance. His conclusions were to the effect that the 

 entire series of changes were due to periods of increased rainfall. 



A special report on the State salt springs was also submitted at about 

 this time. In this Houghton announced that he had visited the salines 

 of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Ohio with the view of acquiring infor- 

 mation to guide his procedure, and had commenced the boring of two 

 wells one on the Tittabawassee, near the mouth of Salt River, and 



Fig. 31.— Bela Hubbard. 



''Now regarded as Cambrian. 



