GEOL O GICA L SURVE YS IN MIS SO URL 2 1 1 



The year 1840 brings us to the date of publication of Owen's 

 report on the Mineral Lands of the United States in portions of 

 Iowa, Wisconsin and Missouri,^ following closely upon his report 

 as state geologist of Indiana upon work of 1838 and 1839. In 

 1844, a second and revised edition of his Mineral Lands report 

 was issued, and, in 1852, his final report on Wisconsin, Iowa, and 

 Minnesota appeared. These reports supplied the guiding lines 

 along which later stratigraphic work in the Mississippi valley 

 was done. Without attempting here to present the history of 

 this work,^ its bearing upon the future work in Missouri calls for 

 brief mention. In the Indiana reports Owen makes a separation 

 of the rocks, in harmony with the English classification, into : 

 (i) Bituminous Coal formation; (2) Mountain limestone; 

 (3) Grauwacke ; (4) Crystalline and inferior stratified rocks. 

 In the succeeding reports, as the results of wider observation 

 and more thorough study, the classification was changed and 

 differentiated until, in the final report, we find a classification 

 which, not only in its general features, but in many of its 

 details, is still adhered to in Missouri. The map accompanying 

 this report attempts a representation of the areal geology of the 

 northern half of the state. On this map the western margin, as 

 far east as Wellington, is colored as belonging to the Upper 

 Series of the Carboniferous limestone; along the Mississippi 

 river a similar belt of both the Upper and Lower Series is 

 represented ; while, along the Missouri river, from above Jeffer- 

 son City to Tower Rock, is an area of Lower Magnesian lime- 

 stone. Between these a broad stretch of Coal Measures is 

 shown. 



The explorations and surveys thus far referred to were the 

 results of private enterprise or were made under the auspices of 

 the national government. The earliest record we have of action 

 on the part of the state is in the message of Governor Lilburn 

 W. Boggs in 1833. He there recommends an appropriation for 



^ House Exec. Doc, No. 239, 26th Congress, ist Session. 



^ For summary concerning the Devonian and Carboniferous, see H. S. Williams, 

 Bull. 80, U. S. Geol. Surv., p. 137 et seq. 



