286 THE JOURNAL OF GEOLOGY. 



attention of the state geologist for several years. The first 

 difficulty to be overcome was the lack of a suitable base map. 

 In this we had the aid of the U. S. Survey, in which office was 

 compiled the first base map printed by the survey. As the work 

 progressed numerous alterations and corrections became neces- 

 sary, and not until 1893 was a satisfactory base map prepared. 

 This map, on a scale of ten miles to the inch, with colors to show 

 the geology, will be ready for distribution in a short time. It 

 will be accompanied by a chart exhibiting the main lithological, 

 economic, topographic and agricultural characters of each of the 

 formations represented, and will embody the results obtained 

 during the past twenty-one years. 



Cost. — The cost of the survey during this period of eleven 

 years, 1 883-1 893 inclusive, has been as follows: 



Eight annual appropriations of $5,000 $40,000.00 



Three annual appropriations of 7,500 22,500.00 



Printing, binding, illustrating, and distributing reports.. 13,347.00 



$75,847-00 



the entire cost averaging about $6,900 per annum. For the 

 whole period of 21 years during which this survey has been 

 active, the aggregate cost of the survey for all purposes has 

 been $90,597, an average of $4,314 per annum. 



Economic results. — Since the organization of the survey, the 

 tax rate has been reduced over 50 per cent., without diminishing 

 the revenues. The increase in the value of property in certain 

 sections of the state that has rendered this possible, has been due 

 in the main to the development of the mineral wealth of the 

 state, and to this the survey publications have contributed a 

 certain share, but how much it would of course be impossible to 

 estimate. In this connection, however, it may be proper to say 

 that some of the regions of the state in which the mining of coal 

 and iron have since assumed vast proportions, were practically 

 untouched by the pick of the miner, when our earlier reports 

 directed attention by maps, analyses, and otherwise to their great 

 resources : and very recently the survey has demonstrated the 



