Editorial 



THE ILLINOIS GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



The organization of a new geological survey is always an occasion 

 for congratulations both to the profession at large and to the state 

 which takes up the work. Illinois is the last to assume the burdens 

 and to reach out for the benefits to be derived from such work, and in 

 many particulars the opportunities in this great central state are 

 unique. The present organization is not the first survey which the 

 state has had. In 1857 $3,000 was appropriated for the making of 

 a complete geological survey of the state — a rather small appropria- 

 tion for so ambitious a program. The next succeeding assembly, 

 recognizing the inadequacy of the funds, appropriated $5,000 annu- 

 ally for geology and $500 annually for topography, and these appro- 

 priations continued till 1872, when the new state constitution pro- 

 hibiting all continuing appropriations went into effect. At that 

 time $2,000 was appropriated for the expenses of the survey for one 

 year, and in 1873 $7,200 for the succeeding biennial term, with a 

 special appropriation of $1,500 for illustrating Volume VI. The 

 Twenty-fifth General Assembly made a special appropriation of 

 $20,000 for the work, and when the survey was abandoned, funds 

 amounting to $4,000 to $5,000 a year were provided for the mainte- 

 nance of the succeeding State Museum of Natural History. 



The first state geologist. Dr. J. G. Norwood, was appointed in 

 185 1 and served six years. The only published result of his work 

 was a study of the lead and fluor-spar mines near Rosiclare, found 

 in Volume I of the survey reports. His successor. Dr. A. H. Worthe.n, 

 was appointed March 22, 1858, and served until his death in i888. 

 His name is the one most closely associated witn Illinois geology, 

 since he directed and carried out the work of thirty years, resulting 

 in the publication of the eight well-known volumes relating to the 

 geology of the state. The last of these was published after his death 

 by his successor in the curatorship. Dr. Joshua Lindahl, by courtesy 

 state geologist. Dr. Worthen associated with himself, in the early 



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