Editorial 



In the deaths of Dean Nathaniel Southgate Shaler, of Harvard, 

 and of Professor Israel Cook Russell, of the University of Michigan, 

 American geology has lost two of its best-known and most popular 

 writers on geology, as well as two of its most active and attractive 

 personalities. The closeness of succession of these calamities, and 

 the singular similarity of the fatal illnesses, give keenness to our 

 regret. It is our hope to publish, in an early number of the Journal^ 

 full sketches of the services of these two men to our science. Await- 

 ing the publication of these sketches, we wish to voice now the uni- 

 versal sorrow, not only of geologists and educators, but of the multi- 

 tudes of intelligent people who have read with profit and delight the 

 sketches of earth-lore that have come so freely from their fluent pens. 



T. C. C. 



Because of business engagements which will take him out of the 

 state for some time to come. Dr. Frank G. Wilder has resigned his 

 position as State Geologist of Iowa, and has been succeeded by his 

 honored predecessor. Professor Samuel Calvin. Changes in the 

 administrations of state surveys are to be deprecated generally, except 

 when inefficient men retire; but in this case the parties most imme- 

 diately concerned have worked together so intimately and in such per- 

 fect accord that the transition will be accomplished without even 

 momentary interruption in the work of the survey, just as it did 

 when Dr. Wilder succeeded Professor Calvin. Since a change in the 

 administration was necessary because of Dr. Wilder's absence, both 

 Iowa and the science of geology are to be congratulated that Pro- 

 fessor Calvin is willing to resume the duties of an office which he 

 filled so long and so well, and from which he voluntarily retired some 

 years ago. 



R. D. S. 



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