Januaey 5, 1900.] 



SCIENCE. 



In a similar way scientific research as an 

 essential to material progress has developed 

 its own sentiment, the scientific sentiment, 

 or the sentiment of acquiring knowledge 

 for its own sake, and this is the motive of 

 pure science. As honestj^, altruism and 

 patriotism are sometimes carried to absurd 

 limits, so as even to oppose the ends they 

 normally tend to promote, so the scientific 

 sentiment is liable to perversion ; and there 

 are not wanting scientists so devoted to the 

 acquisition of knowledge that they are im- 

 patient of its application, and look with dis- 

 dain on other scientists who strive to dis- 

 cover its uses. 



In the application of natural knowledge 

 to human uses material gain is usually in 

 sight, and this supplies a motive so distinct 

 from the unselfish sentiment of science that 

 the same individuals are rarely votaries of 

 both pure and applied science. Taking an 

 illustration from the branch with which I am 

 most familiar, the mining engineers, occu- 

 pied with the application of geologic knowl- 

 edge and actuated primarily by the motive 

 of material gain, are a distinct body of men 

 from the geologists proper, occupied with 

 the acquisition of geologic knowledge and 

 actuated primarily by the scientific senti- 

 ment. There are, ipdeed, individuals who 

 perform both functions, but as compared to 

 the general body they are rare exceptions. 

 Such an exception was Edward Orton, and 

 he stands prominent among geologists as 

 one actuated by altruistic motives not only 

 in the acquisition of knowledge but in its 

 application. Selecting, by preference, the 

 geologic problems connected with the use- 

 ful minerals stored in the strata of his State, 

 he carried his work not merely to the in- 

 ductions and theories of pure science but to 

 practical utilitarian applications, and these 

 were freely given to the community he 

 served. Through ofBcial reports, through 

 the columns of newspapers, and through 

 personal conversation he imparted not only 



statistical information and general princi- 

 ples concerning the occurrence of ores and 

 mineral fuels, but practical and timely ad- 

 vice as to their exploitation and conserva- 

 tion. Employed by the people, he labored 

 for the people, and he 'gave them the bread 

 for which they asked. 



Orton's work in geology, so far as it is a 

 matter of record, is largely connected with 

 the survey of this State [Ohio.] For thirty 

 years he was an officer of the State, and 

 though not continuously engaged in its ser- 

 vice nor always compensated in money for 

 the work which he performed, it is believed 

 that he devoted more time to its exploration 

 and survey than any other geologist, and that 

 his knowledge of the distribution, qualities 

 and structures of its rocks was correspond- 

 ingly intimate and comprehensive. His 

 reports are so numerous and extensive and 

 pertain to so wide a range of topics that I 

 shall leave their enumeration to the biogra- 

 pher and bibliographer* and content myself 

 with a simple outline. 



An assistant geologist under the director- 

 ship of Professor Newberry he began work 

 in 1869 in the southwest quarter of the 

 State, called the Third District, and his 

 labors were confined to this field for a num- 

 ber of years. Gradually, however, they 

 were extended to coal fields farther east, 

 and after the year 1882, when he practi- 

 cally assumed the functions of geologist in 

 chief, the entire State was within his pur- 

 view. He was also engaged for shorter 

 periods in the investigation of oil and gas 

 fields of Kentucky, Indiana and ISTew 

 York, and he made reports to the United 

 States Geological Survey and to the Elev- 

 enth Census of the United States on various 

 economic resources of Ohio and Indiana. 

 His contributions to pure science were in 

 part published by the Geological Society 



* A list of scientific papers will appear in volume 

 11 of the Bulletin of tbe Geological Society of 

 America. 



