14 



and a Museum including the geological collection of this State; and 

 that said Board report such facts and considerations as they may deem 

 important in connection therewith." 



In obedience to this requisition of the Legislature, an elaborate report 

 was submitted by the Board of Commissioners as above constituted at 

 the session of eighteen hundred and sixty-three and eighteen hundred 

 and sixty -four. In this report the whole subject of the organization of 

 a State University was thoroughly discussed, and the requirements of 

 the Constitution in this respect duly set forth. The establishment of a 

 State Polytechnic School, having for its object " the professional training 

 of young men in the exact and natural sciences, and their application to 

 arts, manufacture, mining, and agriculture/' was strongly recommended 

 to the Legislature. It was also proposed that the collections of the 

 geological survey should be placed in a suitable fireproof building, in 

 which should be ample accommodations for displaying and showing them, 

 as well as room for a library, laboratory, and an office for the survey, 

 together with lecture rooms, and other conveniences necessary for a 

 scientific school, for which purpose the building was to be used after the 

 completion of the survey. This would have been the first step towards 

 the establishment of a State University, provided for long since by the 

 Constitution, and for which funds have been furnished by the United 

 States. 



The interest on the money received from the sales of the land given 

 by Congress has thus far been applied to another purpose; but it is evi 

 dent that the people, through the Legislature, are bound in honor to see 

 that the trust accepted by the State and incorporated in their own Con 

 stitution should be sacredly complied with. 



In concluding this communication, it may be mentioned that the Act 

 under which the survey is at present conducted does not require the 

 State Geologist to present to the Legislature, through the Governor, or 

 in any other way, any annual report or estimate for the continuance of 

 the survey, as was demanded by the Act under which the survey \vas 

 originally organized. The State Geologist will, however, be happy to 

 appear before the "Committees on Mines and Mining Interests " of the 

 Senate and House, and to give them all possible information in regard 

 to the progress of the survey, and what he deems desirable for continu 

 ing the work both in the field and in the office. 



I am, with high respect, your obedient servant, 



J. D. WHITNEY, 



State Geologist. 



