460 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



Professor Patrick closed by giving a glimpse of that portion of the subject 

 suggested by his theme which he had not time touch upon, and predicting for 

 chemistry a future even more wonderful than its past. The lecture was an apt 

 and timely statement of the utilitarian side of science and as such deserves a much 

 wider hearing than it was granted last evening. 



On Friday morning, November nth, the Academy met at the Senate Cham- 

 ber. The officers for the ensuing year were selected as follows : President — J. 

 T. Lovewell, of Topeka ; Vice-Presidents — Joseph Savage and J. R. Carruth, of 

 Lawrence ; Secretary — L. A. Popenoe, of Manhattan ; Treasurer — R. P. Brown, 

 of Leavenworth. 



The committee on the Mudge monument fund reports that enough money 

 for the monument had been received, leaving a balance to be devoted to the im- 

 provement of the grounds of Manhattan where the monument is to stand. $600 

 was the amount raised. 



Col. Wm, Tweeddale, of Topeka, then read a paper on "The Importance 

 of Water as Affecting its use for Mechanical Purposes." The principles under- 

 lying the study of the subject were discussed. He considered the inorganic im- 

 purities as sulphates and carbonates, and spoke of their disadvantages in mechan- 

 ical uses, and also mentioned a means of purifying alkali water. 



"The Salt Wells of Wichita," by J. R. Mead, was next. He stated that a 

 shaft at Wichita was started for coal but failed to reach it and found salt instead. 

 The county of Sedgwick lies in the Permian or the upper carboniferous forma- 

 tions. The first fifty feet of the shaft passed through a gypsum bed, the following 

 200 through clay, slate and limestone containing fossils. The next stratum was 

 saturated with oil, burning readily. The next stratum was strongly salt, and salt 

 water was found just below this, which rose 150 feet in the shaft. The drill has 

 gone to a depth of 1,100 feet, passing a strong vein of brine, free from impurities 

 and containing as much salt as any in the State. They expect to reach coal at a 

 depth of 2,500 feet, and in case of failure to find coal intend to manufacture salt 

 on a large scale. 



"Igneous Rocks, of Kansas," by Robert Hay, was read by the author. 

 The principal object of the paper was to call attention to the metamorphic de- 

 posits in Woodson county, which he stated furnished all the evidence of metamor- 

 phic action. He had specimens of amethyst, beryl, quartz and mica, from the 

 locality mentioned, as well as many specimens of various rocks in whose forma- 

 tion igneous action must have taken an important part. In the discussion fol- 

 lowing the reading of the paper Prof. Snow stated that the action of the heat and 

 water might be considered sufficient to account for the phenomena described. In 

 this conclusion Prof. Mudge, deceased, is said to have agreed. Prof. Snow 

 thought heat could not act as an agent here. Thought a much more full study 

 of the locality must be made before a final decision could be reached. Prof. 

 Failyer agreed with Prof. Snow, forming his opinion from the study of the Cher- 

 okee and Joplin lead regions. 



