34S OHIO STATE ACADESIY OF SCIKNCE 



sui'vey. Its efficient cliief lias invariably furtliered all the work 

 whicb I have been able to undertake and patiently awaited rcsidts, 

 which on account of numerous other duties are long delayed, and 

 the relations with all the other members of the statf have always 

 been pleasant. Nor has the writer any plan which he wishes to 

 lannch and so is availing himself of this opportunity for that 

 purpose. He is simply attempting to state in a fair and impar- 

 tial manner, as it appears to him, what stage has been reached in 

 the description of the stratigraphic geology of this state. 



There is, however, a very general misapprehension concerning 

 the accuracy and degree of refinement reached in the stratigraphic 

 geology of Ohio. The frequent question, "Well, have you finished 

 your work for the survey?" is very tiresome, or the remark, "Why, 

 I thought the geology of Ohio was finished."' If I have any stand- 

 ing as a geologist, let me say once for all tliat $25,000, nay $50,000, 

 wisely and cconomicalh^ administered will not then furnish Ohio 

 with a similar wealth of accurate stratigraphic knowledge as that 

 upon which the last geological map of Xew York or Pennsylvania 

 is based. 



Ladies and Gentlemen : The time has not yet arrived when 

 we can consider that our knowledge of the geology of Ohio is about 

 complete. It is still a far cry before she overtakes some of her 

 sister states. Moreover, those same states at present are by no 

 means idle. Look at TvTew York! After almost seventy years of 

 state investigation still appropriating $30,000 annually for geo- 

 logical Avork, with a permanent force of fourteen men and ten 

 additional temporary assistants. Her magnificent set of geological 

 reports is a source of pride to all her intelligent citizens and has 

 made the name of Xew York familiar wherever geology is known. 

 ISTor is New York alone. The appropriation for geological work 

 during the current vear in Marvland is $10,000, in West Virginia 

 $12,000, in Kentucky $10,000," in Indiana $7,000, in Michigan 

 $8,000, in Illinois $l.=i,000, in Iowa $5,000 and in Missouri $20,000. 

 Probably in no state is the entire amount devoted to stratigraphic 

 geology ; but in each case a large proportion of the appropriation 

 is alloted to that part of the subject. 



I have attempted to show very briefly in these few minutes how 

 the science of stratigraphic geology originated and developed. 

 Likewise the attempt has been made to indicate in a general way 

 what has been accomplished in Ohio in this science and most of all 

 to emphasize the fact that it is not finished. If this last point has 

 been made clear, in my judgment, this pai^er will not have been 

 written in vain. 



