DEVELOPMENT OF GEOLOGIC INVESTIGATION 87 



can Association was divided into sections, in 1875, the geologists and 

 naturalists became, not Section A, but Section B. 



Development of geological Work after the Civil War 



The rapid development of the country's internal resources during the 

 war and the attendant growth in manufacturing interests made neces- 

 sary increased efficiency in scientific training, and enormous gifts were 

 made to our leading institutions for that purpose. The importance of 

 geological knowledge had become very evident during the development 

 of iron, coal, and oil resources, and the geologist found himself elevated 

 suddenly from a place surrounded by suspicion to a post of honor. As 

 an outgrowth of the restless activity due to the war came anxiety to 

 learn more accurately the resources of our western domain beyond the 

 hundredth meridian. The War Department, through its engineer corps, 

 organized the Fortieth Parallel Survey, in charge of Clarence King, and 

 two years afterward authorized Lieutenant (now Major) George M. 

 Wheeler to undertake what afterward became the United States Geo- 

 graphical Surveys West of the Hundredth INIeridian. Mr King's surve}'^ 

 was primarily for geological work, that of Lieutenant Wheeler primarily 

 for topographical work, but each in its own field did all the work, geo- 

 logical or topographical, necessary to the accomplishment of the allotted 

 task. The Interior Department had charge of Dr F. V. Hayden's sur- 

 veys, beginning in 1867, as well as of the work prosecuted by Major J. W. 

 Powell after 1870. The consolidation in 1879 of all the organizations 

 then existing into the United States Geological Survey put an end to 

 useless rivalries and made possible the formation and execution of broad 

 plans requiring a high grade of preparation in those engaged on the 

 work. 



While these surveys were advancing in the far west, great activity 

 prevailed in the older area. Within a decade after the war ended state 

 surveys were undertaken in New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, 

 Ohio, Indiana, Kentuck}'', Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Mis- 

 souri, and other states, while the Canadian survey, which had gone on 

 uninterruptedly from the early forties, was made more extended in char- 

 acter. Several of the state surveys, being well supported by generous 

 appropriations, employed large corps of assistants, paid and volunteer, 

 and were prosecuted with great energy. Under these conditions Section 

 E, that of Geology and Geography, grew rapidly and soon became one 

 of the strongest in the American Association for the Advancement of 

 Science. 



The conditions which rendered imperative an association of geologists 



