28 PROCEEDINGS OF THE PRINCETON MEETING 



Speaker at his home in Minneapolis. The Western Society of Naturalists had 

 been organized several years earlier, and one of its annual meetings was an- 

 nounced to take place at some point in the Mississippi Valley. In the con- 

 versation which took place in my parlor the suggestion was made by the 

 speaker that the geologists of the western part of the country ought to be 

 organized into a Mississippi Valley Geological Society. Professor Chamberlin 

 immediately fell in with the idea, and it was agreed by us that the project 

 should be broached at the approaching meeting of the American Association 

 for the Advancement of Science at Cincinnati. But this idea expanded, in 

 conversation with geologists at that meeting, into greater dimensions, and it 

 was resolved to organize the geologists of America in a general society. 



The first informal meeting embraced those present at Cincinnati and was 

 held in the room of Section B, at 5 p. m., August 18, 18S1. A committee was 

 chosen to draft a constitution, consisting of George C. Swallow, of Missouri; 

 N. H. Winchell, of Minnesota; S. A. Miller, of Ohio; William J. Davis, of 

 Kentucky ; John Collett, of Indiana, and H. S. Williams, of New York. 



On meeting, the committee elected Winchell chairman and Williams secre- 

 tary, and Miller was designated to draft a constitution for the proposed 

 society. This constitution was presented the next day at an adjourned meet- 

 ing of the committee, but after considerable discussion it was finally decided 

 that it was best to defer more definite action to the next meeting of the 

 American Association, and that meantime the committee prepare and dis- 

 tribute mdely a circular asking for the opinions of geologists generally, the 

 replies to be reported at the next meeting of the Association, which was to be 

 held at Montreal. Before the issuing of this circular, John R. Proctor, State 

 Geologist of Kentucky, was added to the committee. This circular was drawn 

 up by the chairman of the committee and, on submission to the members of 

 the committee, was approved unanimously by them. It was based almost en- 

 tirely on a previous rough draft prepared by Williams and presented to the 

 committee by him at one of the preliminary meetings at Cincinnati. Its main 

 points are as follows : 



The committee are desirous of eliciting opinions from all active and pro- 

 fessional geologists, to the end that more judicious and effective action may 

 be taken at the next meeting. 



1. The science of geology, with its kindred branches of paleontology and 

 lithology, has made rapid progress in America — perhaps more rapid than in 

 any other country — in the last 20 years. 



2. The literature of geology is largely distributed through numerous scien- 

 tific journals and in the proceedings of miscellaneous scientific societies, to 

 procure which is difficult and expensive. 



3. The present facilities afforded through the American Association for the 

 Advancement of Science are insufficient and unavailable by the working 

 geologists of the country — because: (a) The meetings are held in the sum- 

 mer, which is the geologist's working season. In order to be present, he must 

 interrupt his work and leave the field, often at considerable expense, especially 

 if he has a party with him. (&) Its brief meetings partake largely of the 

 nature of vacation pleasure parties, and much of the time is engrossed by 

 reception, gratulation, and excursions, (c) There is no sufficient avenue of 

 publication of the work of geologists, (d) The Association has become so 

 large, widespread, and popular in its work, membership, and organization 



