94 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ALBANY MEETING 



geologist. Hayes's broad basal training in science made it possible for 

 him by field studies and reading to fill in the gaps of his academic 

 training. 



Appointment to the United States Geological Survey 



Up .to the time of graduation his highest ambition was to teach chem- 

 istry, but chance carried him into an entirely different field. Writing on 

 April 2, 1887, he says: 



"I went down to Washington this morning and had a talk with Mr. [I. C] 

 Russell, of the Geological Survey, and have decided to spend the summer with 

 him in the mountains of northern Alabama and Tennessee. I go as his assist- 

 ant at $50 a month and all expenses. ... If I choose to stay on the Survey 

 I will probably be able to do so ; . . . am not sure that I will want to stay 

 permanently. ... I shall keep a lookout for a place to teach if I don't like 

 this work." 



He adds a statement that, years afterward, he was to repeat to many 

 young assistants : 



"There is undoubtedly a chance to rise in the Survey if one is willing to 

 begin at the bottom and work." 



Hayes never regretted his choice of geology as his life's work. Once, 

 on visiting a finely equipped chemical laboratory, he remarked : 



"1 am not sorry I left this ; I like geology better." 



Hayes reported to Russell in Alabama about the middle of April, and 

 the next six months were devoted to measurements of an east and west 

 section. This was part of a comprehensive plan to solve southern Appa- 

 lachian stratigraphy and structure by three detailed sections, to be meas- 

 ured across the entire system. Tlie localities for these sections had been 

 chosen, after careful study, and it fell to Eussell to study the southern- 

 most one. It was a laborious piece of work, being done with transit and 

 stadia, and the results achieved were far from being commensurate with 

 the time and energy devoted to it. Eussell, who devoted some three years 

 to this work, regarded his time as in large measure wasted.- x\s a train- 

 ing for a young geologist, the work had the advantage of being, in theory 

 at least, precise. In this respect it was probably in advance of most of 

 tlie stratigraphic and structural work of its day. The impression is 

 gained by a study of the notebooks recording the result that precision of 

 location was, however, gained at the sacrifice of observations over a suf- 

 ficient area to make it possible to determine structure. Yet it fell to 



2 G. K. Gilbert : Israel Cook Russell. Journal of Geology, vol. xiv, 1906, p. 664. 



