684 PROCEEDINGS OF THE OTTAWA MEETING 



deemed of more urgent importance. With each postponement of this 

 study the amount of development in the phosphate area increased greatly, 

 so that the field work was never completed. In fact, the last visit to the 

 Florida phosphate diggings was made by Bldridge only a few months 

 before his death. A preliminary report Avas published in 1893, giving a 

 summary of his observations to that time (8). 



The great energy and endurance possessed by Eldridge, as well as his 

 ability to grasp the broad features of geology in a new country, led to 

 several assignments in reconnaissance work. In the seasons of 1893 and 

 1894 he was engaged in surveys of this character in northwestern Wyo- 

 ming and northeastern Idaho. Two valuable reports were the results of 

 this work (11 and 12). 



Again, in 1898, with the beginning of Alaskan exploration by the Geo- 

 logical Survey, Eldridge was called on for genuine reconnaissance work. 

 He was placed in charge of the work of several parties, and himself con- 

 ducted one of them through a wild and quite unknown territory north of 

 Cooks inlet, within which is Mount McKinley, the highest point in North 

 America. It is believed by his friends that the exposure and strenuous 

 exertions of this season's work seriously impaired Eldridge's vitality. It 

 was too much for a man of 44 years to undergo without lasting injury. 

 His reports appear in the Survey publications cited in the bibliographic 

 list (16 and 17). 



In the summer of 1899 Eldridge was assigned to the comprehensive 

 study of the asphalt and bituminous rock deposits of the country. His 

 investigations were carried on in many states and concerned deposits of 

 various characters. The field work occupied more than a year's time and 

 the report is really a monographic discussion of a class of deposits which 

 had previously received scarcely any attention. This is probably the 

 most important single contribution to science made by Eldridge (18). 



Soon after the completion of the asphalt report the investigation of 

 important oil fields in southern California, in a region of much structural 

 complexity, became a matter of great interest, and it was entrusted to 

 Eldridge. After a vast amount of labor, which was rendered doubly 

 difficult by the rapid development of the oil fields, he had nearly com- 

 pleted his report on some important sections of the district when attacked 

 by his last illness. It is to be hoped that some part of the material may 

 appear under the name of the man whose career has unhappily been cut 

 short before he could complete his work. A preliminar.y statement con- 

 cerning the field was issued in 1903 (21). 



The last fruit of Eldridge's wide experience was dictated from his bed 

 of suffering not long before the end. It was a summary of his views 



