FOREWORD 



Dr. Joseph Austin Holmes, in his paper "Historical Notes 

 Concerning the North Carolina Geological Surveys, published in 

 The Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society, 1889, states 

 that there were three North Carolina State surveys that have 

 been called geological surveys: (1) the "Geological and Min- 

 eralogical Survey," conducted by Professors Denison Olmsted 

 and Elisha Mitchell (1824-'28), termed the Olmsted-Mitchell 

 survey; (2) the "Geological, Mineralogical, Botanical and Agri- 

 cultural Survey, "prosecuted under Professor Ebenezer Emmons 

 (1852-'61 or '64), called the Emmons Survey; and (3) the 

 "Geological, Mineralogical, Botanical and Agricultural Survey, 

 "prosecuted under Professor W. C. Kerr (1866-'85), termed the 

 Kerr survey. The last mentioned of these may be considered 

 in part a continuation of the second." The fourth "geological 

 Survey" began in 1891 and was in charge of Dr. Holmes himself, 

 as State Geologist. It continued until 1905 when it was re- 

 organized by the General Assembly into the fifth survey, legally 

 termed the North Carolina Geological and Economic Survey. Dr. 

 Joseph Hyde Pratt, an expert in what might be called the Holmes 

 Survey, was appointed State Geologist. He retained direction of 

 that survey until 1924 when its offices were removed from Chapel 

 Hill to the State Capitol. Up until this time all of the men in 

 charge of these surveys were professors at the University and 

 their offices were in a university building. 



The General Assembly of 1925, in creating the Department of 

 Conservation and Development, gave as its first object "To take 

 over the powers and duties exercised by the State Geological 

 and Economic Survey, the State Geological Board and the State 

 Geologist." Thus, reports of these previous surveys became the 

 inheritance of the present Department of Conservation and 

 Development and it becomes the privilege of this Department to 

 make available to the inquiring public such useful information 

 collected by these surveys as may be of interest and value to the 

 people of the State. 



The second, or Emmons Survey, called for "a survey of every 

 county to ascertain, among other things, the character and value 

 of its botanical productions; the character and value of its 

 timber; and all other facts connected with the subjects of geology 

 and mineralogy, botany, and agriculture which may tend to a 

 full development of the resources of the State." An annual 

 appropriation of $5,000 was made for its support. The man 



