Personal and Scientific News. 63 
Antananarivo. The Lyell Medal to Prof. T. McKeuny Hughes, 
F. R. S., for his valuable services, especially among the older 
rocks, and the Lyell Fund to Dr. C. J. ForsythOIajor of Flor- 
ence, for his researches in the Pliocene mammalia of Yal d'Arno. 
The Bigsby Medal to Dr. 'Geo. M. Dawson, F. G. S. , of Ottawa, 
for his researches into the geological structure of Canada. 
Professor Cragin has resigned the professorship of general 
natural histor}' in Washburn College, and has accepted a call to 
the chair of geolog}' in Colorado College. 
The Wheeling W. Va. , deep well. This well was bored for 
gas to a depth of 4,100 feet, by Ohio countj'. At this depth all 
hope of finding gas was given up, and the abandonment of the 
well was ordered. At the solicitation of Prof. White, of 
Morgantown, the order was recalled and the well dedicated to 
science. The company started to drill again, and went to the end 
of their cable, at 4, 500 feet, where the work was stopped tempo- 
rarily, and officers of the U. S. Geol. survey availed themselves 
of the opportunity to make temperature observations. Dr. Wm. 
Hallock, the ph^'sicist of the survey, has been in charge, and has 
alread}' secured preliminaiy results of exceeding interest. 3Iore 
refined obserA'ations will be made on the well before startino- to 
drill again. The citizens of Wheeling have guaranteed the money 
to pay for future drilling, Mr. Anton Pieyman, a public spirited 
citizen, having become surety for the entire amount required to 
make the well the deepest hole in the world (about 5,800 feet.) 
The U. S. Geol. Survey is expected to secure the new boiler aud 
engine required as well as the steel cable, since it is considered 
unsafe to use manilla bej-ond the present depth. These will prob- 
ably be secured through the geuerosit\- of some friend of science. 
The Surve}' has already contriljuted 8500 toward the deepening of 
the well from 4,100 to 4,500 feet. The well otfers the best chance 
to secure an average rate for increase in temperature uninfluenced 
by local factors that has ever been presented, since it is perfectly 
free from water, and the region is undisturbed, the rocks dippino 
only 20 to 30 feet per mile. The Wheeling Development Co. is 
the name of the organization that drilled the well, Hon. N. B. 
Scott being president, and J. C. Brady secy. The leading manu- 
facturers of Wheeling are the principal stockholders. Tlie well 
begins at the top of the Upper Coal measures and is now down 
nearly to the Corniferous limestone. 
Prof. J. C. Branner, state geologist of Arkansas, has ac- 
cepted the position tendered him by the Stanford University at 
Palo Alto, Cal. , but has leave of absence for a 3-ear in order to 
finish the work of the geological surve}- of Arkansas. 
Mr. Ulv S. Grant, fellow of Johns Hopkins University, has 
been appointed an assistant on the Minnesota geological survev. 
Dr. a. C. Lawson, of the University of California, has been 
engaged for the season of 1891 on the Minnesota geological sur- 
vey. 
