GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF OHIO. 25 
cases. At present there is no warrant for the Survey making private tests, 
even where the applicant is entirely willing to pay for the service. In 
many cases individuals would prefer the report of a State chemist or State 
geologist to that of any private expert, at equal cost, because of the 
prestige which such a report would carry. But it is a matter of doubt 
whether it will ever be the function of the Survey to enter into commer- 
cial work of this character; it certainly will not be unless explicit legal 
provisions for it are made. 
4th. Requests from a number of persons representing a diversity 
of wmterests, who jointly ask the Survey to examine mto and publicly 
report upon some matter of local public concern.— Such cases are not 
common. It is not always easy to determine whether such propositions 
are really actuated by public interest or not. Each case must be judged 
‘or its merits. The Survey will often be prevented from taking up such 
investigations by the lack of available funds, while otherwise the work 
would be attempted. 
The reputed discovery of gold is one of the most prolific sources of 
such calls for State examination. It usually seems wise and proper to 
spend a small sum in preventing an unfounded rumor from gaining 
acceptance in the public mind, before it leads to large losses, and unneces- 
sary excitement. The duty of dispelling illusions of this sort cannot be 
considered an agreeable part of the work of the Survey, but it is neverthe- 
less of very direct benefit to the people of the State. 
