Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1850-11-20
State Geological Survev,


will, be urged home upon the attention of
the Legislature at its coming session, is
the publication of the Final Report of
Prof HID. Rogers Geological Survey of the
State. This survey was work Of vast
labor and difficulty, but has been accom-
plished in manner, that, when its results
are fully laid before the public, will be
found of immense value to the people of
the Commonwealth, as well as reflect great
credit upon the learned Professor and hisa
sistants. This work was wisely undertaken,
years ago, for the detailed scientific dcvel-
opment Of the vast mineral, and other,
resources, which were known, though
vaguely, to lie beneath the soil Of Penn
sylvania and has been steadily pursued,
in the face of many mb;.rrassmcnts-ari-
sing from popular prejudice, Legislative
Indifference, and, in some instances, the.
fierce hostility of interested speculators-
until fully completed; Prof. Rogers having
spent ten years in making the survey, al
though paid for six years only.
1t is now several years since the survey
was completed, and the final report, maps,
illustrations, &C., have long been ready for
the printer, but have thus far been kept
back for want Of an appropriation by the
Legislature to cover the expense Of pabli-
cation. This ought to be the case no
longer. These explorations, although con-
Quoted with the utmost economy, have
cost the State some seventy thousand doI-
lars, yet the people can derive no benefit
from this expenditure until its detailed re-
suits have been made public; and US long
as this is delayed, SO long will injustice
continue to be done to the Taxpayers of
the Commonwealth, and to the reputation
of Prof Rogers. This great work-the
Final Report-ought not be judged by tho
annual reports heretofore published; for
they were, from the nature of the subject,
and the vast extent of the field of investi-
cation, and the difficulties thrown in the
way by interested parties, necessarily gen.
cral in their terms and cautious in their
details But in the Final Report the &C.
illogical features of the whole State VIII
be laid open to the world in a practical,
available shape. The direct effect of this
will be to rapidly augment the wealth Of
the State by attracting foreign capital, and
developing our own resources more extcn-
sively than has yet been done; and Of
course the burden of taxation will be light
ened in exact proportion to the increase Of
our wealth and prosperity. In addition to
this the cost of the survey and report will
be saved to the people Of the State every
year, in showing them where it is useless
to spend their means in searching for what
geology shows can not he there; as, for
instance, coal in primary rocks, or below
the old red sandstone formation, the To-
calities of which will be indicated in the
report. The Report will make about 1900
quarto pages, with some $50 engraved
sections of the anthracite and bituminous
coal fields and 15 sections across the en-
tire State. 1t will also be illustrated by
a correct geological and typographical map,
and beautiful drawings by Lehman, the
artist and can not fail to be work of
rare interest and value to men of science,
and rich in valuable information which
will interest every land-holder, and almost
every citizen in the State. And as
heavy expense has been incurred in gathe-
ring this information, measuring sections,
full suites Of all the formations
in the State, including splendid collee-
ton Of Goals, ores, &c, and analyzing
them, why should not few thousands
more be expended to give us the full ben
eft of what has been done? We have long
felt that great injustice has been done both
to the people and Prof: Il. by the improv-
ident parsimony hitherto exhibited by the
legislature in this matter.
Prof. Rogers professional reputation is
well known in the United States, and has
recently been confirmed by the Geological
Association of London, and his theories as
applied here, approved of there by some
Of the most learned men of the age. For
the last two or three years he has been
professionally employed upon the anthra-
cite basin of this State, and collected much
useful information, which will greatly add
to the value of the Final Report. We are
aware that he has often been assailcd, but
only by such as arc disposed to envy his we'll
earned fame, or by those whose lands his
reports do not fill with mineral wealth
but we know him to be gentleman and
a scholar; and as Gcologist he has no
superior.
We may add here, that so deep an into
rest is felt in this matter in scientific cir
cles, that Mt the meeting in New Haven,
August 26, 1850, of the American As