Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1853-09-17
LETTER FROM PROF, MITCHELL.


merit to be called by respectable name as war
fare of which am made the object, am OF course
gratied for any kind word in your Editorial OF the
9TH do not know that it is worth my while to
continue the contest any farther. With single an
tagonist, who understands the subject was a far
man. and would write openly over his own name, or
ton to continuing the discussion if it should be
found necessary and think it would not till the
public should be weary of 1t. But they swarm
around me- these assailants of nine like the locusts
of Egypt. 1t consists with theirsideas of what is
manly dealing and chivalrous spirit to attack me
two or three at time In rather close succession
One beats away till he is tired or Sleepy or is push
ed off and is then relieved by successors hike the
RELAYS of horses that stationed where intelligence
is to be conveyed with rapidly They strike In the
dark An anonymous letter, which, whatever may
be the actual result was dnteaded to be murderous,
so far as the article of character is concerned IS sent
To New York to produce its effect there hrst and
second effect by its republication at home. believe
may safely leave it hereafter to the people OF North
Carolina to Judge whether the representations OF per-
sons who are so little scrupulous about the means
thew employ to injure or run merit much attention,
so as to influence the opinions they may cause to
entertain respecting me-
The State Geologist had represented in his report
that Deep River, IN the counties of Chatham and
Moore there is scam of available COAL six feet in
thickness, extending through area of 4S square
miles. Il could not but know that there was no ge-
illogical warrant for such representation. knew
that if this account received as true, itwoud
20 q
were regarded such in the vicinity of Deep River
They would make few thousand dollars by sales to
capitalists in New York. and still larger sum by
trades with their fellow-citzens in North Carolina
But it should happen that there error, and
the coal ON Deep River not very considerable in
quantity, any great flow of capital in that direction
would be public calamity and the final loss to the
people of the State many times greater than all that
could be made by sales of the lands abroad. 1t
seemed to me therefore duty when was invited
by the State Geologist to express my opinions to
state as distinctly and clearly as could the teach
ings of geological science the subject of coal
which / did The whole thing lies within the COM
pass of nutshell Coal in the vast majority of ca
ses is found in basins around the edges rims of
which comes up to the surface; that without de-
ing more than trace the outcrOp we can tell almost
with the certainty of mathematical demonstration,
how many square miles of coal there are. But on
Deep River there is no coal basin, but single line
of outcrop, mostly on the north side of the river
No pretends that, starting from Evander Mclvers
and travelling IA miles somewhat in the direction of
Moore Courthouse, any Outcrop has hitherto been
observed. The only method of ascertaining the
extent of the coal here is therefore the same that
has been used elsewhere that OF boring into the
strata supposed to contain it. and determining in this
way how far it goes. A geologst will be able to
guess how far it may pT0ba6ty go little better than
any other person. but not much. My judgment in
questions of geology may be but Indifferent but
can read and understand common plain prose, have
q tolerable geological library, and have read the
books There is no principle of common law, no
doctrine of medical science, about which there is
more perfect agreement the part of all the authO
rifles good and bad, than there is amongst biologists
about the great facts of geology just stated have
thought best to give them again now, at the
risk of having reproduced the universal merr-
ment at my expense, which that correspondent G. of
the Mining Journal represents to have prevailed in
these parts time in June or July last In MOTTO
ing further the letter of this worthy shall not OBJ
his order exactly, but quote passages and COM
ment upon them as may suit my convenience.
I Tlr nhoU fret he'd
ton in the Raleigh Register. He replied to from
various quarters and the result that he became
the object of universal mcrriment and ridicule. He
has recently had occasion to go North, and now
note that his report is published in your journal
The last sentence is an insnuation intended to
produce the effect of positive assertion-did pro-
duce it upon the Editor of the Standard had just
as much to do with the republication of my article
in the Mining journal as with the discovery of Am
erica by Columbus. did not procure either directly
or indirectly its insertion there, did not desire it
and know nothing about it beyond what have
: learned from the Standard. If any person shall
choose to stake his character for truth the state
ment that in consequence of this communication to
the Register and the replies to it. DIR. Mitchell be-
came the object of universal merrment and rdicule,
it is concern of mine But it is treating the peo-
pie of North Carolina badly to publish them in this
way as making c man ansobject of universal merri
nent and rdicule, for expressing opinions that are
held by intelligent people, such at least as have
a moderate acquaintance with geology, throughout
the civilized world From the bottom of such state
ments as this it prudent in the writer to with
hold his name
O. C DIR. Mitchell greatly disappointed that
the Governor of North Carolina had not discovered
that he (Itche) geologist enough to receive the
appointment of Geologist to the State. !"
of this statement have simply to say that it is
untrue., have been over the State once; had no
desire to go over it again. desired to what views
would be taken of our rock formations by 9TH
er person. I had not time to execute the work if
had been ever so DESTROYS of it. should have been
glad to accompany Professor Emmons in his exami-
nation of the coal fields if had been encouraged to
do so.
8. At the last annual meeting of the Trustees of
the University at Chapel Hill aged distinguished
and learned Trustee moved to add to the Faculty
Professor of Geology and Mineralogy. !"
In the annual catalogue of the University is the
following notice which is repeated year by year:
Geology is taken up the close of the first and
continued through the whole of the second term. 1t
is taught in lectures and studied in a small volume
prepared for the of the students and in the
position of which constant reference had to the
rock formations of North Carolina There is still
longer account of the pursued in mneralogy.
If with these notices annually given, the Trustees
remain in ignorance of the fact that geology and
mineralogy taught at the University, it is not
necessarily the :ault of the Professor
Son the subject of geology he has in the short
space of thirty years written little primer of eigh
! teen pages
- This little primer is certainly not large book,
though as the pages large and full it contains
good deal of printed matter and instead of eighteen
the pages are one hundred and thirty-two in numb
er. The book might easily have been made larger
but as is stated in the preface it contains as much