The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-05-08
The use of Geological knowledge.

The use of Geological knowledge.
DR.. Owen, in his Geological report for
the State Of Kentucky-to illustrate the
Importance of geological surveys-rela-
ties the following history of the Baird
family, near Glasgow, now enjoying. the
largest annual revenues, perhaps of any
private family in the world The black
band, out ofwhich their princely fortunes
were made, is found in all the coal strata
on Green River; from which iron will
some day be made as abundantly and
cheaply as it now is in England and Scot
land. We have heaps OF the same black
rocks, perhaps, laying around our coal
mines, as worthless-in the opinion of
its owners-as was the iron stone consid-
cred by the Bairds', before they had tried
it. 1t is not unlikely ttat the same
black-band pervades the coal deposits in
the counties to the north of us; and we
shall never know the fact till we have a
geological survey of the State. One de-
posit Of this rock, so valueless in appear
ance to the common eye, would enhance
and create property enough to bring
revenue into the State Treasury, that
would pay, every year, the cost ofa per-
feet geological examination o. the whole
State.
Dr. Owens Reports-copies Of which,
he has presented to our Mercantile Ii
brary and are there accessible to every
citizen-are durable monuments Of his
industry and eminent ability. Ii is re-
proach to our State, that while our neigh
bOrs are availing themselves OF his knowl-
edge and labors, and are revealing their
a own treasures and attracting capital and
enterprise to their soil,-his own State
has not sufficient appreciation of his
worth, and the importance OF his labors.
TO employ him in her own interests
With what amazement and shame will
future citizens of this State look back
upon the doings OF the Legislature Of In
diana, at its last session, degrading them
selves, and bringing anarchy into the
State 10 subserve the unprinc;pled am
hilton of an ignorant demagogue, like
Jesse ID. Bright, while the lalors IN the
, field of science of such a man as DR..
David Dale Owen-which would have
conferred honor and wealth upon the
State-were rejected because they would
cost the people little more than their
unworthy Representatives daily squand-
cred in futile. factious proceedings, doing
nothing but loading the name of the State
with infamy.
Between thirty and forty years ago,
when the iron trade in Scotland received
fresh impetus by the introduction into
.the business OF various improvements,
and new raw material, hitherto over
looked or considered impracticable, fam
lily of the name of Baird, owned small
fran of some thirty or forty acres, be-
tween seven and eight miles from Glas-
Cow
This property was underlaid by bed
Of coal-the Monkland coal seam-which
was worked to very limited extent by
the proprietors, and hauled by single
carloads to the Glasgow mrrket.
Partly from this small coal business
and partly from the products OF the farm
. the family barely made living; finding
it often difficult to make the two ends
meet. So limited, indeed, was their
means, that the father considered the
business inadequate to the support Of the
family, so that as the two eldest sons
grew TO manhood, he urged upon them
the necessity oil seeking livelihood else
where, in some other business.
During the excavations for the coal on
the farm, a kind ofiron stone was encoun-
tered, and considerable quantity taken
. out which lay scattered in piles at the
mouth of the pit, as worthless rubbish
encumbering the ground.
At one OF these family meetings, while
councilng in regard to future prospects,
it was suggested by the eldest sou that
perhaps they might be able to mrke iron
profitably from some of these waste iron
stones
The father, supposing the amount oil
capital required to commence such busi-
ness entirely beyond their limited means
thought, at first, such an enterprise out
Of the question. Finally, however, by
uniting the whole savings of the family
and eiiecting certain small loans, the ia.
ther and sons managed to erect, with the
the sum of t 300, an iron furnace for
production of pig iron from their black.
band ironstone and coal.
The business succeeded beyond their
expectation; in few years, they were
. not only able to pay of the borrowed cap.