Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-02-19
Geological Survey Of ohio.
Report o. tase speeial Uommittse.

attention which its importance de-
serves, aud their labors have embraced
a wide range of correspondence and
investigation. They have enGeaVored
TO consult such authorities and collect
such information as could be relied
upon in forming just estimate of the
necessity for a geological survey, its
value and cost to the State, and the
best plan for its execution.
Passing by the scientific Importance
Justly attached to a thorough eXaml-
ma ton of the geological structure of
Ohio, your committee have considered
the matter in its relation to the mate
rial interests of the State, and in that
enlarged view which embraces its
practical application to the develop
ment of her agricultural aud mineral
resources.
The opportunity and necessity for
such development are sufficiently OBJ
vious. Remote from the ocean and
the advantages of foreign commerce,
Ohio must mainly depend upon the
resources within her own bosom for
her future prosperity and commercial
independence. Happily we have ma
nv proofs that those resources are
measureless In extent. and in no way
surpassed by those of any other State.
The surface annually yields millions
to the plough share, but beneath are
other exhaustless sources OF wealth
from which science and toll may evoke
still more numerous millions.
OF these hidden resources our knoWl-
edge is yet meagre and inadequate
For want Of such knowledge, a large
nroportion OF our subterran mean treas
ures are wholly unproductiye. and add
no more to the active wealth of the
State than if they did not exist. They
lie untouched By the hand of industry
simply because their value, extent and
adaptations are for the most part un-
known. 1t is true that extensive de-
posits of iron, coal, limestone, marls,
building stone, fTe-elay. porcelains,
salines, peats, &c, have already been
brought to light and have become the
basis of a great and growing manufac-
turing interest. But our knoHledge
of these deposits has been chiefly
gathered from mere surface indica-
tions or partial examinations, and the
interests they have nourished have
been mostly of spontaneous growth
| IF SO much treasure has been dIscov-
cred, and so much wealth produced
| from accidental exposure of minerals
and an imperfect knowledge Of theil
properties, what beneficial results may
| we not anticipate when these treasures
shall be thoroughly explored and ana
lyzed?
1t is a matter Of no little surprise
that a State of the rank and wealth Oi
/ Ohio, has so long neglected matter
so important. Her sister States, ever
of far less natural advantages, have
not been so unmindful Of their inter
ests. The handsome volumes compri
sing their geological, agricultural anC
i mineral surveys, adorn the shelves o
all the great libraries of the civilized
world beautiful tokens Of public spir
it and potent advertisements to capi
tai and immigration. With a soil o
unsurpassed capacities, with inexhaust
libIe riches stored beneath her luxuri-
ant folds, Ohio has put forth no sueI
invitation to the worlds capital anC
enterprise. Her resources are scarcely
understood at home, much less abroad
and YOUR committee are led to the
conviction, that while large proper
ton of capital and immigration hUa
past us to other States, which would
be attracted hither if our resource;
were understood, we are subject to al
annual draining of these elements o
strength and prosperity for want of I
i proper knowledge of our State by hel
own people. Nor is this surprising
when we consider how little Ohio hal
done in comparison with other States
TO attract this tide of population anC
wealth, by giving to the world authen'
! tic information of her natural advan
tages.
Over thirty years ago. an attempt
was made at a geological survey of the
State, the history of which may be
briefly traced In accordance with the
| earnest recommendation of Governor
Lucas, contained in his annual mes
sage of 1885, the General Assembly
adopted resolution authorizing the
| appointment of committee " to report
TO the next Legislature the best meth
cd of obtaining a geological survey Of
/ the State and an estimate fthe same. :
In accordance With this resolution, the
| Governor appointed a committe o1
| four gentlemen of exalted literary and
scientific character, who made report
to the succeeding General Assembly
containing the result of a sort of geo
logical reconnaissance, and recOmmen-
| ding the passage of law providing
| for a geological survey Of the State.
In submitting this report, the Execu'
tive reiterated his views upon the sub
Jest. as follows
5" I ana constrained to express my entire
| concurrence with the views of the commit
| tee, and most earnestly recommend the ad'
| option of the measures proposed In their re
! port. BY the erection of Geological Board
1 to be composed of men of practical science
/ and making provision for general geOlogi
| cal survey Of the State, under their dtrec
| tion, am convinced that greater benefit
| people at large, than could be derived from
| an equal expenditure in any other enter
prise or Improvement"
The survey was generally regarded
with favor by the people, and theiI
representatives in the Legislature
evinced their convictions of It's neoes-
sity and utility by the prompt passage
of an act March 9th. 1881, to organ
ize a geological corps, and the appro-
| priation of twelve thousand dollars,
which annual expenditure for four
years the committee had estimated
| would cover the cost of regular sci
entiic survey. The board appointed
| under this act consisted of chief ge-
| ologist and six ASSISTANTS, and having
e0BeE6Q upon AES Qubk6s uaU6 MOES VI
| less complete surveys of eleven couR-
ties, besides preliminary examinations
in about fifty others. The board sub
mItted reports of its labors to the Geu-
eral Assembly during the session Of
| 1889, and, excepting a few private
explorations, these reports comprise
all that has been done in the way of a
| geological survey In Ohio.
A select committee was appointed
December 9Th, 1888, consisting of five
members of the House, to whom the
whole subject of the survey was refer
red. The committee made a report,
| all the members concurring, in which
they argued in favor of the eontinu-
ance of the survey, and concluded
with a resolution recommending an
appropriation of twelve thousand dol
lars for that purpose. Unfortunately,
some feeling had been created against
the survey, growing out of eiFeumstau-
| ces entirely foreign to its merits; new
ertheless, the action of the House upon
the resolution reported by the COM
mittee indicated ID abiding confidence
I