Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1873-02-19
Geological Survey Of Pennsylvania.

GeOlOgical survey OF pennsylvania
J.P Lesley. distinguished geologist
has addressed communication to Gov
ernor Hartranft. in advocacy of re
geological survey of Pennsylvania. W.
have but space for a. few brief extracts
from the first, second and third pages:
Sir: You have done me the honor tc
say that, if l have any information like
ly to'be useful in proposing a geological
survey of Pennsylvania, you viii bt
pleased to receive and consider it
reply, that all well educated persons
now recognize the importance of increas
ing human knowledge, believing not only
that there is no limit to be put to this
increase. but ,ha, every kind and quality
of knowledge is, or will be, in some way
or other, useful Uneducated people find
it hard to assign value to what looks tc
them abstract and impractical, but bust
ness men who have had most experience
and the best succeas in life, comprehend
pretty well that the collection of natural
facts and the discovery of natural laws
are the foundations of civilization and
the causes of American prosperity.
1t is not generally known how entirely
the buying and selling of mineral lands
depends upon the private surveys and
reports of professional geologists of con.
siderable reputation for knowledge and
truthfulnes.. Mining enterprises Of re-
spectacle size are never undertaken now
without fret obtaining from some com.
petent geologist careful statement of his
observations and advice precisely as no
railway is now built except upon the well
considered report of an experienced Civil
Engineer.
But these advantages are m onopolized
by the few who are able to pay for such
surveys. A State geological survey is
therefore essentially democratic in it's
nature, having for its object to prevent
monopoly. and to publish such knowl-
edge to all the citizens Of the Common
wealth without regard to fortune. Knowl-
edge which is bought at such high prices
by wealthy landholders and incorporated
companies must be desirable for all the
farmers of the State for the house.
holders and trades people of all its towns
and villages for every manufacturer and
artisan however modest may be the part
he plays in the business community.
But a still stronger argument for a
State Geological Survey comes from con-
sidering that geological knowledge re-
quires the widest range of facts to make
it reliable. There were many observers
Of the weather and good local weather
prophets before the establishment of the
Weather Service Bureau at Washington,
two years ago. But no real knowledge
Of the weather was ever got by these
private observers. sufficient to predict the
great waves Of cold and heat and wind.
1t required government survey to. &C.
complish this.
Just so, the local geology Of this or
the other mans property would be pretty
much all costly guess work. but for the
State Geological Surveys of ls36-ls41.
and 1923. That great work sketched
out the general geology, studied details
of the most important districts, put the
parts and fragments together, established
rules, and probabilities, recorded average
and trained the profess
,ional geologists who, ever since then,
have been surveying properties for min
ng, smelling, and railway interests. The
The first mineral State of the Union
would be in pretty situation oday but
or the State Geological Survey; much
uch situation as great warehouse
Without ledgers and clerks.