Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1878-02-08
STANDING AS A GEOL-
OGIST.

OIlOl.
Some time ago the readers of the MORNING
APPEAL were promised to be given the result
OF certaininquiries which were then being made
concerning the status of w. d. Cunning as a
geologist. 1t will be remembered that this
man took occasion during his last lecture
here to yiIliiy a number of citizens of Carson
for no good reason whatever. Re endeav-
ored also to persuade his audience that he
had very envious reputation IN the Eastern
States as i contributor to the domain Of
science He unblushingly asserted that he
had been a Hesidcnt of the American Asso-
citation for The Advancement of Science
that he was the author OF most valuable
scientifc work, which had been read and
favorably criticized by the most eminent men
Of science in the United States, and that he
was the associate of such distinguished men
I'D Professors Agassiz and Dana. From these
monstrous assertions, he concluded that GER
tain persons who had mover heard Of Gun
ming before his advent in Nevada were very
ignorant concerning men OF scientific worth
as well as of science itself Immediately after
the delivery Of this last lecture he begged the
editor of this truthful journal TO make no
mention III these columns of his slanderous
abuse and then quietly slipped ont of town to
escape the deserved chastisement which he
certainly would have received.
The letters of inquiry concerning this man,
which were sent East, have brought replies
from the following gentlemen of the highest
standing, viz Prof. n. Il. Winchell, State
Geologist of Minnesota Prof. w p. Blake,
of the Smithsonian Institute; Prof. a. Guyot,
Geology and Physical Geography, Princeton
College Prof FL. b. Cornwall Mineralogist,
Princeton College Professors Dana and Sill
Imam, of Yale College, and Prof. A. R.
Conkling, Geologst, Wheeler's Z. S. Geolog
ical Survey. These gentlemen, without ex-
ception, say that they have 10 personal &C
Quaintance with Cunning, that they have
never heard him lecture and that knowingly, |
they have never read any paper or book from
his pen. Two of them only had ever heard |
Of the man before the receipt of the letters of |
inquiry from Carson. From these two letters |
we extract the following: One of them says, |
The very best authorities tell me that he
Cunning is just what you suspected. He
did lecture great deal in Massachusetts, but
that only gave the better chance to know
what he was worth - The other says, 81
have faint recollection of having seen his
Cummings name i'll the papers in connection
with sensational lectures on geology,
but paid no attention to the matter. l do not.
remember ever having seen or heard of him in
our scientific conventions.
Now here is a list of gentlemen of the very
highest standing in science not only in this
country but also in Europe, not one of them
has any personal acquaintance with Cunning,
and not one of them has any knowledge of
any paper, scientific or otherwise, from his
pen, nor of his ever having been presiding
officer of any scientific body. We are of the
opinion that this settles the matter as to
Cummings boosted reputation as geologist,
and that our State Mineralogist was more
than Justified in exposing this cheeky charlaton
ard petty larceny thief.