The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-07-02
GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS.
PAST AND PRESENT WORK OF THE
DEPART TMENT-RESuLTS.
Map Making on n Large soale-A Prshis'
torio Picture, viyidly Painted, Of the
Time Before Human Life-The
Bea acknowledgement

WASHINGTON, July 1.-The coming fiscal
years work OF the geological survey has
been mapped out by Maj Powell and the
plans have received the approval Of Sccre'
tary Lamar. Typographical parties win
continue tho work already begun In Masaa-
chusetts and New Jersey, whittier they have
been invited by tho state author ties, which
cooperate with the government to the eE-
tent OF deiraying one-half the expense OF the
survey II 10 expected that the work In
these states will DO completed within two
years
The mapped areas OF the coal aud iron
bearing regions Of tho cast will be considera-
bly, enlarged, These are three In number
namely, the Appalachian district, extending
from Maryland to Georgia and Alabama;
portions OF Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas
and portion OF Texas Geographical sur
veys will also bo continued In Arizona, New
Mexico, California, Oregon, Montana and
Idaho and In tho Yellowstone Park Several
astronomical parties will also be sent out TO
establish starting points for the new surveys
10 DO begun noxt year,
The work OF the map makers, while serv-
Ing the many important ends state and
municipal OF the most exact geographical
surveys upon large scale, Is, 30 far an tho
government Ia concerned, merely designed
10 lay the necessary foundation for the stud
los OF tho scientists OF the institution, The
early functions OF tho geological survey and
OF the organlza which few years ago
were merged into II, were limited to the sur
voy and study Of the public domain, and OF
the 600, OOO square miloS--about ono.ilfth OF
the area Of the Union-already covered by
the surveyors and geologists 800, 900 lilo west
OF the one hundrodth meridian. This region
has proved rare school OF scionco tho
physical conditions having. been such as 10
preserve unchanged the earliest rock forms,
10 that tho history OF tho globe far back
toward It's genesis may DO rond from tho
mountain sides MS from an open book,
Much valuable work has already been dono
by state geologlSts and others and the plans
Of the geological survey contemplate tho
utilization Of such Of the results ~ may bo
found available. This work has, however,
boon done In detached localities and usually
without tho corporations Of the map makor
II, therefore, not only lacks the typogrophi,
cal exnctncS which IL essential 10 tho pur-
pesos Of the government, but necessarily falls
In respect 10 tho larger problems OF geology
which can DO solved only by operations
which arc not confined by state lines
The picture In outline OF tho young oonh-
nent In quaternary time Just before tho ad-
vent OF human life into which, Hs ono OF q
yorlos, tho gentlemen OF tho department arc
now painting tho details, has but few famil-
lar features Tho great mountain systoma
were already upliftod and were vastly moro
rugged and higher than now The Southern
sea, now the Gulf OF Mexico had possession
OF an immense strip OF tho lower country
and OF the great vr.ioy and tho Atlantic
coast Tho pac!dc slope was u region OF
steop glaeiora Tho great basin was nm In.
land ocean, or rather two great inland soas
were found within II, OF ono Of which tho
Groat Salt Lako is n potty remnant
Tho region and that 10 tho south,
now no sterile and dry, was thon ono Of great
humidity, and whore not covered with wator
was very fertile. An leo sheet extended
over tho northern portion OF the eastern and
middle country, covering the groOt lakes aud
bordering regions 10 tho south for hundreds
OF miles Continually moving southwark
this sheet deposited la oargoos OF dotortics
century after century, forming tho subsoils
OF what arc now tho Eastern, Middle and
Northwestern statos, aud hoapod up tor
mina morainc, still distinctly tracoablO M q
range OF hills through Now Jorsoy, Ponnsyl-
vnhia, Ohio Illinois, Iowa aud thonoo
northward along tho present limo
Of tho Missouri through Dakota aud
up into tho British possessions droat
tongues OF leo shot of from this shoot far 10
tho southwark, whilo an island region com.
prising much OF tho present state OF Wlsoon.
ln remained baro There were, In fact, two
great leo periods, with an intervening season
longer than tho time which has elapsed since
tho disappearance OF tho last sheet, and dur
ing tho interval forests OF largo conifers GOV.
cred tho face Of the onrth. Long Island,
which was created by glacial deposits, marks
the southeastern limit OF the sheet Tho
climatic condition Of tho country south OF
the great loo bolt were muuh tho same IN nd
present and tho fora was similar, though
eoniforous growtha were proportonatoly
much moro abundant,
Through tho forests along tho borders OF
tho leo shoot ronmed strange animals, among
which worc tho hugo hairy and moro than
olepbantino mammoth, tho horse, smaller
animal than his relative OF to-day, having
woll formed boofs, but stll bearing In rudi-
mentary form ono or two OF the toes OF his
primeval ancestors, tho great buffalo, two
or throc timoa larger than his dcscendont OF
today tho pig, moro nearly resembling tho
poocary OF South America than tho familiar
hog OF our own country, and othor creatures
curiously related 10 tho modern camel aud
rhinocoroh,
Thou came man, but his early footprints
are too fcw and indIstinot 20 reveal within
few thousand years just when ho came,
whilo whence and how no oamo fow venture
even 10 guom