Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-11-21

49, >~>S oSS3~3&S~S4 -S&>ssAAAA
nations. 1t was . familiar song with
him, and as the company stood about
his grave, some one started the tune,
and all, with uncovered heads, joined in
singing the favorite words:
"There's q land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we Can sec it afar;
For the Father waits over tn way,
To prepare us dwelling place there"
The evening was devoted to q paper
by A. H. Thompson, of Topeka, on "The
Relation of State Geological Survey to
the Work of the National Survey" fol-
lowed by a popular lecture byte. L.
Nichols on "The Magic Lantern; It's His
tory and Use inthe Sciences" The lee
ture was very largely attended, and prov
ed, by actual exhibition, that the magic
lantern is usefrlscientific appliance. He
traced the various discoveries, beginning
in 1874, which eliminated in the process
es of Daguerre in 1929, and are to-day
used in the various processes of photo
grsphy, and showed that the magic Ian
tern was only one of the branches of the
art.
Mr.. Thompson, in his paper stated
that we had been hammering away at
the matter of getting a bill passed by the
legislature for state geological survey
for some years; that the people were in
need of such scientific work that our
resources might be developed, and the
wasteful expenditure of capital in the
blind search for minerals be avoided;
that there was great interest in the mat
ter, as manifested by the numerous
schemes which have been before the
legislature for the purpose, but that we
had been unable to accomplish anything
as yet. But now, in view of the fact
that the United States Geological society
intended to cover the entire national do
main, and the Typographical survey
having been already begun in Kansas,
we, the Kansas Academy of science, de-
sired to know what we should do in
order to cooperate with the govern
ment work that We might get the most
benefit out of it for the people of the
state.
The Typographical survey of Kansas
by the general government was progress
ing satisfactorily, six sheets of the atlas
being in the hands OF the engraver and
six more were ready for him. Kansas
will thus have an accurate map. No
geological work can be done without the
topographic basis.
But the work of the United States
geological survey is not intended to take
the place of state surveys, nor to do the
work demanded of them by the interests
of the people. While the Typographical
and geological work is thorough and
elaborate, neither one is of sufficient
minuteness to answer the local purpose
for which such maps are used. But this
survey should be followed and ampli-
fed by state work, which should proceed
further and give more details upon en-
larged maps. Some states, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey and Massachusetts,, for in
stance, have made additional appropria-
tions for the use of the United States
geological survey, that that organization
might make the maps on large
scale end thereby give greater de-
tail. The people of these
states now have maps as accurate as the
latest science can make them and as
elaborate as they will require for all pur-
poses. The survey work is, of course,
much better done than any state could
afford to do alone. The director of the
national survey used all the available
scientific material of these states to the
best advantage. where the work already
done is sufficiently good, it is used as q
basis, and where in error i. is corrected.
As all topographic work heretofore done
is in error, owing to the inaccuracy of
old methods, all now needs to be entire
ly new work. Some of the geological
work is good, but being wrongly located,
must be revised. So that it is to the ad-
vantage of the states in every way to
have the work done by the national Or
as being better than they can
do themselves.
After discussing the various lines of
work conducted by the United States
survey, under the heads Of geodetic or
coast survey, geographical and land sur
vey, he said:
In view of these imperfectly presented
facts, then, the final consideration is,
what should the state of Kansas do to
secure the best benefits from the United
States survey within her borders? The
reply is, briefly, that the legislature
should make an appropriation for the
enlargement of the scale of the maps, in
order that more details may be shown
and the maps be made more generally
useful for all scientific and economic
purposes. Other states are now doing
this, and having the government survey
do the work for them for the reasons
to briefly recapitulate-that the survey
is already organized and equipped, and
has the best specialists in its perma-
nent employ and the work can be done
with infinitely greater accuracy than by
hastily organized state surveys with po-
litical hindrsnces, and they can do the
work much cheaper for the states than
they can do it themselves, and will con-
duct the work with the uniform system
of the whole country. The cost to the
state of Kansas for the enlargement of
the map would be from SO to SIS per
square mile for Ill the survey work. Not