The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-24
DAILY, go A YEAR. q
s CENTS A COPY.
WEEKLY 81 IS A YEAR.
SPENCER OUT OF OFFICE.
GOV. NORTHEN REMOVES HIM ON
his REFUSAL TO RESIGN

The Geologist Appeared at His once
as Usual Yesterday Morning, But
the Governor Sent Him Letter That
settled the Matter-spencsr TO Try
to Get Eveu.
ATLANTA, GA, March 23.-Gov. Northea
wa down at his office a little sooner than
usual this morning, and the first thing he
did was to execute the document necessary
tts.yive State Geologist J. w. Spencer the
official grand bounce. Yesterday the
tangle in the geological department was
dropped by the board without the finishing
touches. DIR. Spencer had refused to re-
sign as per the demand Of the board, and
still oontended that he was the
geologist when the meeting Of the
board closed. The governor was slow to
adopt the chop ak in the hope that the
geologist would cool Off and render that
humiliation to him unnecessary, but the
man of minerals, etc., had not come 20
time when the governor reached the capitol
this morning, and without further ado the
governor brought down the AK, sending the
following 70 Dr. Spencer, who had come to
the geologist's office in the capitol, as be had
been accustomed to do since his occupation
OF the office:
DR.. j. ". SDencer. State Geologisi, Atlanta,
Ga.
SIR hand you herewith tho action of the
state geological board upon your refusal TO sub
init your resignation this day as requested In
obedience 20 the request herein contained, now
declare che Office OF state geOlogist vacant. The
board instructed Mr.. Sans the secretary, TO
take charge OF the ofice of the
M alafa .tsf
You WILL therefore, turn over all the
property belonging to the state TO Mr. Sans,
and deliver to him the keys of the offices. Very
respectfully, W. j. NoRrHEN, Governor.
The resolution referred 10 by the gov
ernor simply recites the facts Of the disa-
greements between the geologists and the
unsatisfactory character of their work, as
stated in these dispatches yesterday.
STILL SHOWS FIGHT.
DR. Spencer still shows fight. In refer.
ence to his removal he said to-day; mo one
but myself can put the work that has been
done In shape for publication, and, Of course.
] will not do this now. The amount spent
tioslly lost by the action Of the board
IN dismlssing me. shall take
pains to let the geologists know
Of the muddle in Georgia, aud | know a
qualified man. If he knows the condition Of
the survey, will refuse to have anything to
uo Win beoFRla uuuef bno present law and
manner in which it is administered
So Georgia has been in hard luck so far
as geological survey is concerned. When
the Legislature decided TO have geological
survey made of the state, which was in
1879, ii was decided 60 let the survey be Ia
the bands Of board, to consist of the gov
ernor, the controller general, the treasurer
the attorney general, the state school
commissioner and the commissioner of
agriculture. Prof. Little, a geoIoRist
Of reputation, was put in charge Of the
work, but he neglected 10 to such an extent
that the legislature abolished the Office OF
state geologist. The professor then refused
TO turn over a lot Of notes aud geological
samples no had, claiming that the state
owed him $4,000. Thus the work that he
had done was Of no practical benefit to the
state. The department was then revived
during the Gordon administration under
DR.. Spencer, who is "A Canadian, and was
for while professor at the state univer-
stty, and IL seems that the department. has
been a failure again. Gov. Northen this
morning wrote "a letter to Prof. Mason Of
the Smithsonian Institution al Washington
asking him TO lend his aid in securing a
competent man to succeed Geologist Spen-
Ger.