St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-14

Society OF Illinois. AT the outbreak OF
the war he entered the army as pri-
waite in an Illinois regiment, and event
ually became lieutenant colonel of the
Second regiment of Illinois artillery.
He left his right arm ON the battlefield
OF Shiloh, but continued in active serv-
ice till the close of hostilities. In 1865
he was appointed professor of geology
and curator in the Wesleyan university
at Bloomington. Ill.,, but soon after
wards accepted similar position in
the normal university. During 1867
lie visited the mountains of Colorado
with his class. for the purpose OF
studying geology, and while there con.
ceived The feasibility of exploring the
great Colorado canon. A year later he
organized party for that purpose, and
for three months the party was con-
stantly i'll the midst of dangers the ma
turc of which was unknown. AS a re.
suit of this expedition congress estab.
lisheu Typographical and geological
survey OF the Colorado river and its
tributaries, and appointed Maj. Powell
as its chief. He at once took system.
attic survey OF the Colorado valley. aud
an area of 100000 square miles was
thoroughly explored. The results of
this and subsequent surveys were en-
bodied in reports which are now regard
ed as authoritative by thu Smithsonian
institution. He continued in the work
allotted to him, and in 1881 he became
chief OF the United States geological
survey. and has since devoted his entire
time to the work, and his reports are
esteemed as among the most valuable
Contributions to natural science in the
world. He has received degrees of
honor from nearly all of our education,
al institutions. and in 1886 was made a
IN. ID. by the University of Heidel
Derg. an honor seldom attained by an
American. He has been cepious writer
on anthropology, geology. and mytho-
logical philosophy, aud is an expert
Indian linguist:
MAJ. Powells career has been a typi-
Cal one. and illustrates what great re-
suits may flow from life devoted to
the pursuit of special study. To no
man IN the nation are we more indebted
for knowledge of the great West than
TO Maj. Powell. As late as 1865 that
great region was practically terra incog-
nita. But he was animated by a thirst
for knowledge as we'll as by spirit of
adventure, and penetrated the noun
tains of Colorado and the canons of the
unknown river at the imminent risk of
his life. 1t was the tradition of the
frontier for years that whoever EN-.
parked OIL the Colorado river ami at
tempted to pass through its dark and
forbidding canons and yer its danger
Gus rapids never came forth alive, and
those who accompanied the major on
his perilouS journey started out with
many misgivings. He showed that
human ingenuity could successfully
cope with and overcome all the obstacles
OF nature. and opened to civilization
new world that is ultimately destined to
rank with the best and most fertile Dor
tioIs of the continent.
1t will be gratifying to learn that with
the surrender of his official position
Nal. Powell does not propose to aban-
don the field Of science. Many of his
past investigations have been incom-
plete-mere suggestions to further in
quiry. He proposes. by the aid of scien-
tlflc associations, to continue the work
he has begun, and round out his past
researches by data that shall create
symmetrical whole.