Birmingham state herald., 1897-01-10


 point few miles souttrof Tecumseh fur
 mace. It thus includes practically all Of the coal measures. the ores of the Clin- ton formation, and the available brown ores. It is the great mineral region of the state, and contains also what of gas and oil may be found in the earth. MT. McCalley has~evidently bestowed upon this undertaking a vast amount of patience, going over the ground in per- son, and carefully examining into every detail accessible under the circum- stances. Numerous analysis of coal, ore, limestone. oil. etc, are given. and wher- ever possible. sections of the seams and accompanying rocks. ~efIe has. made twenty-eight cross sections of the Pole ozoic rocks. from the vicinity of Steven son to Tuskaloosa, and hes determined the position of the chief faults between these two points, He takes up in de- tail and discusses such sSubjects as iron ore, manganese ore, clays, cements, pav- ing and building stones asphalt, gas, oil. coal. mill-stones. 7iiusestones, mineral springs, water powers. rain fall and drainage. farming lands, timber, etc. There Is scarcely a subject in connection With this region which fails to receive att tention. It is such work that gives to the state geological survey its right to hearty and liberal support from all class -es of citizens, more particularly those whose fortune ita is to live within the boundaries of the district described. A report on the Paleogoic strata sounds formidable to most people, and they are strongly inclined to let the paleogoic strata severely alone. as perhaps consti- tuting the lurking places of mysterious monsters. But when they come to un- derstand that under this apparently for bidding title they can find out all kinds of useful information concerning the land they live ing the case is otherwise. Coal, and ore, and gas, and oil. and a great many things that go to make a state rich and prosperous are to be found in the paleogoic strata, for this is an ex- pression covering many different things.
 Nowadays people have come to be- lieve that the first step towards prosperity lis to know what they have, how much of it there is and to what uses it may be put Many of us would not recognize paleozoic stratum if we weref to meet it in the middle of the road, but we want to know if coal, or ore, or gass, orsoil is to be found on our land. and this depends en- tirely upon what kinds of rocks we have and how they are related to each other. The geological surveysis trying to as- certain all about-such matters, and MT. McCaiiey's report is full Icof the most in terestlng and valuable information, col lected in person by one who has had years of training for this very purpose, and whose industrysis untiring.
 This report does not profess to be more than general description of portions of NoI eI HiaLa ma. IL JuStiy leaves tne ue- tailed examination of mining property, etc., to the owners or the prospectors. It is no part of the business of the state to make detailed reports. on mining property. and when 1t has covered the region as thoroughly as possible, with the means at hand 1t must consider its duty finished.
 No one at all familiar with the region can doubt that MT. McCalley has dis charged his duty most faithfully and ef- ficiently. His report will constitute the authority on the subject. and be another excellent reason for maintaining the sur vey. w. B. F.