The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-01-25
STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
+ An Important Work Clemson Co
t legc May Undertake.
q 10 the Editor of The News an
Courier: The revival o1 the State gee
; logical survey in connectin with tn,
, scientific faculty OF Clemson College
= as advocated by Prof. Lewis, is pro
; position that should command the az
proval OF every member of our Genera
Assembly, regardless of party or fac
tlon Tor 1T Is one that bears dircctl,
, on the prosperity OF our whole Com
monwealth, from the seashorc to th,
mountains.
TEat such a survey, conducted in the
light of modern geology, is eminentl,
desirable for the study and exploita
tlon OF our ores and minerals and Other
natural resources in doubtless general
recognized. Bills for this purpose
that have boen introduced from time
10 tlme In our General Assembly, in.
Guiding Mr.. Lancaster's bill, now
pending, have been received unfavor-
aoly, | understand, chiefly on the
ground OF expense. This objection is
now entirely removed by Prot. Lewis's
plan OF employing the corps OF scicnti-
he men already in the States service
at Clemson College.
In recent interview with Prof.
Lewis on this subject your correspon-
dent learns that his proposition is to
devote as much OF his time as possible
especially the summer months, to the
prosecution of the field work Of the
survey, entirely without compensation,
IL the General Assembly will only set
aside small l,f
expenses. Other members of the
faculty, it is understood, are willing to
assist In the study OF the forestry, soils.
water powers, Artesian waters and
other subjects not purely geological, on
the same conditions.
This is certainly an exceedingly lib
erLl offer, and one which, in the inter
csts OF our people, we cannot afford to
Ignore. The men who propose to do
the work are not mere theoretica
scientists, men of books and dreams,
but men who have had years of actual
service in their several lines, and who
are well trained in practical work.
froi. Lewis, on whom the responsible
ty Tor the geological work would
naturally fall, under such plan, comes
TO our State with the highest endorse
ment OF the universities of North Caro-
.'''N, ''"i Vol u ouu I1ODklnS, OIL Une
United States geological survey, and
of the State survey of North Carolina
he has hao several years experience
In practical surveys, and thoroughly
understands the methods and REQUIRE
qutrements of such work.
Prof. Lewis has already pointed out
the great need of survey for the de-
velopment OF our mineral wealth, tim
oers, water powers and other resources,
and the value OF such work, with the
great diversitication of Industries that
would naturally follow, cannot be easi
y er-cstimated. Another great field
OF usefulness, scarcely less important,
but which has not yet been noticed is
the educational work of the survey.
In his teaching at Clemson Prof.
Lewis states that he finds it impossible
to give any adequate application Of
geology and mineralogy to the f0rma-
tlons OF our own State, and that the
young men are thereby deprived Of
| what should be their most Important
practical training in these subjects.
This difficulty must be felt by every
teacher of geology in the State, and
arises from two causes: First, there is
very little reliable information avail
| able about the greater part OF our re-
sources: secondly, there are no collec-
tions to illustrate even the little that
is known. Under these disadvantages
our young men fail to realize the I'M
portance OF such resources as we have.
They carry away the impression that
the valuable minerals all come from
oCher States and from foreign coun.
tries, as did the collections they study
aui become familiar with in the labor
atories. Mere oral instruction counts
for but little as compared with the i'm
pressions made by the specimens,
which they see and aralyze and deter
mine for themselves.
1t comes properly within the pro
vince OF geological survey to supply
both ofthese deficiencies; that OF Know
ledge, in the form of bulletins anC
other reports; that OF illustrative
teaching collections, by specimens col
lected by the State geologist and hi.
assistants in the prosecution of the
field work OF the survey. Such col
lections should be placed in every col
lege in the State, and this could readi
ly be done without handicapping the
survey In It's work. In most cases it i
almost as easy to collect dozen speci
mems as one. and any plan to inaugu
rate &c illogical survey should not fai
to include this important work.
, Prof. Lewis believes that such n sur
| vey as proposed would accomplish
t much valuable work, as tho summe
/ months, which are best suited for fiel
, operations, could all be devoted to il
t while the results could be prepared 70
publication during the winters. Wbil
the proposition Is to work without ad
ditional compensation from the State
r 1t Is but just to Clemson College tina
j tie salaries of the survey corps shoul
= be paid, for the acutal time employed
out OF the survey appropriation. o
Il this basis Prof. Lewis estimates tha
4 the total cost, exclusive of printing RI
:. ports, would not exceed $4,000 q yea
j. very small sum indeed, for work S
s important. j. G.. S.
l. There arc more than 10000
ScsLdinavians In the United State
'e their largest settlements being in til