The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-12
The STATES AID TO SCIENCE.
1T IS CARRYING on IMPORTANT
GEOLOGICAL INQUIRIES.

xens Know Next 10 Nothing, Though
the Results Aciie, ed Have Wen Fame
for New York I'm the Scientific World.
There are lots Of people In this city who
don't know that the State Of New York has
a department Of paleontology. and almost
as many Who II they were told, wouldn't
be much the wiser for the statement. For all
that, the State has maintained such de-
partment for nearly seventy years. and Its
work Is celebrated throughout the scientific
world. Moreover, that work comes home,
more or less directly, to every man In the
State. not only by contributing to its fame
and to the sum Of human knowledge. but
by indicating new channels for the develop
ment of the States natural resources.
The paleontclogist is the man who ex-
amines the earth's strata and their fossils,
tracing from them the earth's history and
the tendencies shown in its development In
no o ther part of the world has so profuse and
uninterrupted development Of the older rock
strata and their fossil fauna been recorded
rs in New York State, so that this region has
become basis Of comparison for other de-
posits OF prehistoric ages and Is the key 10
Investigations of the utmost value to geolo-
gists.
No purely scientific work ever supported
by the Legislature has produced results
Of greater Significance than this. Geolo-
gists have asserted that their value TO stu
dents of the problems Of world buildir and
the history of life cannot be estimated, and
the State, by its enactments has declared
from time to time the rights Of the people
of New York in the fossil remains from
which these results have been obtained.
The State Museum at Albany is now the
depository Of extensive collections Of organic
remains from the rock strata, which have
been made with the aid Of public funds, and
the museum is known in every civilized
country for these great collections and As the
institution in connection with which i'm
portant discoveries in geology and paleon-
tology have been made.
The department has also been the train
ing school for several Of the most famous
OF American biologists. From it have
graduated two directors Of the United
States Geological Survey, three United
States Paleontologists, a State geologist.
the director Of the Geological Department
here and tho professor Of palpontology In
Yale University.
The State Paleontologist is charged with
the collection and study Of the fossils Of
the State and the classification Of the rock
strata connecting them. He publishes
scientific papers, reports on special sub
jects. memoirs embracing more elaborate
treatises and geologic maps OF parts Of
the State on the topographic base. He
works In cooperation with ths United States
Geological Survey and with the departments
OF the various universities In the State. 80
that together they form union Of scien-
tific Investigators whose work Il Of far
reaching Importance to geologists.
Three-fourths Of the area Of this State
Ia covered by rocks Of the greatest value In
geological study and outside Of this city
nine-tenths Of all the educational institu-
tons under the State University arc ait
uated upon them. II is the part Of the State
paIe ontologist to bring his work into close
touch with the educational concerns Of
the State and to stimulate, with facilities
at his disposal an interest In geological
studies.
The Legislature began this work in 1884
by authorizing a natural history survey
Of the State. The few biologists then ap-
pointed chose paleontologist to interpret
for them the great number Of fossils they
found in the rocks. The conclusions at
which this commission arrived were so
important to the world that British geolo-
gists demanded a more detailed investiga-
ton before accept ng them, and Gov.
Bouck appointed the first Official State
Paleontologist.
The work has gone on since under the
Regents Of the State University with highly
valuable results to scientists, though the
ordinary citizen may not have heard much
about them, or, hearing. has not understood
their importance. An interesting report Of
the present state Paleontologist, DR.. John
Mason Clarke, Is now in course OF prepare
ton dealing with the region about the city
Of Hudson, Kingston. Clean, Chautauqua
county and Cayuga Lake and the geological
problems OF western New York.
One OF the most interesting tasks under
taken bv the department has been an in
vestig alton Of the Niagara River region,
investigations In a historical and scientific
sketch Issued year or 30 ago. In this was
made known that through q natural fitting
process in the strata OF the northwestern
half OF this country the drainage Of that
section il being gradually transformed.
Il il a transformation so gradual that a
visible stage Ia only reached In a century.
but the outcome Ia important az indicating
the changes which are taking place con-
stantly in the earths surface.
Through this gradual fitting process
described In the report, In about two thou
sand years the Illinois River and the Niagara
will carry away equal portions Of the sur
plus water OF the great lakes. In $500
years the discharge OF the Niagara over the
falls will I've intermittent, falling OF alto
Rether in low stages Of Lake Erie, and in
about thity-fve hundred years there will
be no Niagara at all. The basin of Lake
Erie will then be tributary TO Lake Huron
and the lakes will drain the other way,