Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-03-02
StOrehouse of
Information

The United States geological sur,
hyey was organized in 1879. but preyi.
tous to that year four great surveys
had been made, under authority OF
the government, 81 portions of our
western territories. OF the four men
VINO conducted these surveys, at least
three left the impress on or their Der.
sonaiities and the stamp OF their ac.
~tivities on the organization OF the re.
ological survey, Of which their work
was, IN 8 sense. the starting point.
These meg were Aetsrs. III II. IHAy.
zen. Clarence King. ]. w. Powell and
George N, Wheeler. A complete cat.
alogue and consolidated index of liz
publications Of the Hayden. King,
Powell and Wheeler surveys has re
Gently been prepared BY MI, l.. r..
Schmeckebier Of the survey. il is
listed rs Bulletin No. 222 and will
soon y publishsd fer gra,utpus dis.
.tfibutioh. n is Il vti1a6is inference
book t5r TIL student. Investigator
and Hbrarian. as the publications Of
these early government organizations
constitute q %storehouse OF geographic.
geologic, ~ethn0logic and arehaeioglc
concerning the western
portion Of theeUnited States.
Mr. +. Y. Hayden, under the desig.
nation OF United States geologist, |
conducted for many consecutive years
geological and geographical surveys
Of the territories. His first annual re.
published in 1867 and includ.
ed in the report OF the commissioned
d the general land office. Later, his
work was done under the immediate
of the secretary Of The int.
rior. After the organization Of the
United States geological survey he
became n Of its act.vs members.
The second Of these surveys was d
sE|8HT&M8 Il
geological exploration Of the lortieta
parallel. Mr.. Clarence King, after.
ward the first director Of III geologi
al survey, was the geologist in
His work was under the aus
hority Of the secretary at war, and
he eight annual reports that he
made, from 1871 to 1878, inclusive, as
veil as various monographs and Il
ases prepared by him, were all includ
q IN publications oi tine war depart
tent.
The geographical ana geological
llryess of tile Rocky mountain region
.ondncted by Maj j. y. Powell were
outgroWth Of his exploration Of the
river in 1869. From 1870 to
SIG he worked under the supervision
4 the Smithsonian institution; from
SIG TO 1879 under the direction OF the
ecretary Of the interior. His reports
re included IN the publications Of
he Smithsonian institution and the
department. In 1882 he be
ONE the second director or the geo
'gical survey.
Under the supervision OF Mr.. Geo.
Wheeler, first lieutenant of engi
Y. $. army. geological surveys
ere made from 1869 to 1876 inclus
e, of the country west of the one
indredth meridian. Reports OF
lese surveys are found in the various
of the war department.
Nearly all 81 these reports contain
on a wide variety Of sub
,cts. Botanists and biologists. as
ell as biologists, Biographies and
ineralogists, were usually attached
those early surveys, and the pa
RS included In the various reports
'ver a broad field Of inquiry.
Although the usefulness Of these
ports may be waning In the light Of
ore detailed surveys and more pre-
Sc work. 1t Is hoped that this index
I'M he wpIeIime and VFrV eeryicpahlp 81