The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1906-08-15

ment Provided for Thousands ano
Thousands of contented Wage-Earn.
ers-Important Work of State Ad
mnistration Being Done So Modest
Iy as TO Be Little Known About.
In an article published not long
since it was shown how the clay and
petroleum resources of the state had
advanced many fold in value through
judicious advertising by the State
Department of Geology. The value
of the coal, stone, cement and other
resources has increased in like ratio
during Mr. Blatchleys incumbency of
the Office as a result of his earnest,
well-directed efforts.
Limestone.
In his second annual report, that
for 1896. monograph on the Oolitic
limestone found in Monroe, Lawrence,
Owen and Washington counties was
published. This was accompanied by
maps showing the exact limits of the
deposits of this stone, both developed
and undeveloped. These were the
first detailed maps of the Oolitic area
ever published. Full descriptions,
with chemical and physical proper
ties of the stone, based on nearly two
hundred tests made by the official
chemist of the department, showed its
fitness in every particular for build
ing purposes. There is no other build
ing stone as soft and easily worked,
that is at the same time as durable
and strong
A Great Building Stonso
In the past ten years it has come
into use in twenty-nine states and one
territory. Five state capitol build
ings, those of Indiana, Georgia, New
Jersey and Kansas, have been con-
structed wholly or partly from it, as
have also thirty-one courthouses in
Indiana, and numerous customhouses
and public buildings throughout the
United States, and Indiana now ranks
first among all other states in the
Union in it's output of limestone for
building purposes.
Other Valuable Limestones.
Beside the special report on Oolitic
limestones, other reports, on the Mag
ara and Mitchell limestones, which
are used extensively for Tagging. curb
ing. cement and lime manufacture, and
for macadam. appeared in the later
volumes issued by Mr. Blatchley
AS a result, the value of the lime
stone produced in the state increased
from $1,65S,976 in 1895 to $3,346.O S4
in 1905, gain of 1G2 per cent.
Exhaustive Coal Report.
Perhaps the most valuable report
from monetary point of view put
out by Mr.. Blatchley is that for 1898,
on the coal fields of the state. Since
1878 nothing had appeared in any Of
the reports of the Department of
Geology on the coal area of Indiana
Thousands of bores had been put
down and shafts sunk to prove the
presence of coal in workable quanti-
ties. Much valuable information had
thus become available Realizing
that the coal area of the state was
destined to become in the future a
great manufacturing center. an ex-
haustive survey of that area was
planned by Mr.. Blatchley in July, 1896
Led to Large and Profitable Invest.
ments.
DR.. George H. Ashley. who had done
much work in the coal fields of Arkan-
of this survey, and with three assist
ants spent nearly three years actively
engaged in gathering data and prepar-
ing the manuscript and maps for the
reports When issued in September,
1899. it contained LAO pages of text,
seven large detailed maps showing
the exact boundaries of each of the
workable veins of coal in the state
ninety-one full page plates and 98G
additional figures and illustrations
It's publication has led to the opening
up of many new mines and to an in
vestment in and development of coal
lands greater than ever known, the
output of Indiana coal increasing from
4,0SS,1 100 tons in 1897 to 10,9995.972
tons in 1905
Portland Cement Resources and Man
ufacture. z 3d.,
The report of the Department OF
Geology for 1900 was devoted very
largely to the cement resources OF
the state. In that year not barre
of Portland cement was made in Indi
ana. though S.4S2,120 barrels were
manufactured in the United States
in the report for 1900 Mr. Blatchley
described fully and mapped thirty
two workable deposits of mari about
the lakes and marshes of northern
Indiana Each of these deposits vii
furnish raw material for a 500-barre
a day Portland cement factory fol
| thirty years.
In numerous addresses delivered
from 1897 to 1900 and in his report fol
| the latter year. Mr.. Blatchley called
attention to the fitness OF the Oolitit
| and Mitchell limestones of southwest
ern Indiana for Portland cement man