The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1906-04-20
FROM PROF. HARRIS
He Writes of His Work Around
Winfield.
CORNELL UNIVERSITY,
Ithaca, n. Y, J
April 9, 1906. ]

Winfield the other morning.
promished to write you a few
words concerning our work In
your midst during the winter
season just passed.
To begin with, you doubtless
remember that during the sum-
mer of 1905 we were in evidence
about Winfield and to many.
perhaps. may have seemed to be
doing the same kind of work as
during the past few months.
Such however was not the case.
Last summer we were determining
the level or height of large
number OF places above sea level
and painting the same in big
numbers on trees by the road
sides. We were also running ont
or mapping the roads, noting the
positions of houses and so forth.
This winter we were sketching IN
all hills, streams, clcarings, To-
eating section lines, etc, in other
words making the map we had
commenced in the summertime
complete. | hope you will excuse
me If | again call your attention
to the desirabiiity of constructing
map of the area about WINFIELD.
First it is locality that on
account of its natural resources
should attract outside attention.
Not only is the timber of great
value. but the great masses of
rock salt that undoubtedly lie
beneath the salt lick on Cedar
Greek will some day be developed:
likewise the large quantities of
good limerick at the socalled
"marble quarry; likewise the
sandstone deposits ut Coochie
brake. to say nothing of those at
Goldonna. 1t has seemed 10 me
that in no way can we spend our
small geological survey appro-
priation at'better advantage than
to clearly, correctly, carefully
map out such interesting areas
and publish the results of our
labors In state documents, that is,
in way that will demand the
confidence and respect of pro-
spective investors and immigrants.
Do we not owe it to ourselves to
show to the world what this and
other interesting portions are real
~ worth? | am quite aware of
the fact that some will say, SIS not
that work which would have been
done by the United States Ge-
illogical Survey with but little or
no expense to the State?" 1t
may be. But | have done my
best during the past seven years
that | have looked after the
geological interests of Louisiana
to get government aid for
similar work. At Washington
the reply TO my requests has
always been Louisiana seems not
to be doing much along the
Typographical line nor to man.
ifest much interest in that branch |
of work in the National SURVEY"
However. through the able man.
agement of Drs. Stubbs and |
Dodson of the experiment sta
tons considerable area has
been mapped out by the United |
States Survey about Baton Rouge,
and now an area Is miles square |
is to be mapped about Shreveport.
My idea in mapping an area
about Winfield was not only |
to furnish a reliable map for
all land owners, road |
makers. real estate agents,
prospective investors, etc., as
well as for geological and soil
map work, but to prove to the
general government that we are
in earnest in this work. that
Louisiana deserves "a share of the
attention and funds of the United |
States Geological Survey. And |
now | believe | can say positively
that as soon as our Louisiana rep
resentatives at Washington are in
a position to offer but small
portion of the cost of such de-
tailed surveys, the general gov
ernnent will take the matter. in
hand. In the meantime we shall
have to make a few maps of our
own, show what they are worth,
and then we feel sure that popu-
lar opinion will demand that
Louisiana's interests shall be
looked out for by the general
governments survey.
Thanking you and the good
people in Winfield for the
many kiRdnesses received during
our prolonged stay in your midst,
| am, as always,
Yours most truly,
GILBERT d. HARRIS,
In charge Geol. Surv. La.