The Somerset reporter., 1907-04-11


Office is SG,000 Since it's organiza-
ton, 27 years ago, the Survey has had
only three directors: Clarence King,
Mai. Powell and Charles D. Walcott
The appointment has never been a
political one.
The following is the comment of a
Washington daily upon Mr.. Smiths
appointments;
Mr.. Smiths Career.
Mr.. Smith has been in the survey
| for about ten years, and is recognized
not only as a good field worker, but
an excellent executive. He was born
in Maine on Washington's birthday,
1871, and retains his legal residence
in that State and summer home in
Skowhegan. He graduated from the
Skowhegan High School III 1889 and
from Colby College in 1898, and i'm
mediately joined geological survey
field party in the Lake Superior iron
region. The next three years were
devoted to post graduate work in
geology at Johns Hopkins University,
under the late George Huntington
Williams. While at Johns Hopkins
another field season was spent in the
Marquette district of the Lake Su
perior iron region, and one in recon-
naissance work in the state of Wash
| inguon. Immediately upon his grad
uation in June, 1896, with the degree
of Phi. D., DIR. Smith joined the staff
of the geological survey as assistant
geologist, having taken the first civil
service examination for that position.
His field of geological work has in
cluded Maine, Washington, Utah,
| North Carolina, the New England
States, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
During seven field seasons DIR. Smith
was engaged in detailedl and recon
naissance areal geologic surveys in
Washington. During the last eleven
years his experience has been such as
to identify him with the various
J, scientific activities of the survey, al
though he has always been a member
of the geologic branch. While doing
areal work in central Washington a
special study of several artesian
| basins was made and the results pub
lished as water supply paper. Later
work in New England also formed
the basis for Hydrologic reports con-
tributed to the publications of the
water resources branch. In connec-
tiOn with the special reconnaissance
along the northwestern boundary and
across the Cascade range in 1901 the
geologist was obliged to make a topo-
graphic map upon which to record his
geologic observations, exact geo
graphic locations being made neces-
sary in the course of the examination
of the boundary monuments.
Later Work in the Bureau.
At the conclusion of this western
experience, which included enonomic
work in the coal fields of Washington
and in the Tintic mining district of
Utah, DIR. Smith began areal work
in Maine in connection with the state
survey commission. Later the gen
eral supervision of all the geologic
work in New England and in the
areas of crystalline rocks in New Jer-
sey, Pennsylvania and Mary land was
assigned to him. While engaged in
this work on the crystalline rocks a
special study of several minerals of
economic value was undertaken and
the results published in the reports of
the division of mineral resources.
Last July he was appointed geologist
in charge of petrology with scientific
supervision of the survey work in
that department
During the past year DR.. Smith has
served as chairman of the assistant
committee on accounting and book
keeping, working under the direction
of the committee on departmental
methods. In this committee work
for the Keep commission he has been
associated with officials from all de-
partments of the government, thus
securing the opportunity of familia-
rizing himself somewhat with the pro-
| blems of departmental administration.
As in the case of everyone connected
with the Keep commission work, this
experience has enabled him to assist
in administrative reforms in the
| bureau with which he is connected,
and at present he is chairman of the
committee on business methods in the
geological survey. He is also secre-
tary of the Young Mems Christian As
sociation of Washington, d. c., a
trustee of Colby College and president
of the board of trustees of Coburn
| Classical Institute, educational insti-
tutions located at Waterville, Me.
His appointment is to take effect
May l.