The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-09-15
Owner Must Be Given the
First Information of
State Finding
Minerals.
Uncle Sam Bears the Major
Part of the Expenses of
Exploitation.
POLITICAL COMPLICATIONS IN
RECENT APPOINTMENT OF A
JUDGE OF THE NEW COURT IN
pADE coUNTY-GoVERN is
GOING TO ST. LOUIS TO WATER.
WAYS CONVENTION.
BY J. n. Reese.

Tallahassee, Sept. 1.-THE active
establishment and operation of the
State Geological Survey will be taken
up soon after the return of the state
geologist Mr.. Z. H. Sellards, who was
married last week in Kansas.
The department was created by the
last legislature, and the work thus
far accomplished has been of a pre-
Iminary character The assistant Is
now engaged in an investigation of
Su5terranean water currents, which
may require some time, and a more
pretentious undertaking will be inau-
surated in the fall or early winter in
conjunction with the United States
Geological Survey. This will be a
more or less thorough investigation
Of strata, the extent of the work being
governed largely by the amount of the
appropriation for the purpose.
Federal Corporation.
Before leaving the state. the geolO-
gist made arrangements with the gov
eminent deartment TO proceed with
this work jointly. the United States
10 put the force in the field and to
bear expense at the ratio of four to
one. 1t is understood to be the pur-
pose of the expedition TO spend five
thousand dollars on this particular
work. Thus the newly created de
partment begins with favorable pros
poets of accomplishing results thai
will be of record in the very inaugu.
ration of it. The obstacle in the way
Of doing greater things is the limit
placed on the appropriation for the
work. This is held down 20 the fig
IRE of $500 a year, which leaves
little for fis!i wCIA after the geoIogist
and his assistant are paid, which will
absorb half Of the amount.
The arrangement for the govern
ment to assist with the field oper~
lions is regarded as fortunate stroke
al this time, as it will give 'impetu:
and interest in the iniatory workings
and will make 1t possible to make a
more considerable showing than
would have been the case if the de-
partment had been left to pursue the
work without this cooperation. The
state geOlOgist reports direct to the
governor, but the Office of the state
chemist is in closer touch with 1t,
perhaps. than the other departments.
Expensive Hiatus.
state has lost thousands of dollars by
not having geological survey. Land
owners have sold land at ten dollars
an acre possessing one hundred times
the value in mineral deposits. Thus
the native land owner has lost. while
me foreign investor has profited.
Under the law. it is the duty of the
state geologist to convey to the land
owner first the knowledge of the
value Of his land if in the pursuit OF
MS Investigations he finds mineral
deposits Ii is his duty to ascertain
me extent Of these deposits, and it is
"Fectly viOlative of the law for him
10 part with this information to any
SPECTATOR. Thus the value of the
Impairment to the people of the state
.an hardly be estimated in its final
objects"
Governor Absent.
Governor Browlc1 l. jas- a,w sb-
sent from the capital, having gone
J" SaIuda, y. c., to accompany his
.amily home after the summering IN
ne mountains. Upon their return,
sA'Val 10 the new manzion will fol-
low and hereafter the governor will
NNHoSu IOI the uTSI ClIIle III d
rne provided by the state for its
chief executive.
lhe latter part of the month the
2U'eInOr viii leave for Keokuk. where
"e preliminary meeting of the lakes
~ me Gulf Waterway Association Will
~ heid later to gravitate to St Louis.
Ie governor will deliver an address
81. lore HE association, in which h6t
'nl stress the Importance of the ir-a
r ,.1 waterways. showing that at
SSeht but one tenth of the traffic
, ,raL passes through the Sault Ste
lie canal now passes downward on
rs 'osom of the Mississippi. The
SSoh that will be drawn is simply
ME ''e growth of the country's COM
90 90 Is lmpeded for lack of transpor-
,i I'm facilities, and that the prepare.
Z AZ Vi The inland waterways to han
NJ, ms vast commerce will mean
4 NJ NJ toward the solution of tn etrans-
"TJation problem,
ho governor has been besieged by
Spapers of the west for ad-
d =; copies of his speech and copies
s Us photograph He is a member
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