Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-04-15
A MAINE MAN
Geo. o. Smith Made Head of GeoIogi
cal Survey.

A recent dispatch from Washington
y. c., announces that President Roose-
welt has appointed DR.. Geo. Otis Smith
as director of the United States
Geological Survey to succeed ChaS. ID
Walcott who now becomes the head OF
the Smithsonian Institution. The APP
pontment was made Friday noon by
the President, at the request of Secre-
tary Garfield.
The survey is the largest scientific
bureau in the government service
The annual appropriation is about a
million and half dollars and the
number of employees ranges from
about 500 during the most of the year
and several times that number during
the summer months, when the field
force is distributed all over the coun-
try The salary connected with this
office is about $4,000. Since its organ
ization, q years ago. the Survey has
mad only three directors: Clarence
King. Maj. 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
appointment:
Mr.. Smith has been in the survey
for about ten years. and is recognized
not only as d 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 a summer home III
Skowhegan. He graduated from the
SkowheGan High School in 1883 anG
from Colby College in 1898. and inn
mediately Joined a geological survey
field party i'll the Lake Superior iron
region. The next three years were
devoted to postgraduate work III
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 Supe-
rior iron region, and one in recon
naissance work in the state of Wash
ington. Immediately upon his grad
uation in June, 1896, with the degree
of Phi. D., DR.. Smith joined the staff
of the geological survey as assistant
geologist, having taken the first civil
service examination for that position
His held of geological work has in
North Carolina. the New England
States. New Jersey and Pennsylvania
During seven field seasons DR.. Smith
was engaged in detailed and recon
naissance areal geologic surveys il
Washington. During the last clever
years his experience has been such as
to identify him with the various
scientific activities of the survey, al
though he has always been member
of the geologic branch. While doing
areal work in central Washington .
special study Of several artesian basins
was made and the results published as
a water supply paper. Later work II
New England also formed the basis
for Hydrologic reports contributed tC
the publications of the water re
sources branch. In connection will
the special reconnaissance along th'
| northwestern boundary and across the
Cascade range in 1901 the geOlogis
was obliged to make Topographic
map upon which to record his geologic
| observations, exact geographic loca
tions being made necessary in the
course of the examination of the
| boundary monuments.
At the conclusion of this western
experience. which included cnonomit
WORK in the coal fields of Washington
and in the Tintic mining district O.
Utah. DR.. Smith began areal work il
Maine in connection with the state
| survey commission. Later the gen
eral supervision of all the geologic
| work in New England and in the area:
| of crystalline rocks in New Jersey
1 10 nd Marvtond
| signed to him While engaged in this
| work on the crystalline rocks specia
| study of several minerals of economic
| value was undertaken and the results
published in the reports of the division
| of mineral resources. Last July III
was appointed geologist in charge o
petrology with scientific supervision Q
| the survey work in that department.
| During the past year Dr. Smith ha
served as chairman of the asslStan
| committee on accounting and book
| keeping, working under the direction
of the committee on departmental
methods. In this committee work 70
| the Keen commission he has been as
sociated with officials from all depart
mentS of the government, thus SeCur
| ing the opportunity of familiarizni
| himself somewhat with the problem
| of departmental administration. AS IL
| the case of everyone connected viii
the Keep commission work. this expc
rience has enabled him to assist in ad
| ministrative reforms in the bureau
/ with which he is connected. and a
present he is chairman of the commit
tee on business methods in the seoios
| ical survey. He is also secretary o
the Young Mems Christian Association
Of Washington, D. c., a trustee Q
| Colby College and president of tn
board of trustees Of C"bu"n Classico
Institute. educational institutions 10
| Gated at Watervi;le, Me.
His appointment is to take effec
May l.