The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-07-08
BIOLOGISTS TO
START BIG WORK
Scientists viii Make Study Of Iowa
Resources.
WATER POWER AND GOOD ROA[S
Work viii be Started Between PelIa
and knoxville--The Coal Fields
of the State to be
Exploited.
WATER POWER AND GOOD ROA[S

Des Moines, July 5.-Possibilities
for developing water power from
Iowa's streams and rivers are to be
investigated during the present sum
mer by Prof. George F. Kay of the
state university, who will make close
examination of each stream that Of
fers indications of being power pro-
Queer.
This announcement was made yes
terday by james H. Lees, state geolo-
gist under the auspices of whose de-
partment Prof. Kay will work.
"The subject of water power is be-
coming of increased Importance and
merits careful attention from the
state" said Mr.. Lees. 81 he people
should know what resources they
have and how wonderful the possibili-
ties are before they are absorbed by
the ever watchful corporations. These
corporations are already alive to the
opportunity and man are awaiting
themselves of the ignorance or care
lessness of the public to gain water
power sites which will give them an
immense advantage within the next
few years, while the real owners OF
these resources, the people, will gain
| nothing"
viii Build Good Roads.
Announcing other work planned by
the geological department for the
| summer, Mr. Lees said that Prof 5.
w. Boyer of the state college at Ames
will continue his investigation for road
building materials, with the help OF
| several assistants.
Iowa has large quantities Of mater
ial useful in improving ther roads.
said Mr.. Lees. In some parts of the
state are large deposits of limestone
suitable for matchmaking the roads,
while in the western counties are i'm
mense beds of gravel, some of which
/ makes splendid road material.
"In connection with this work Prof.
/ Boyer will also make study OF the
adaptability of the different sand, gra-
vel and limestone deposits for use IN
concrete work. In these days OF con-
crete construction 1t is necessary that
/ the qualities of these materials be
well known and their availability for
various uses determined More ana
| more care must be exercised In the use
| of cement If 1t is to sustain its repu-
| tation."
In addition to these special topics
of study, the work of completing the
general geological survey OF the state
by counties will be continual. OF the
ninety-nine counties of Iowa reports
on the geology of seventy-tive have
been published. ten reports are in
more or less advanced stage Of COM
| pletion, while fourteen counties re-
main to be surveyed. or these Prof.
| M. F. Arey of the Iowa State Teachers
college will study Wayne county and
Prof. F. H. Mcbride of the state uni
versity will study Calhoun and Greene
| counties.
Prof. B. Shimek Of the state uni
| versity and ]. e. carmen will study
| the drift sheet problem In Harrison,
Monona and Sother counties of north
| western Iowa. The "loess" Is wind
blown deposit which covers the south
ern and western parts of the state
and forms the bluffs of the Missouri
river. 1t Is one of tne most product
i've soils of Iowa.
Probably one of the most important
parts of the surveys work this sum-
mer will be its cooperation with the
United States geological survey in the
making of a topographic map Of the
state. BY topographic map Is meant
one which shows In addition to roads.
streams, towns and such data, the ele-
| vations of different parts of the area
| covered. These are shown by lines
which connect points of equal eleva-
| ton and thus show at a glance what
the nature Of the surface is. whether
1t is rough or level. gently sloping or
steeply inclined.
In addition to its value to biologists
teachers and coal prospectors the top.
ographic map when completed will
serve as valuable guide to automo-
bilists, telling them just what kind OF
county they will have to encounter
In any part of the state or along any
country road.
By the arrangement under which
the work is carried on, the two sur
yeys. state and federal, will each bear
one-half of the expenses incurred by
the men in the field, in addition the
United States survey pays all the
costs Of office work and Of engraving
and printing the maps. which will be
sold for Ave cents per copy. postpaid
Work will be carried on this summer
around Knoxville and Pella.
Assistant State Geologist Lees will
spend most OF the summer publishing
the annual report for 1908. dealing
with the subjects OF coal and peat In