Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-02-16
NORTH DAKOTA GEOLOGICAL survey

VUnlu UhnUlH III
That geological surveys are a value
to community is shown by the fact
that 80 Of. the state have had, and
most of this number haye at the pres
emit time, geological departments. With
few exceptions all the European coun-
tries have official geological! surveys
some Of them having been in existence
for over quarter " century: Jap
an, South Afri.a. and the Australian
states have Efficient geological! sur
veys, as hay. some OF the south and
Central American countries and Can
ada. The value Of the work done by
the United States geological survey
in developing the natural resources ct
this continent car scarcely he over.
estimated g~s.,..s> hs., s.,,..,.rt
! Purpose Of t.: Geological sa:'' 'ey.
It is the province Of geological
survey to investigate the natural re.
sources Of the state and bring these
to the attention OF the public through
published reports. It makes careful
examination Of all deposits Of ore,
coal dement's, c1ays and building
stones. It studies the character and
distribution OF the different rock for.
nations and attempts to discover
whether they contain deposits Of econ
omic importance. BY means Of well
records and information obtained from
various sources 1t gains knowledge
concerning the strata far below the
surface, and the underground water
supply. It prepares and publishes
geological maps On which by means Of
colors the areas occupied by the rocks
Of different kinds and age are depicted
and on which are located the depos-
its Of ore, coal, clay, cement, etc. The
geological survey Of state consti-
tutes storehouse in which informa-
ton relative to the mineral resources
is collected and from which anyone
interested in the development of these
resources may obtain information. 81
Il ~ clearly to the advantage OF .
state to have It's natural resources adj
vertised as widely as possible. TO cite
q particular instance: Six months At
ter the. first report on the 9eologist
of Illinois was published some Is, 900
to 10000 more persons were employed
than before, due wholly, it Is said, to
the rapid development Of the resources
brought to tight by this one report.
1t had very beneficial effect upon the
rapid settlement Of the state. .'~s~
I Prevents Waste Of Money.
" Not only is q geological survey val
uable as means of securing pub
Lefty for undevaoped resources, but
IN countless instances It has been the
means Of saving large sums Of money
in prospecting for OIL, coal, gold and
other valuable minerals where none
exist. Before the Organization Of. the
Nebraska survey over $4,000 was
spent in the eastern part Of, that
state prospecting for coal and natural
gas alone, and it Is said that the sum
total thus spent trough the entire
state IN aimless prospecting, did not
fall much below $4,000 annually.
The geological survey Is then Of ad-
vantage to a state not only as a
means of bringing before the public
the natural resources of the region
through itss published reports, hut It is
able to supply information to individ.
ual citizens and companies on many
questions which arise concerning the
rock formations, water supply, coal,
clays, building stone and other econo-
mic products. ...14 = ,ss.gt5% 4
Mineral resources Of North Dakota.
55 Few persons realize the mineral
wealth Of this state, but az 4 matter
81 fact North Dakota is very rich in
what #ts known az the non-metallic
products, such as coal, clay and &C.
ment. Reliable estimates, based on a
careful study OF the, area of the fed.
era1 and state geological surveys show
that North Dakota has 100000; ooo, 900
tons Of workable coal, the largest
Quant itT Of any state IN the Irnion