The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-05-31
PARK CITY REPORT
IS YEARS OVERDUE
History of Geological Report Is
Given by Eastern Min
ing Journal.

The Park City Commercial club has
passed resolutions complaining of the tar
diness on The part OF the United States
geological survey In publishing its report
on Park City, the field work for which
was completed by j. NJ. Boutwell, in 1904.
These resolutions have been transmitted
10 the geological survey, and also TO the
representatives of Utah in congress.
Mr.. Boutwell, began the field work at
Park City about August !, 1902: this field
work was continued to December OF this
year. In The following year Mr. Bout
we'll spent from August TO December. in
elusive, in the district, as well as Ianu-
airy and February OF 1903. The field
gust, September and October OF this
year, the intervening time having been
occupied In the preparation of the Bing-
ham report. Tho office work on the Park
continued, with slight interruptions. 10
July. 1905. During the remainder OF this
year. as well as in the first part OF 1907,
the preparation OF the Park City report
was continued. but Mr. Boutwells whole
time was not given to II. as he had been
entrusted with the compilation Of metal
general review OF the lead and zinc
sources OF this country. IN the last four
months OF 1907 and in January, 1908, Mr..
Boutwell, was on leave of absence, with
out pay.
The months from February 10 August.
Inclusive were devoted TO the Park City
| iIPoll anu 10 lHS SlutlSllCdl lnVcSllSd-
tlons already referred to. In September.
1908, Mr.. Boutwell, resigned from the Se
ologlcal survey and an asreement ;, was
made msinh In In writing with M soutwS In
port by January I, 1910. AT that time
the report was still unfinished. hut its
completion within few months was
1911. Mr.. Boutwell, reported tho ship
ment OF the complete manuscript of the
re42Tti %,,tho,, damn, mo .o,uoa, ., p.r,,
city and also the mining industry at
large have strong ground for complaint
In the delay of tho publication of this
report. Such delays have. in fact been
a frequent cause for complaint against
the geological survey. The Journal has
many times deprecated this tendency
attention upon the issuance of live, use
full reports rather than obituaries. which
however. is not TO imply that the forth
coming. publication OF tho Park City re-
port will be an obituary.
IN the present case. the director OF the
geological survey appears to be the vic
Tim OF circumstances rather than the
convict of culpahle tardiness and mis-
management. There is no doubt that the
survey has done its utmost to obtain
ihe report. The advisability Of detailing
another eeologist 10 complete the work
| was considered. but was abandoned for
fear that such step would lead To stu
greater delay. which probably was cor
rect assumption
The record In the case OF the Park
| City repor, indicates. however. several
important matters OF policy that ought to
| be corrected II seems 10 us that when
| geologist is detailed to do "A certain
| piece OF work. he ought to be kept stead
| ily al IL. and ought not 10 he shifted
| from one job TO another; that an eco
| nomic geologist OF distinction. already
| commissioned 10 an important protes-
sonal report. ought not to he diverted 10
| such a piece OF office druGgery as the
| compilation of statistics: and finally that
before a member OF the staff he released,
| Inc ought To be required Ia complete all
work In hand which. In fact most men
| would desire To do. Certainly. all Of
| these principles would obtain in the con-
| duct Of a private engineering office or
| any ordinary business affair. Such oc-
| currenccs manifest real evil in the past
J mana cement of the geological survey
| Engineering and Mining Journal.