Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-27
PENNSYLVANIA DISCOVERY
Judged by the Exploitation Of 'ts
Wealth the Credit 10 Due to the
Pennsylvania Geological Society.
Il Began the Exploration
Of Its Wealth
BY GEORGE NOX MCCAIN
"N1IlO discovered Pennsylvania
w The answer IL not 40 easy "a IL niehf

its ores minerals, coal. gas. rocks and sands.
The answer to the query, properly, would
be:
Pennsylvania was discovered by the Geo.
logical Society of Pennsylvania in 1882.
Its express purpose was to obtain "an
exact knowledge of the mineral resources OF
the State" when 1t was organized In that
year.
1t was because of this that the Keystone
state leads all other States in the exploita.
ton of its wealth beneath the soil today.
The greatest contribution to - marvel
Gus progress Of Pennsylvania has come from
the Geological Survey.
The Pennsylvania Geological Society was
the parent of the Geological Survey.
DR. GEORGE H. ASHLEY is State
II Geologist.
He is at the head of the most important
and possibly the least known bureau In the
state Government.
Scientists. no matter how eminent, no
matter how much they nay have contributed
to the sum of human knowledge, take rear
seat on the left hand side in comparison
with roughneck organization politician
who carries county in his breeches pocket.
Not all county leaders though are rough.
necks for which heaven be praised.
Dr. George II. Ashley is man Of rare
attainments. He is one Of little group Of
men on Capitol Hill who bear the hallmark
of distinction.
The late DR.. Rothrock was another splen-
did sample of the class.
DR.. Ashley had been before he Became
State Geologist, chief of the Section Of East
ern Coal Fields, chief Of Coal Section. mem.
Der of the Land Classification Board and
acting director of the United Stat Geolos-
Cal Survey.
But that wasn't all.
He had charge of the Federal Survey in
Pennsylvania was formerly State Geologist
of Tennessee and Assistant State GeOlogist
of Indiana and Arkansas.
THE first geological survey of Pennsyl.
L vania was made by Prof. Henry D.
Rodgers in 1896.
This was after the State took over the
work inauguratcd by the Pennsylvania Geo.
logical Society. praised be its name
Nearly forty years later Prof. Lesley
organized the second survey.
Today these reports OF Rodgers and es-
ley are so valuable that you can only get
to see them in the reference department OF
some great library.
In lS0S and again in 1919 more detailed
surveys were undertaken
Rodgers reports occupy two large
volumes.
Lcsley's work requrd eighty eight
volumes.
Ashley reorganized the entire bureau In
1919. from stabhooks TO hammers and from
pickaxrs to drawing tables.
Then he reorganized the scientific and
engineering personnel of the bureau.
He Is ready to tell what mas peen zone,
but that remarkably inefficient or unfortu.
da'ei Drpn. u,. 'me,t n ,tr,n y, "'"'e '"'e
rD,1OsE who may trv 70 disnute tho d,s.
i covery of Pennsylvania will, of course,
want facts to prove IT.
The Geological Surveys whole purpose is
service Win capitai D " 'ne pcoPie VI the
"'I!e' ,,o ,oo,,o o,,J .ho, nm, ,,u,.o
~ tens !h' Prop'e. .uaf az" NV! e"h "fi'e
ana ro,e ~ ~ 70 ,;n nmtI, anI nhauao, of r,d
Auoui Wv aI ,%nt % orn - h. h,,i,. '"N
'ha,er!nam i,ar ,on.H .i"u ",ort. W CO.. hu,i
concerning structural ''a''r"'S ior pr'uHes
ahu pu'IulhsS,
wy, rucl Snppairs,, ,,.ho,o .ho :. !.
Mlherui S"ppi''S, "h'ic my "ie W oe
i"Ind ana 'he hear'Ti routes
J., ~ ."u ronL" NOV ha f"nnd "a
tam minerals or rorhs may oe louhu, ana
nnH"elIns injuries noIu' h,,. tmr '"ata ac,rf M
II docs moro thnn that.
IL calls attention to opportunities of
mineral Development
1t tries to protect investors against the
unpromising exploitation OF lands by
sharpers.
1t has saved would be oil Spectators hum
dreds of thousands of dollars, and it has
mapped about every hill, valley. stream,
township. outcropping of mineral rock, coal,
limestone or clay in the Commonwealth.
1t Is wonderful institution.
s ros,,, Of tho discoveries of tho Ceo.
a, o,,, :. haa .,I,,,,.ss
ios!ca1 SuineS, S oinsr,Is nus Is''uiu'ea .I a
search LOT al SINUS oi m'.a'.n, roni, eou'' sas'
cement, eiaSs snhu a,,h ,"r' .t to.hS' r.e,
AuIoniopthl.s.S LIS '., m,e sn""" '"e 'N"'"''ef VI
'he rts.T'' ,HIi and c,t;,ors oororol,v nv.
school chl!uTeh .I nnu rio,Iens stnera'y are
furnished WIN l"lolihat.1n @ '',,rs aoou. s tneir
state, MS resources uhu kuflucr LUCE, ies'uIfs ..,t
For clShtE,SN srarS thr Morh o' alsSov-
erlng fehns!Nania mas oeeh cono"cteu ny
this bureau. , .,-
No private concern no great rorporatioh'
could possibly hhvc chfr'ea on tnc WORK.
Even had II done so us lniormutioh would
haze been wi,hnSu ~ irT i"ooer one huois c,a
Tie W"a''h OF Us u!sco'crlrs would nave