Evening star., 1948-02-29
Dr.. Nelson n. Dorton, 81, Dies;
Noted GeoIogist, Mopmoker
internationally Known
Scientist Had Never
Finished High School

Finished High School
DR.. Nelson Horatio Darton, so, in
ternationally known geologist, died
yesterday morning at his home, 1869
Brookeville road, Chevy Chase, Md,
after two-week illness.
He had been chosen in 1910 by the
Geological Society OF America as the
foremost geologist in the Nation and
was awarded the Penrose Gold
Medal, the societys highest annual
award. ,
DR.. Darton is credited with i'm
portant work in the development of
large-scale contour mapping which
revolutionized accurate mapmaking
He had prepared maps of more than
million square miles of territory
and as a reconnaissance geologist
had prepared base maps for areas
and countries where no maps had
existed.
Map of National Capital.
Printed this year was his latest
map. depicting the rock formations
and terrain of the National Capital.
During his So years here he had
studied the makeup of Washing
tons foundations and had been con-
sultant on subsurface conditions
prior to the building of memorials
and large buildings.
!, DR.. Darton rose to eminence
without a complete high-school edu-
cation. He learned practical chem
istry in an uncle's pharmaceutical
laboratory in New York and at 16
hung out his shingle as an analyti-
cal and consulting chemist in his
native Brooklyn.
At II he was elected member
of the American Chemical Society.
He became interested in geology
and wrote articles on this subject.
BY the time he was 20 he was in
vited to join the Geological Survey
Returns to Survey.
DR.. Darton was with the survey
from 1886 until 1910, when he trans
ferred to the Bureau of Mines. He
returned to the Geological Survey
three years later and had been there
since.
DR.. Darton had made maps OF
nearly half the States. He had also
made maps of Baltimore, Washing
ton, Richmond and Fredericksburg
Md. He had investigated artesian
waters in South Dakota and at one
time was in charge of the western
division of the Surveys hydrologic
branch.
He also investigated explosive
gases in coal and the structure and
occurrence of gas in the Northern
Anthracite Basin and the Southern
Illinois coal field.
At various intervals DR.. Darton
had taken furloughs from the Survey
for geologic expeditions to Cuba and
Hispaniola for sugar and oil COM
panies; to the pre-Mayan ruins OF
Mexico for the National Geographic
Society and to Central Venezuela
and lower California.
Wrote Extensively.
When DR.. Darton reached his 10th
birthday, after physicians had pre-
dicted in the 1930s he could never
again walk up another flight of steps
and would not live more than five
years because of weak heart. he
forfeited his retirement to complete
several reports for the Survey. Presi-
dent Roosevelt suspended his retire
ment order. He had continued or
the job until two weeks ago when
he became i'll. .-
DR.. Darton had contributed exten-
sively to the literature and progress
of American geology with more than
220 volumes, papers and maps. some
of which have been reprinted by
special acts of Congress. One of his
books, "The Story of the Grand Can.
yon," has sold more than 10000
copies.
Other writings include Geologic
Guide to Santa Fe Railroad, ""Geo-
logic Guide to Southern Pacific
Railroad; geologies of the Great
Plains,r BLACK Hills" "Bighorr
Mountains" owl Greek Noun
tains," South Dakota; Geology
of the District of Columbia Re-
gion";; Underground Waters;
Red Beds of New Mexico; Res
ume of Arizona Geology; "Explo-
sive Gases in Mines, and articles
for scientific societies and the En-
cyclopedia Americana. =
Member of Many Groups.
He was a member of the following
organizations: Geological Society
of America, where he was a former
vice president; American Associa-
ton for the Advancement OF Sci
ence, Geological Society of Wash
ing, former president; Washing
ton Academy of Sciences, former
vice president; Society of Economic
Geologists, Mining and MetallurgJ
Society, American Institute of Min
ing and Metallurgical Engineers
Society of Linn de Lyons, Institute
Francois, Geological Society oi
France.
Also, the Association of American
Geographers, International Geology
Congress, Society of Fine Arts, wy
oming Valley Geological Society
American Geophysical Union Ar
chaeology Society, Federal Boarc