Indiana Magazine of History
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INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY VOLUMEXXXVI MARCH,1940 NUMBER1 David Dale Owen and Indiana’s First Geological Survey WALTERB. HENDRICKSON In the eighteen-thirties, Indiana, as well as other western states, was feeling growing pains. The elevation of Andrew Jackson to the presidency had made Westerners feel that their importance to the nation was at last recog- nized. A combination of circumstances had caused a business boom that was quickening the economic life of all the western states. By 1834, new settlers by the tens of thousands were pouring into the regions of the Mississippi Valley, creating farms and building towns. The people of the West could see a glorious future; the people were coming, the land was rich, and other natural resources were at hand. All that was needed was time and money to realize on what were con- sidered the essential elements of all great and prosperous states. The decade of the eighteen-thirties was one of great and enthusiastic promotion of farming, mining and transporb tion facilities. In order that a state might take its place in the sun, the first move to be made was the creation of ade- quate systems of communication to bridge the gap between producer and consumer-getting the products of western farms to eastern markets. Accordingly, state legislatures appropriated large sums of money for the building of canals and roads, and, with great energy, ditches were dug, forests were cut down, and streams were dredged in order to make new highways of commerce. Along with this great internal improvement movement, and in some ways contradictory to it, was a movement in the western states to develop their omresources, so that they would be independent of the East for mineral products. 2 Indiana Magazine of History- If Westerners could supply their own needs for such things as iron and coal, the money that went to the East would be spent at home, thus increasing local wealth. The needs of the growing cities would be met by locating and utilizing local deposits of building stone, potters’ clay, and sand and gravel. The immediate capital to develop these natural re- sources could be supplied by eastern capitalists, who should, it was believed, jump at the opportunity of making profitable investments as soon as they were informed of the fact that the west contained potential wealth in its rocks and soils. This point of view was well expressed by the report of the state senate committee on education, when the matter of creating a geologicA survey came before the legislature in 1836 : Indiana is just launching into a general system of internal improve- ments, which if properly prosecuted must shortly give her an elevated rank in the Union. Her local position is a proud one-her outlines such as to secure for her, under wise legislation, and at no diatant day, a decided prominence as an independent state. We are about to expend millions m the construction of canals, railroads, turnpikes, etc. Connected with this, it occurs to your committee that an accurate examination of the geology of the country is absolutely necessary to the successful prosecution of our public works. Such an examination would impart life and vigor to the plan-indeed without it, we should labor under a thousand difficulties, which such a survey would diminish, if not remove. The peculiar character of the country and soil on the varioua routes selected for improvement, “the presence of valuable ores, with the localities and extent of quames, and of coal and lime formations, objects of inquiry so essential to internal improvements, and the advantage of domestic prosperity, would be discovered, and the poseeeeion and advantages of thean given to the public . .9- The result of this line of reasoning was that there was a sudden awareness of the necessity for trained men to dis- cover and to locate the mineral wealth of the western states, and thus it was that scientists, especially the geologists, took on a new importance in the eyes of progressive Westerners. Indiana was certainly one of the most active states in this movement for exploring natural resources. The first state geological surveys had been in the East, where the im- portance of geology had long been stressed by pioneer teach- ers of the science in eastern universities. As a result of this agitation, Massachusetts created the first state survey in 1830, Tennessee in 1831, and Maryland and New Jersey in ‘Idfaa ROW. Joumd, Sen. ot 1886-1886. 288. Indiana’s First Geological Survey 3 1833. Maine, Ohio and New York instituted surveys in 1836. Thus, prior to 1837, only two western states, Ten- nessee and Ohio, had authorized geological surveys.a The first official notice of the need for a geological sur- vey in Indiana was in 1830. At this time, a resolution was passed in the state senate providing that the committee on education should investigate the feasibility of appointing a professor of geology and mineralogy at the state college at Bloomington, who would devote a part of his time to the making of a “thorough geological examination of our state . and report all the useful discoveries for the practical benefit of the country.”8 The committee reported that the funds of the college were insufficient for such purposes, and there the matter of a geological survey rested until 1835.’ In that year, Governor Noah Noble, in his message to the legislature in December, asserted that he had become aware of the desirability of a geological and topographical survey of the state, when he had talked to a gentleman who had found indications of coal in the neighborhood of the National Road. Governor Noble urged that the need for a correct map of the state, and the desirability of information about the natural resources of the state, could very well be met by appointing an agent. He especially urged that the mineral deposits be investigated, saying that “without the aid and application of geological science,” those deposita would never be developed.& But this was a new venture for the legislature to con- sider, and the members evidently doubted the ability of the state to carry it through alone. A joint resolution of the two houses provided that the governor should correspond with the governors of Ohio and Kentucky, to learn whether those states would be willing to coaperate with Indiana in a joint survey of the three states. Further, Governor Noble was directed to consult with “one or more eminent geologists in the TJnited States in regard to the subject.”e Governor Noble himself was entirely convinced of the necessity and desirability of the geological survey, and he ’George Perkini Merrill, o*s Hudred Yeuri of Amurian (New H8ven. 1920. 127-208. m-m: G. P. Medll. td. and eom~.. Gmtributiou b a Hi.(ory of AM’- SWs Gdoni.eal and Naturd Hi.to+u Surwsvi (Wubinpton. 1920). Bul&tar 209, United State8 National Museum. 637-586. ‘Indiana Sma& Journal. SeM. of 1850-1881, 87. .lbid.. 110. ‘Indiana 8deJoud. Sar of 116-1856, 26. Of Id- SW. Of 1886-1836. hlL8m. 893. 4 Indium Magazine of History carried out the terms of the resolution with energy. He could not secure the cooperation of Ohio, probably because there was already a movement on foot to provide for a separate survey of that state. The governor of Kentucky never answered his letter.? As an “eminent geologist,” the governor selected George W. Featherstonhaugh, the Geologist of the United state^.^ In reply to the governor’s letter, Featherstonhaugh said that it would be possible for a super- ficial examination, which would be of value to the state, to be made in one year, by one man, and at colnparatively small expense, but added that he knew of only one man who could make the survey, and he was in E~rope.~In his message communicating the results of his investigations, Governor Noble urged the legislature to proceed to authorize a geological survey for Indiana without waiting for Ohio and Kentucky, because he was satisfied that, In this state we have external indications of large beds of coal and other mineral deposits, but for want of the test of science, their extent and value are unknown . [and I am] satisfied that these resources, properly developed, will give employment to thousands, subserve the purposes of commerce, contribute to the support of our public worlp, and add greatly to the wealth of our citizens and the State. 10 In response to the words of the Governor, the Legislature passed an act providing for the creation of a geological sur- vey. This act authorized the governor to appoint annually a person of “talents, integrity, and suitable scientific acquire- ments as geologist for the State of Indiana.” The compensa- tion was to be $1,500 a year, with provision for expenses, not to exceed $250. The geologist was to make a “complete and minute” survey, first of the regions in the neighborhood of contemplated public works, and then in other portions of the state. He was to prepare a “detailed account of all remarkable discoveries made, and the progress of the work,” and lay it before the legislature annually. The geologist was also to analyze any mineral substance at the request of any citizen of the state, in the time of the year when he was not Tlndtkna House Journal. Seu. of 1886-87. 26. ‘lbid. Featherstonhaugh had been appointed United States Geologist by Con- in 1884, and had been pssigned to make a survey of the territory west of the Miti sisaippi. between the Red and Miasouri rivers.