1846.

No. 15.

Report of the Joint Committee relative to the Geological Survey.

The select committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, to whom were referred that portion of the Governor's message relating to the Geological Department, and so much of joint document No. 12, as relates to the same subject, report, that to present a full view of the subject committed to them, they have prepared, and submit the following statement of the history and condition of the Geological Department, to which they respectfully solicit the attention of the legislature:

By the act of 1838 there were constituted a Geological and Mineralogical department proper, and Topographical, Zoological and Botanical departments; the whole to be included under one survey, and under the general supervision of a State Geologist.

Under the former of these was projected a plan which was intended to develop all the natural resources and advantages of the state; to aid her citizens in the prosecution of works of internal enterprise by affording them more full and accurate information of her rocks fitted for building and manufactures, her clays and sands for bricks, glass and pottery, her timber for the various arts of construction, her water power for mills and machinery, her ores and her beds of coal, gypsum salt, lime-stone, marl, &c., for the arts and for domestic uses, which was to unfold to the agriculturist the true character and capabilities of his soils, their adaptation to the various crops of the hus bandman, the principles upon which their fertility depends, and the means of preserving their fertility; to point out to him the stores which nature has provided for future supply of manures, the means necessary for drainage of his marshes and wet ground, for procuring water from concealed water courses-in fine, for laying before the people an amount of practical and scientific information which would tend both to prove the uncommonly great advantages which our state possesses, and enable us to turn them to the best account.

The duties of the topographical department extended to the con

struction of accurate geographical maps for the delineation of the geology and topography of the state, the correction of the inaccuracies in the returns of the U. S. survey, and the general compilation of all such topographical and other information obtained during the survey, as would serve more fully to illustrate the reports, and to give value the projected series of state and county maps.

Through the aid of the zoological and botanical departments it was hoped to obtain a more full knowledge of the whole natural history of the state, at a time when it abounded in many plants and animals that desert or become extinct with the progress of settlements. They had in view the investigation of the character, habits, office and influence of every animal and plant native to our state, with the view of discovering their relation to the interests of man. These sciences form but a part of the one great science of nature, and lend to each other mutual support.

The collections made in these departments were to be applied to enriching the cabinets of the University and its branches, and for that purpose one fourth of the whole annual appropriation was to be contributed by that institution.

Information obtained through the investigations of science is to be judged of, not by its immediate and palpable results merely, but by its operation through all future time. It is to the state what education is to the many-a source from which we may draw, throughout life; furthering not barely a particular end, but directing and aiding through all its ever varied pursuits. It enlarges our bounds of knowlege, and therefore our means and sources of profit, it stimulates inquiry and directs it into the proper channels. It has also a negative bènefit, by preventing the worse than useless, yet so common, waste of capital and industry, in the ignorant pursuit of objects that science would teach were to be sought in vain. To these every liberal and intelligent mind will add another and most noble end of scientific enterprise, and worthy of an enterprising state, the addition made to the general stock of knowledge, to be appropriated as occasion may require, for the common benefit of the whole human race.

These and similar objects have been already in part obtained under the charge of the late lamented and distinguished State Geologist. By an act approved March, 1840, so much of said act of 1838, as

provided for the appointment. and fixed the compensation of state zoologist and state botanist was repealed.

The act itself expired in 1842. The annual reports from the department have exhibited in part the results obtained, and they contain a large amount of information of great interest to the state, though necessarily disconnected, as well as general, in its character; it being intended to compile the whole, at the close of the work, into the 'Final Report;' a work originally contemplated by the act, as well by every subsequent legislature, and which formed the ultimate object of

A large portion of the investigations into the geology of the state hal necessarily to be carried on in those portions which were as yet but sparsely settled. At their commencement, the United States surveys had been extended over a comparatively small portion of our territory. This made necessary an amount of labor, privation and endurance, which was unknown to the geologists of the eastern states.

The almost unbroken wilderness had to be explored, streams and swamps to be waded, and without those aids and comforts which a high compensation would have afforded. These expenses had nearly all to be borne out of the salaries of those engaged. Nothing but that enthusiasm which stimulates the explorer of nature could have carried through such an investigation, or have accomplished such important results, with so limited means.

It was fortunate, in one respect, that the surveys by the United States had but just begun over the whole region north of Grand River, for the department was enabled to secure information, and to direct the attention of the surveyors to subjects relating to the character of the country, which otherwise could not have been obtained, or would have been sent beyond the state. Nearly all of the United States surveyors entered warmly into the measure, and the geological office was made a depot by them of the results of their surveys.

In the more settled portions of the state, the work was more easily performed, and nearly all the materials relating to this and the other portions of the Lower Peninsula are on hand, in readiness for the final report. Little, if any, more field work remains to be accomplished. It was hoped to have completed the whole work contemplated, within the four years fixed by the act, but this was found not to be

practicable entirely, even with regard to the Lower Peninsula; and the surveys in the Upper had at that time progressed but little beyond a single season. The results of the report of 1841, in regard to that country, and the great importance of the survey in that region, are so fully made known by the movements of the last two years, as to need no further allusion.

Since 1842, no officers in the geological department have been continued in active employment, except the state geologist and state topographer, and they at greatly reduced salaries. That the means employed may be fully appreciated, and compared with the character and magnitude of the results obtained, as well as that it may be seen whether the work has been conducted with economy under the direction of Dr. Houghton, a statement is appended, exhibiting the several amounts appropriated, and the amounts actually drawn from the treasury, for the service of the geological department. It will be seen that the total amount actually expended is $32,829 03, which falls short of the amount appropriated by $7,170 97. If from this we deduct, for collections for the use of the University, as contemplated by the act of 1838, $3,000 only, the amount to be refunded the state, during the two years preceding the abolition of the zoological and botanical departments, there will be left the sum of $24,829 03, as the entire cost of the survey to the state. This is enough to have constructed two miles of Railroad! And it may be safely said, when we compare the expense with the labor accomplished and the benefits to be derived from it, that the result is almost unprecedented.

Collections.

The collections made are large in all the departments. It was the aim of those engaged in the work, not only to comply with the requisitions of the act, but where practicable to do far more, and many specimens were obtained with the view of making foreign exchanges; a mode by which scientific cabinets are most usually enlarged and enriched. Nearly one hundred casks and boxes of minerals were collected with this view; with a labor and care that would hardly be credited by those uninterested in the results. Of these, as many as a hundred specimens were often obtained of a single kind. In the Zoological and Botanical departments, the collections are also large, amounting to many thousand specimens, which are invaluable to the

state. It is believed that these collections taken together, are larger and more varied, if not more valuable, than have been made in any other state of the Union.

Maps:

Early in the survey it became necessary to provide all explorers in the field, with maps copied from the returns of the U. S. Surveyors, which were chiefly used as guides through the country, and for the purpose of platting the Geological data obtained. Information was also sought to be obtained from the inhabitants of the state, both by a printed series of questions, propounded and circulated in the pamphlet form, and by personal application. Bringing this in aid of actual observation, the Geologist and his Assistants in that department, were enabled to fill up the skeleton maps furnished as above mentioned by the State Topographer, with a vast amount of minute information, relating both to the geology and topography, and to the improvements of the country. In this way were obtained the materials for the series of state and county maps, a work not originally contemplated by the legislature, but which was superinduced upon the other labors of the Geologists in the field and office. It is but just, to state, that from the information thus on hand, the Topographer has been enabled to construct, in part, and will have in his power fully to complete a suite of maps of the state, and the several counties, which for accuracy, extent and value of the information afforded by them, over so extended a district, have never been equaled in this or any other country.

Unfinished Work.

The duties remaining to be performed relate mainly to the compi. ling and superintending the publication of the final report, for which the materials in reference to the lower Peninsula are mostly on hand. They extend also to the completion of the Geological investigations yet unfinished in the upper Peninsula, and which it was proposed by Dr. Houghton to finish in connection with the linear surveys of the United States, now going on, under a system, devised and thus far successfully prosecuted by him. A system which, at little additional expense over that of the ordinary surveys of the United States, combines, by the simplest and cheapest means, all the advantages of the immensely expensive surveys by triangulation and instrumental ob