which plan, with some modifications, was carried out in the final organization. This plan contemplated the employment of two geologists for each district, which was modified to the appointment of one geologist and an assistant for each district. One mineralogist was appointed for the entire State, and also one botanist and one zoölogist.
During the session of 1836 the Legislature passed "an act to provide for a Geological Survey of the State," authorizing and directing the Governor to employ a suitable number of competent persons, whose duty it shall be, under his direction, to make an accurate and complete geological survey of this State, which shall be accompanied with proper maps and diagrams, and furnish a full and scientific description of its rocks, soils, and minerals, and of its botanical and zoological productions, together with specimens of the same; which maps, diagrams, and specimens shall be deposited in the State Library; and similar specimens shall be deposited in such of the literary institutions of this State as the Secretary of State shall direct.[1]
The act further provided for an annual appropriation for defraying the expenses, and required the persons employed to make an annual report to the Legislature on or before the first day of February in each year, setting forth the progress made in the survey.
The magnitude and importance of the work were duly considered by Governor Marcy and his advisers,[2] and the appointments were made only after long deliberation, and extensive correspondence with the prominent scientific men of the country, and with the Governors of other States.
The appointments of the principal geologists were made as follows: Lieutenant W. W. Mather, a native of Connecticut, who had lately resigned from the United States Army, was assigned to the First Dis-
- ↑ Laws of fifty-ninth session, chapter 142.
- ↑ Among these gentlemen were Hon. John A. Dix, Secretary of State, Hon. Stephen Van Rensselaer, Dr. T. Romeyn Beck, Professor Amos Eaton, and Edwin Croswell, Esq., who had frequent meetings, which were continued at intervals through several months.
New York, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan, Delaware, Ulster Greene, Columbia, Rensselaer, Albany, Schoharie, Schenectady, Saratoga, and Washington containing an area of 12,263 square miles
The Second District consisted of the counties of Warren, Essex, Clinton, Franklin Hamilton, and St. Lawrence, to which was afterward added the county of Jefferson making 10,817 square miles.The Third District comprised the counties of Montgomery, Herkimer, Oneida, Lewis Jefferson (afterward added to the Second District), Oswego, Madison, Onondaga, Cayuga, Wayne, Ontario, Monroe, Orleans, Genesee, and Livingston, making, as reorganized 11,468 square miles.The Fourth District consisted of the counties of Otsego, Chenango, Broome, Tioga, Cortland, Tompkins, Seneca, Yates, Steuben, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara, embracing an area of 11,594 square miles.The Third and Fourth Districts were afterward reorganized, making all the counties to the west of Cayuga Lake, and a line drawn north and south from its two extremities, the Fourth District, which contained 11,060 square miles.