Excerpt from The Geological Map of the United States and the United States Geological Survey, 1892
Preface. - This paper is published in order to call attention to the incompetence and extravagance of an administration, bent on entailing difficulties on American Geology which may be perpetuated for centuries in the future.
As Geologists we are all concerned in the doings of the United States Geological Survey, and on us fall the duty to expose the wrong already done, and to prevent, if possible, any further great blunders.
America presents such a splendid field for the progress of Geology, that it is almost unendurable to see it spoiled by unskilful hands, not trained and educated for the work. It is an uncongenial task, and I have hesitated before undertaking it. But after long consideration, I wrote it, with the full knowledge of what is in store for me. I shall be either misunderstood, or disapproved; for it is always unsafe to be too far in advance of your time.
In order to see the effect produced, I asked a friend to read my manuscript, and here is his opinion: "The paper is a strong arraignment of the Survey, and if printed will attract general attention and will be largely read. Of course the Survey men will scout it, and cast all manner of fun upon it, abusing it and its author. But it puts some of the failings of the management in bold light before the scientific world. The strong point, is a call for a larger personal direction committee or commission, etc."
Yes, such will be my reward, but I shall have the conscience of having done my duty, and my whole duty, to American geology. After almost fifty years of geological researches in both hemispheres, my time of usefulness is past, and probably the last service I can render, is to show the actual condition of the Geological Survey and what it ought to be, in order to construct and publish the Geological Map of the United States.
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