Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1906 — Report of the Geologist [ARTICLE]

Report of the Geologist

The report of the Indiana department of geology and natural resources, a volume of more than 1,300 pages, has been issued by Vv. 8. Blatehley, chief of this department. The report covers the natural resources of the state for the year 1905. A feature of the re port is an entertaining study of the roads and road material of the state. Geologist Blaehley began gathei - ing material regarding the roads of the state in 1902.

“The results,” the geologist says, “show that Indiana is abundantly supplied with materials suitable for improving in fa permanent manner all the more important highways of the state. Moreover this material is well distributed as only some eight or ten counties will have to import gravel or stone from without their bounds. The geologist sent samples of limestone from 72 different localities of the state to Washington to be tested by the United States Road laboratory. “The result of these tests,” the report says, shows that with few exceptions the limestone of southern and central Indiana are well adapted for the surfacing of country roads and highways. , The geologist in compiling his report gathered statistic from each county that show that 35 per cent of the public roads of Indiana have been improved with either stone or gravel. “In many, perhaps the majority of cases,” the geologist says, “the improvements are not what it should be for the money expended. Our roads should not be built for ourselves, Jbut for future generations. To the $36, COO,OOO or more originally spent upon the gravel and stone roads of Indiana, at least half as much more has been added for annual repairs that would not have been needed had the roads been properly built in the first place.”