Owen, David Dale; First Report of a Geological Reconnaissance of the Northern Counties of Arkansas made during the years 1857 and 1858, by D. D. Owen assisted by W. Elderhorst and Edward T. Cox. Little Rock 1858. Quarto, pp. 256, frontispiece and 14 plates and illustrations including colored plates of views.

The work is complete and in modern cloth over marbled boards with black spine titles. The binding is tight and clean. Light toning to some text pages and light foxing to some plate margins. Over all in very good condition.
FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ITEMS

A Scottish stratigrapher and economic geologist; Owen (1807-1860) was appointed first State geologist of Indiana in 1837. He remained for a short period before being employed by the Federal Government to survey the mineral lands. This was followed by State Geologist positions in Kentucky and Arkansas. His reconnaissance of Arkansas included some of the first accurate geological studies of the state, its stratigraphy and formation designations. Owen later settled in New Harmony, Indiana; the utopian community founded by Archibald Bruce. His death in 1860 was a peculiar one. He was working in his laboratory and swallowed formaldehyde, having mistaken it for his cup of tea which was sitting next to the cup of formaldehyde. In the Arkansas report the authors cover the geology, paleontology, mineral resources and mineral waters of the northern part of Arkansas. Elderhorst provides detailed information on the zinc, lead, manganese, and iron deposits, the minerals found in association with the deposits and the mines operating in each area. The quite beautiful plates illustrate geological features. Five of the plates were prepared with at least three tinting stones in addition to the key stone. The plates  include: "Sugar Loaf Mountain of Searcy County," "Calico Rock on White River," "Sugar Loaf Mountain of Marion County," "Mammoth Spring of Fulton County," "Prominent Mass of Sandstone," "Rock House on Cave Creek, Newton County," and "Natural Dam Across Lee's Creek in Crawford County."