George Otis Smith
Encyclopedia
George Otis Smith was an American
geologist
.
. He graduated from Colby College
in 1893 and earned a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University
in 1896. He served as director of United States Geological Survey
from 1907 to 1922 and 1923 to 1930. He also served as the first chairman of the Federal Power Commission
under Herbert Hoover
from 1930 to 1933. Smith died in Augusta, Maine
.
as Director in May 1907 and continued as Director until December 1930. Smith had joined the Survey after receiving his doctorate from Johns Hopkins University
in 1896, and he was barely 36 years old when he was appointed Director. His Survey career had not been particularly distinguished, but he had come to the attention of the new Secretary of the Interior, James R. Garfield, in 1906 when Smith had served as chairman of one of the subcommittees of a Presidential commission that sought to put the operation of Government agencies on a modern businesslike basis. Smith was particularly interested in a business policy for the public domain. He also believed that the work of the Survey should be primarily although not exclusively practical.
After the great coal strike in 1922, a Coal Commission was established to study the problems of the industry and to aid Congress on legislation that would ensure the Nation of an adequate supply of coal. Director Smith was a member of the Commission, and the Geological Survey's resource data provided the basis for much of the Commission's report. In 1924, Smith unsuccessfully urged resumption of coal research in much the same terms as Walcott had used in 1898. Director Smith also served as Chairman of a three-man commission appointed by President Calvin Coolidge
in March 1924, after the Teapot Dome scandal
, to study the efficient management of the naval petroleum reserves, and as Chairman of the Advisory Committee to the Cabinet-level Federal Oil Conservation Board established in December 1924 to reappraise Federal oil policies.
In the fall of 1929, the first Hoover budget called for increased funds for scientific agencies, including $100,000 for fundamental research in geologic sciences, the first substantial increase in Federal funds for geologic investigations since 1915. In the spring of 1930, Congress appropriated $2.87 million for the Geological Survey and also appropriated funds for the expenses of a commission on the conservation and administration of the public domain. In December 1930, Hoover appointed Smith to the newly reorganized Federal Power Commission
and then appointed Walter Curran Mendenhall
to succeed Smith as Director. (USGS History)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
.
Life and career
Smith was born in Hodgdon, MaineHodgdon, Maine
Hodgdon is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,240 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
. He graduated from Colby College
Colby College
Colby College is a private liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. Founded in 1813, it is the 12th-oldest independent liberal arts college in the United States...
in 1893 and earned a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
in 1896. He served as director of United States Geological Survey
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
from 1907 to 1922 and 1923 to 1930. He also served as the first chairman of the Federal Power Commission
Federal Power Commission
The Federal Power Commission was an independent commission of the United States government, originally organized on June 23, 1930, with five members nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate...
under Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
from 1930 to 1933. Smith died in Augusta, Maine
Augusta, Maine
Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
.
USGS career
Smith was the Geologist-in-charge of the Section of Petrography of the Geologic Branch, succeeded Charles Doolittle WalcottCharles Doolittle Walcott
Charles Doolittle Walcott was an American invertebrate paleontologist. He became known for his discovery in 1909 of well-preserved fossils in the Burgess Shale of British Columbia, Canada.-Early life:...
as Director in May 1907 and continued as Director until December 1930. Smith had joined the Survey after receiving his doctorate from Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
in 1896, and he was barely 36 years old when he was appointed Director. His Survey career had not been particularly distinguished, but he had come to the attention of the new Secretary of the Interior, James R. Garfield, in 1906 when Smith had served as chairman of one of the subcommittees of a Presidential commission that sought to put the operation of Government agencies on a modern businesslike basis. Smith was particularly interested in a business policy for the public domain. He also believed that the work of the Survey should be primarily although not exclusively practical.
After the great coal strike in 1922, a Coal Commission was established to study the problems of the industry and to aid Congress on legislation that would ensure the Nation of an adequate supply of coal. Director Smith was a member of the Commission, and the Geological Survey's resource data provided the basis for much of the Commission's report. In 1924, Smith unsuccessfully urged resumption of coal research in much the same terms as Walcott had used in 1898. Director Smith also served as Chairman of a three-man commission appointed by President Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
in March 1924, after the Teapot Dome scandal
Teapot Dome scandal
The Teapot Dome Scandal was a bribery incident that took place in the United States in 1922–23, during the administration of President Warren G. Harding. Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall leased Navy petroleum reserves at Teapot Dome and two other locations to private oil companies at low...
, to study the efficient management of the naval petroleum reserves, and as Chairman of the Advisory Committee to the Cabinet-level Federal Oil Conservation Board established in December 1924 to reappraise Federal oil policies.
In the fall of 1929, the first Hoover budget called for increased funds for scientific agencies, including $100,000 for fundamental research in geologic sciences, the first substantial increase in Federal funds for geologic investigations since 1915. In the spring of 1930, Congress appropriated $2.87 million for the Geological Survey and also appropriated funds for the expenses of a commission on the conservation and administration of the public domain. In December 1930, Hoover appointed Smith to the newly reorganized Federal Power Commission
Federal Power Commission
The Federal Power Commission was an independent commission of the United States government, originally organized on June 23, 1930, with five members nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate...
and then appointed Walter Curran Mendenhall
Walter Curran Mendenhall
Walter Curran Mendenhall was born on February 20, 1871 in Marlboro, Ohio. He died on June 2, 1957 in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Mendenhall was a graduate of Ohio Normal University. He married Alice May Boutelle and had two children, Margaret Boutelle Mendenhall, born in 1916 in New York and Alice...
to succeed Smith as Director. (USGS History)
Publications
- Smith, George Otis. "Notes on crystals of scapolite, gypsum, and fayalite..." Johns Hopkins University Circular, pp. 81–83 (1894)
- Smith, George Otis. "The volcanic series of the Fox Islands, ME" Johns Hopkins University Circular, pp. 12–13 (1895)
- Smith, George Otis. "The rocks of Mount Rainier" United States Geological Survey Annual Report, vol.18, Part 2, pp. 416–423 (1898)
- Smith, George Otis. "Igneous phenomena in the Tintic Mountains, Utah" Science, vol.7, pp. 502 (1898)
- Willis, Bailey; Smith, G O. "Description of the Tacoma Quadrangle, Washington" Geological Atlas Folio, Report: GF-0054, 10 pp. (1899)
- Smith, George Otis; Tower, G W; Emmons, S F. "Description of the Tintic special district, Utah" Geological Atlas Folio, Report: GF-0065, 8 pp. (1900)
- Smith, George Otis. "Geology and water resources of a portion of Yakima County, Washington" U. S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper, Report: W 0055, 68 pp. (1901)
- Smith, George Otis; Smith Physiography, G O; Range, Cascade; Willis, Bailey. "Contributions to the geology of Washington; geology and physiography of central Washington" U. S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, Report: P 0019, 101 pp. (1903)
- Smith, George Otis. "Work of the United States Geological Survey" Mining World, pp. 136–137 (1911)
- Smith, George Otis. "The policy of the Geological Survey" Science, pp. 401–403 (1912)
- Smith, George Otis. "Military contribution of civilian engineers" Geological Society of America Bulletin, vol.30, no.3, pp. 399–404 (1919)
- Smith, George Otis. "Topographic and geologic maps" The Military Engineer, vol.17, no.95, pp. 381–395 (1925)
- Rickard, Thomas Arthur. "George Otis Smith [1871-1944] an appreciation" Mining and Metallurgy, vol.25, no.447, pp. 191 (1944)
- Smith, Philip Sidney. "Memorial to George Otis Smith (1871-1944)" Proceedings of the Geological Society of America, pp. 309–329, (May 1945)
External links
- Portrait of George Otis Smith via the US Geological Survey
- Photograph of George Otis Smith via the US Geological Survey
- George Otis Smith (1921): “Plain Geology”
