The record-union., 1892-12-10
TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS.
Something That California Stands
Much in Need Of.
The Universities and Scientific Socie-
ties Ask the Executive to Inter-
est Himself in the Matter.

The project has been taken up by Joint
committee from the State University, the
Science Association of the University, the
Stanford University, the Academy of
Sciences and the Technical Society. This
committee is composed as follows:
From the State University-E. w. Hill
gard, Professor of Agriculture; s. B.
Christy. Professor of Mining; Frank
Soule, Professor of Civil Engineering
and Professor A. c. Lawson of Mineral
ogy.
From the Science Association of the
niversity-Professor Joseph LeConte Of
Geology; Professor K. L. Greene, Botany,
and L. Ritter, Instructor in Biology.
From the Stanford University-J. c..
Breuner, Professor of Geology; Profess
sor Marx of Civil Engineering, and Pro-
fessor Stillman of Chemistry.
From the Academy of Sciences H.
| w. Hardness, President; Professor Soup
ham, Secretary, and Mr.. Brandiger.
! From the Technical Society-C. +.
Grunsky and Messrs. Curtis and Nischer.
This joint committee selected Protes-
| sors lie Conte, Christy and Lawson to
confer with Governor Markham with a
view to enlisting his support to the
movement. and yesterday the distin-
guished professors, accompanied by Hon.
l.. W. Maslln, Manager and Secretary Of
the State Board of Trade, held a long
consultation with the Governor.
To RECORD reporter the fol-
lowing statement of the objects and adj
vantages OF the work in hand was given
ORIGIN OF THE MOVEMENT.
An important movement for good maps
has been inaugurated in the United States
tlnn AZ
ing good topographic maps of the various
States of the Union. In 1884 the Massa-
chusetts Legislature passed resolution
to this effect: That the Governor with
the advice and consent of the Council, be
and is hereby authorized to appoint
commission, TO consist OF three persons
of the commonwealth, qualified by
education and experience in tOpOgraph-
ical science. to confer with the Director or
representative of the United States
Geological Survey and accept its CO.
operation with the commonwealth in the
preparation and completion of a contour
typographical survey and map of this
commonwealth, hereby authorized to be
made"
Pursuant to this Act, and under ar
rangement with the commission thus
created, topographic survey Of Massa-
chusetts was begun, the work being done
by corps of tOpographers of the United
States Geological Survey. Half the ex-
pense of the survey was paid by the State.
The work was completed in three years.
and the result was a complete and eX-
ceedingly useful topographic map of the
State on scale of one mile to one inch.
Following the example thus set, SINH
lar steps were taken by the neighboring
States of Rhode Island. Connecticut and
New Jersey, and these States also now
have complete and satisfactory topo-
graphic maps on the same scale, and for
comparatively small outlay. Last wear
New York State adopted the same plan
and spent $4,000 as a preliminary meas
ure to inaugurate the work, and the State
Engineer now, expects to arrange for
legislative grant of S25,000 annually for
ten years as the States share in the cost
of survey of New York.
That these maps are appreciated by the
people is shown by the fact that from
February Ist to October lst of the present
year the sales ofthe completed topograph-
ical sheets of Massachusetts (sold at cost
amounted to So, ,0S6, or say IS, 900 per year
The cost of the survey to that State was
$40, 900, the total cost being $4,000. 1t is
now proposed to secure for California. by
the method adopted by the above men
toned States,
a CONTOURED TOPOGRAPHIC MAP
OF our valley areas, foothills and lower
a map would mark an important step in
the development of the country goes
without saying. The cartography of
country may, indeed, be taken as a meas
ure Of the advancement Ofits people along
the lines Of modern civilization. The most
advanced nations of Europe are those
which have undertaken the most extern
sive surveys, and which possess the most
perfect maps. The industrial, CONNER
cial and intellectual advance of people is
proportionate to the advantage which is
taken of the photographic conditions by
which they are environed. These condi-
tions are always carefully scrutinized by
the originators of all those enterprises,
the individual successes of which make
for the general welfare ofthe community.
The first rational preliminary in such
scrutiny of our photographic environ
ment is map of some kind; and. the
better the map, the more nearly correct
will be the conclusions arrived at
Wherever there has been progress
THE NEED OF MAPS
Has been felt. Thus it happens that in
every civilized country there has been
continuous evolution Of maps: survey
has been added to survey, and old sur
veys have been superseded by new ones,
and in general the last map is better than
all which preceded it. But from the uu-
systematic way in which these SURVEYS
have been related to one another, and by
reason of lack of comprehensivenes OF
purpose exhibited in their construction.
the earlier maps Of all countries have been
very detective, and unduiy costly.
In the general advance of science in re-
cent years, however, map-making has
not Jagged behind, and the modern
methods of Topographic surveying are
capable Of affording faithful representa-
tions Of the natural surface OF the earth,
OF such a character as to be practically
permanent. save for the occasional addi-
ton Of new culture. The benefits accru-
ing from such map are manifold. and
these will be multiplied in proportion as
it shall be available early in the develop
meut of our resources.
If the thickly settled countries of Eu-
rope, where the character of the land is
known, find these maps a desideratum,
to be had at any price, how much more
useful would they prove to US in sparsely
populated California, at practically the be-
ginning of our material development as a
people? A few of the more important
benefits arising from topographic maps
may be thus enumerated:
VALUE OF THE MAPS.
First-Irrigation and water supply:
They will aid in the proper understand
ing and solution of the many complex
problems of irrigation and water supply
which confront the people OF this state,
and in the preliminary planning OF
works.
Second-Agriculture: They will serve
for intelligently representing the many
different soils of the State, and the rela-
ton of these soils to the slopes of the
land; for the representation of the hypso-
metric, as we'll as the geographic distribu-
ton OF plants useful TO man; aud in the
study of forestry problems.
Third-Mining. They will hasten the
Just solution OF the hydraulic debris
problems.
Fourth-Railways roads and canals:
ir, fa tha