The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-06-02

as National Park BY
~ Coast ma Geodstic
Corps
\ work That May Take
700 Years to Cona-
plotA


{ft%Nk& EATgzE A&TLGT11 - Mg|TE- Ee5hF sT5HSH,
lSSsSIho fJnitod states Coast and Gsodssic
Sx 9rry,yS estorpa HI just commenced : survey
I J1hs National park taking Helena az its
i 1aSun poinA. This 10 bnt : part OF the
S1gant euryey which will in the eouras Of
1ir0a cover ths United States with = vast
9MAmuNStH work 4of linen and monuments. MT.
l1lahn6leits Ut the gsodetic corps. reached
sAaHSSj6na lnst Saturday and has his observa-
1ion tene pitohsd Ia Abe northwsst corner OF
Sxho Aaray lawn and will remain here soms
Saya. III vas hsrs In July, 1880. whom q
Kass Inc VA established between Salt
T,aks aad Helena. Hs says the Helena
Snoint. which Ii ! stone pillar sunk in the
rroundin che lawn, II o n Of the best estab-
sllahsd il ths United States n tied to she
snvUryeyA q far made in . double KNOT
u wsrs. IN The csnter Of tho tent y the
Srrail pillar sunk into : bed q cement
SiAhtoo 81 -four feet beneath the surface OF
9xha lawn. On This pillar 10 mounted q
Isalmm0all tsisscope of tho best manufacture
Nat Uncle SANS money can buy, Through
Nv sift insths roof 81 the tent tho telescope
" has aclsar swssp 81 tho heavens on : north
sSand sonth line. The smallest change in
M temperature will can't the instrument
Srnm one aide to the other Of this estab-
iiahel line. and to correot such changes in
gxha p~osition 81 the telescope MIR. Sinclair
sSnssa 4 delicats spirit level which will show
~ slirhtsst deviation in the position Of
- telescope. Yet in spite of every pre-
Inaufion that IL used instrumental srrors
crssp into the work, but they are 90
hall shat they make but little difference
" Tho results.
Yn establishing tho base line between
Heiens and Salt Lake Mr.. st. Glars pan
u observatory was connected by telegraph
Nlth another observatory at Salt Lake,
there smother member OF the coast survey
Ir mailing these observations = lat Of
twenty STARS ID used. With his chronoms-
II Iii aide the observer notes The time
that each tiny poiAt Of light 10 due. Then
Nth HID eye 70 the telescope and n hand
~ n ~slectrie button that breaks the circuit
in Whish II placed another chronometsr,
which records the divisions Of time on q
small cylinder moved BY olockwork. he
waits for The star to cross the field of vision.
IaThie IL divided Cd BY minute lines, the mid
one of whiCh ID the established north
md south line. Al the star crosses each
Inc ~ electric button u pressed and tho
rsstFd Is The tims i made on the revolving
cylinder.
Ths record Il made On . cylinder, rsvolv-
lng With nearly uniform velocity. severed
With Z sAaet Of paper, upon whieh a pen
txaess = line interrupted or defscted for An
Instant. threugh thu agency ct an electro
magnek every tins ths e~hroAometer ticks,
= Y Icing 20 Interrupts the oirc.it. The
pons1 at the same time moving 90 that the
tiney which 10 thus graduated into spaces
eeU1sspon1iAg TO seconds Of time. 10 de-
M I11be6 with uniform velocity. When any
& Instant ~ time 10 to b. recorded, the OBJ
Soexysr jpressss The electric button which
bFaakS The current and causes . mark to be
ma1e - ths record; the position Of which
in fetersnss TO the adjacsnt second marks,
an ~ read Of with great precision. BY
oempa1ing the observations of both sta
tiona IL mean result will give the longi-
tads.S i
M. Bt. CLAIR was n the tent last evening
ma explained the objects Of the survey.
TIN work has been going on for a good
many ysars. and II ID sstimated that at the
prsssat nate Of progress at which it is be-
Inn sarrisd N is will take between four and
Av6 hundred years to complete the survey.
M But whom ii 10 completed Uncle Sam will
s have ! mag Of his country Of which he may
veil % proud. During the course OF the
aurvey points will be established in the
Mn v8A ~ v0So VA OASSAV y
curs an accurate survey Of their own do
main. The state surveys may then be fur
NV the4 extended and made to embrace the
smallest Typographical features desired.
Cities, villages and farms will then como
into the scope of these Surveys. thus render
Ing boundaries hxed and secure. Tho city
engineer Of Helena. says 500 years from now,
may be able TO have q map Of the own in
hin possession that will enable him to do
accurate work. If he desires to lay out a
line Of sewer pipes he can do it without 20
ing to the trouble Of making an extended
survey, and he will not have to run up to
she county clerks Office and search through
she musty old tonnes for some old plat of so
p sc's addition TO the original townsite
Ct Helena.
In Ill eeodetie surveys the first operation
consists in measuring TO the last limits of
accuracy one or more distances called base
lines. These are from i've to seven miles
sessss Of trisRKulation with a multitude OF
polnts, 10 taken that the lines joining them
shall constitute a network of triangles ex-
u landing over the tract to be surveyed.
These points serve as points Of reference. &c
which other points are referred. The lat.
Yer points in turn serve as starting points
9ron which the more minute filling up O.
the survey il completed.
lEn1tand has not only covered the British
Isles BY the gsodstic operations Of the ord
nance survey, but has executed still more
extensive Surveys in India. besides extend
Ing Of The Cape of Good Hope the arc first
measured by the French. In Russia tn.
geodstic operations cover q range of twenty.
nine degrees OF latitude. North Americs
early furnished 4 contribution to the gen
exal stock Of information on goedasy b,
Mason n Dixon's measurement of tn,
line between Maryland and Delaware, ant
Ahe determination Of latitude at its ter.
minal points.
Mr.. sinclair has been engaged in the worl
for ten years, starting from Cape Nav
Since his last visit here he has been engaged
~ various points in the east. He came t,
Helena from Eel Paso. Tex. During tn
DAY MI. Sinclair is busy for five or al
hours IN making his calculations from tn
data sc:ufsd the evening before. Las
night when MI. Sinclair was called upo1
the weather was not favorable for the worl
Ihe SKY was clouded and some Of the earl
stars could noS be seen.
The nrunaell steck OF dry goods must =
- sonn ~ possible. Everything frst-cias
except the prices. Call early at No.
South Main.
How Many Can Yeu Accom- modate?
All persons who can accommodate visi