The American guide., 1896-11-28
MAPS AND BICYCLING.
mApmaking Has Been Doomed by the
Popularity of the Wheel.


There does not seem 10 be, at first
glance, any direct relation between
maps and bicycles, but there is, ard
map publishers report that cycling 10
responsible for new and enlarged de-
mand for road maps, especially those
mounted on muslin. Heretofore The
maps in most general use have been
railroad maps, and the greatest care
has been taken to make them exact, the
United States being far ahead Of all
other countries in respect of the manu-
facture of maps giving the locations Of
cities and towns, and the railroads con-
Meeting them. In England, France
and Germany the manufacture of
typographical maps has been carried
much further than in the United States
maps giving the road eleva4.ups,
grades, water courses and decliviiies--
due perhaps in = great measure to the
fact that the construction OF such inaps
is under the direction of the war depart
mcnt, with abundant means and ample
facilities, whereas in the United States
the market for maps Of all kinds comes
Fl om the genral public. OF late, how
ever, it has been found necessary, in or
der to supply the constantly-increasing
demands of bicycle riders for good
road maps, to add TO the stock OF such
publications, more especially such MS
are on muslin. In the last four years
there has been an enormous Increase in
the sale of road maps. Those sold in
New York give chiefly the Westchestcr,
Long Island, Staten Island and New
Jersey territory through which the
best roads run.
Tn headquarters Of the map-mak.ng
business OF the United States has lorg
bceen Chicago, and not until the rise Of
the bicycle as the most approved
method OF travel has New York cbal-
lenged Chicago's supremacy. Map
making has been carried OF late years
to u point at which cheapness and ac-
curacy may be said to meet The
foundation Of m ordinary map
is plain copper plate smrared
with ordinary lamp-black. Over
this is spread like film compo-
siton of soft white wax, and the map
drawing, made on engineers firm blue
paper, is spread over tho film. Then,
with n knife somewhat resembling one
Of the parts of compass, the lines are
drawn into the wax and the tracing is
removed. Map-malers have n snail
contriyance which much resembles
what is known as printers stick, ex-
ccpt that instead Of providing for
many lincs Of type, IT provides for one
only. This line is set" and then tue
type metal, which is copper-faeed, is
heated As heated 1t is applied to the
wax adjoining the point marked by
each city, and when withdrawn leaves
the name Of ,he place clearly marked.
After the wax composition has hard
encd II Is suruscd with acid, which
makes n complete cast, aud from this
east the electrotype is made from
which any number OF maps may be
printed. The chief cost Of maps, there
fore, is the first cost, and, that provided
for, the other expenses are insignif-
cant, paper md wooden or muslin
mounting being tho chief ones,
The increased popularity Of maps,
through TIE requirements of bicycle
riders, has reduced visihly the cost, and
thisls OF the beneficial effects which
have followed the bicycle craze, Still
another beneficial effect Of the popular
ity Of bicycling has been the improve
ment OF roads In the ncighborhood Of
the large citjes.--N. Y. Sun,