The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-01-11
MEASURING THE EARTH.
Trying to Determine the Exact Shape
of Our Planet.


years, showing the curvature OF the
earth's surface ON this hemisphere, was
completed by the United States Coast
and Geodetic Survey early this month.
Although it is the most gigantic feat OF
geodetbc surveying ever accomplished
in the world, no pubic announcements
of it's completion has been heretofore
made.
The enterprise was inaugurated py
President Jefferson in 1907, but no ac-
tive progress in pushing it was recorded
for many years later. Since 1914 several
parties of civil engineers have been at
work almost steadily between the Al
lantic and Pacific Coasts, making the
triangulations for the big arc, under
the direct supervision OF the d1Herehl
coast and geodetic survey superlntenh-
entS. These earth measures worked LII
general line toward one another from
both sides of the continent. About the
middle of the month the two base lines
from which the closing calculations
have been made were verified. One was
drawn in the State of Kansas. and the
other in Salt Lake Valley, Utah
Engineer p. A Welker, who cooper
ated with Engineer William Elmbeck,
on the Salt Lake Valley base line, Is
now at the Brown Palace Hotel. He
has just returned from Utah, and is ON
his way to Washington to report ON his
labors. The final measurements in
Kansas We're taken under the direction
of Engineer Granger.
ct is extremely difficult to give in an
interview anything like comprehen-
sive and ineligible account of the
work the United States Coast and Ge-
odetic Survey has just completed in this
section of the United States" ex-
claimed Engineer Welker yesterday.
1.-THE general purpose in measuring an
arc across the American continent is
primarily to get the true curvature OF
the earth on this hemisphere. An ac-
curate survey, something that was
never before reached, is also desired.
Surveys are generally made on the
basis that the surface of the earth is
fat.
This country is cooperating with all
the other civilized countries for the
common purpose of getting a new fig
ure of the earth established. This fig
ure will be an approximately true one,
and is to supersede the figure now in
use. Bessel's ellipsoid, the first figure
of the earth used by scientists, was es-
tablished from data collected by the
Germans. The next ellipsoid-the one
now accepted-was established, think
by Clarke, an Englishman.
In 1874 an international agreement
was reached among the civilized ma
lions to take measurements for another
ellipsoid, one that will be practically
true. Every Government of conse-
quence in the world has since been en-
gagged In measuring out an arc ON the
surface of the globe. The arc in this
country is the longest measured by any
one nation 1t is 5000 miles in length
All surveys in this country are to be
corrected by the arc measured out from
the Atlantic to the Pacific. The ordinary
surveys are inaccurate, as the survey
ing engineers do not allow for the curv-
allure of the earth. In surveying a.
State, say, they measure from county
to county, and the consequence is that
the surveys thus made overlap each
other
There have been a large number of
engineering parties employed on the
American arc from time to time Will
iSfiAA AN4iiAcCShp NJhcIi JpIlltu III Ulle odII
Lake Valley last summer, has recently
had general charge of the triangulation
operations from the Pacific Coast to
1.-THE Rocky Mountains. Engineer Grain
ger finished UP the work ON the Kansas
base line
Two years ago the connections be-
tween the EASTERN and western parties
of engineers We're made at Mount Ebert
and Ouray. / was up there then, using
the Telegraph in getting measurements
among the mountains. BY this system
of sun flaming much better work can be
done i'm mountainous country than on
the plains, as We get longer lines.
"A longer arc than ours is the one
measured conformity by England, Ger
many and Russia. These countries COM
bired on one arc, and France and Spain
on another. The English have also done
a good deal of triangulation measuring
IN India. AS l said before, all the i'm
| rortant nations have been engaged in
| the work
1T will probably be a year before the
calculations are all completed and a
true figure of the earth is established.
| The arc in this country will be COM
1
over the globe and the mean curvature
Of the earth's surface thus obtained.
1t is expected that the triangulation
| calculations, combined with the use of
the pendulum, will give us the length
OF the earth's diameter to g. degree of
accuracy within possible difference
OF fifty feet from the exact diameter.
| I'm taking measurements here we
flrst strike a straight line from five to
seven miles in length. This is our base
| line. From this base the engineers then
spread out with triangles and ouadri-
lsJterals, so as to reach lines of twenty
FIVE miles. From those figures we
spread out into lines running from 1OO
to 1870 miles in length, using the ordi
nary methods of mathematical calcu
lation.'
| In connection with the work of fri
angulation just finished, another party
on coast and geodetic survey engineers
nave been engaged in running a line of
| feTelS across the American continent
Ihls latter is being done for the p1r-
pose OF accurately establishing alti-
tudeS. These had heretofore been fixed
chiefly by the railroad companies. The
line of levels will run from Sandy Hool,
n. y. to San Francisco 1t took over
thirty years work in making tide OBJ
serVahons ON the Atlantic and Pacific
to get true sea levels as a preliminary
TO the altitude survey. The lime of
levels has reached Kansas from the
New York end, where operations ON n
We're suspended about two months ago
denver Republican.
4
The London Chronicle" saws that
| Archbishop Benson and Cardipa1 NJ