Sunday Washington globe., 1902-05-25
GEOGRAPHIC SCULPTURE.
Scheme to Make an Exact Model or
the United States.


An exact model of the United
States on scale Of two and a half
inches to the mile is one of the pos.
sibilities of the future as an added
attraction to the national capital.
While this possibility Is. strictly
speaking, as yet only in the air. it
nevertheless has some jealous advo.
Gates who see in it not only a great
educational function, but a feature of
attractiyeness to the people Of the
country not equaled by any piece Of
natural scenery.
1t will be recalleS that several
years ago there was a project for an
outdoor map OF the United States on
the Potomac fats, through which Wis
itors could walk Gs through a park.
Bills were introduced in Congress for
this project by Senator Cannon, OF
Utah. The idea was also zealously
advocated by Mr.. Gardiner Hubbard,
president Of the National Geographic
Society.
The present plan, however. contess-
plates a much more perfect repro
duction than would be possible in an
outdoor map. The country would be
produced in strictly the same manner
as the city of Washington has been
in the models prepared by the park
commission and now on exhibition In
the Congressional Library. This
scheme carried out delicately and ac-
curately would make It possible to re-
produce every building. road. bridge
and railroad in the United States. as
we'll as the physical features Of the
country.
A model Of this character and on
the same scale is now being made Of
Switzerland. This model will be the
first production on a large scale of
what is known as the new school of
model making. The new idea differs
from the old in that 1t eliminates the
exaggeration of certain lines which
was supposed to be necessary in or
der to convey to the eye the impress
sion person supposedly gets by see
ing the original subject. To accom-
plish this the scale in elevations had
to be made different than that of the
surface modelled, which fact has tend
ed to destroy popular confidence in
the accuracy OF the old models.
The new modelling Is really geo
graphic sculpture" as some OF its
devotees call it. It aims at absolute
accuracy and Is made possible
through the perfection in mapmaking
and of dry-plate photography. There
Is no attempt at exaggeration of ele-
vations or any other illusion. The
new park commission models are ex-
amples of the new school. only on
considerably larger scale than that
proposed for the model OF the coun-
try.
Il would be necessary to house this
model in well-llghted building. which
would have to be about 800 feet long
and half as wide. Visitors could see
1t by walking over glass paths. These
paths would be made on sliding sup
ports. capable of being pushed side
ways, so as to allow OF an inspection
Of the whole guTface.
One Of the possibilities Of such a
model which wo1ld make 1t appeal to
statesmen as a practical proposition
would be that OF having any section
desired removed end replica produc-
tions made, as WEI s7 changes made
in the model to suit changed condi-
tions. which mig 1t occur at any time.
These replica sections could be made
OF paper pulp or any other light sub
stances and used in school work, just
as the maps Of the geological survey
are now done, and sold at cost.