Arizona republican., 1902-10-17
Now Survey of Grand Canyon.

The demand from scientists and tour ists for an accurate and detailed map of the famous Canyon of the Colorado in this territory has led to a resurvey of this unique region by the United States geological survey, under the charge of Francois E. Matthes. topo- grapher. The Grand canyon, formerly reached only by stage route over a desert country, has recently been made accessible by a branch line of the Santa Fe route from Williams, and during the one year that this road has been in operation the canyon has been visit ed by thousands of tourists. In the magnificence of it's proportions and the grandeur of its scenic attractions the canyon excels both the Yellowstone park and the Yosemite valley.
 The geological survey expects to pub fish a series of atlas sheets covering the entire extent of the grand canyon proper and considerable areas of the high plateaus on either side. The first of these sheets, to be known as the Bright Angel, is, we are informed, nearly completed and will be available to the public some time next summer. It includes almost all of the scenery visible from the Bright Angel hotel, familiar to every visitor. The Colorado river traverses from east to west the quadrangle represented by this sheet and divides 1t almost symmetrically.
 The new map will be on a scale of one mile to the inch and the contour in- terval will be fifty feet. It will show every pinnacle, spur, and gully in its true proportions, and each line of cliffs and terraces may be traced along the canyon walls.
 The dimensions of the Grand canyon have been the subject of much discus sion ever since it was firt explored. It may therefore be of interest to give some figures taken from this new sur vey. The average width from rim to rim does not exceed ten miles through out the Kaibab, or widest section of the canyon, and frequently narrows
 
 not occupy the middle of the gigantic trough. but flows at distance varying between one and three miles from the south side. Practically all of the mag nificent sculptured pinnacles and mesas (the so-called temples) lie north of the river, and at distances of from five to seven miles from the view points usual ly visited by toruists. The depth of the Grand canyon, in one way, has been overstaated. in another understat- ed. Measured from the south rim the total depth is considerably less than a mile. From the rim at the Bright An gel hotel, where the altitude is 6, 1866 feet above sea level. to the highwater mark of the river at the fcot of the tourist trail, the drop is 4,430 feet. The high est point on the south rim at the Grand View hotel is 7,496 feet, about 4,900 feet above the river. From the north side, however, the drop to the water level averages considerably over mile, and in many places even exceeds 5000 feet. It may be stated in a general way that the north rim is from 1000 to 1,20O feet higher than the south, thus producing that high, even sky line so striking in all views obtainable by the tourist. The figures here given are based on spirit levels run in connection with the map work They are the first that have ever been run to the bottom of the chasm. and the high standard of accuracy maintained throughout will cause them to be considered authori- tative and final.