The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-05-29
GEOGRAPHIC SCULPTURE.
Scheme to Make an Exact Model of
the United States.

the Unitcd states.
An exact model of the United
States on a scale of two and a half
inches to the mile is ore 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 feature Of
attractiveness to the people of the
country not equaled by any piece Of
natural scenery.
1t will be recallec that several
years ago there was project for an
outdoor map Of the United States on
the Potomac flats, through which Wis
itors could walk as 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 large scale OF
what is known as the new school OF
model making. The new idea differs
from the old in that it eliminates the
exaggeration of certain lines which
was supposed to be necessary in or
der to convey to the eye the impress
sion a 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 mapmakins
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 Iew school, only on
considerably larger scale than tha
proposed for the model Of the coun
try.
It would be necessary to house thi:
model in a well-lighted building, which
would have to be about 500 feet lons
and half as wide. Visitors could SCI
it by walking over glass paths. Thes'
paths would be made on sliding sup
ports, capable of being pushed side
ways, so as to allow Of an inspection
of the whole surface.
One of the possibilities of such
model which would make it appeal t.
statesmen as a practical proposition
would be that of having any sectiol
desired removed and replica produc
tions made, as wei! rs changes mad
in the model to suit changed condl
tions, which might occur at any time
These replica sections could be mad
of paper pulp or any other light sub
stances and used in school work, jus
as the maps of the geological surVe;
are now done, and sold at cost.