Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-12-11
SURVEY OF GRAND CANYON.
Particuinrs Regarding Some of the
Wonderful Features of This
Unique Region.

The demand from scientists and
| tourists for an accurate aud detailed
map of the famous canyon of the Col
orado in Arizona has led to a resuryey
of this unique region by the United
States geological survey, under the
| charge of Francois Matthes, topog-
rapher, states the Washington Post.
lhe grand canyon, formerly reached
only by a stage route over d .ert
country, has recently been ma { ac-
cessible by branch line from Will
liamS, and during the one year that
this road has been in operation the
canyon has been visited by thousands
of tourists. In the magnificence of its
proportions and the grandeur of its
scenic attractions the canyon bids fair
to rival both the Yellowstone park
and the Yosemite valley.
The United States geological sur
vey expects to publish a series of atlas
sheets covering the entire extent of
the Grand canyon proper, and consid-
cradle areas of the high plateaus on
either side. The first of these sheets,
to be known as the Bright Angel, is
BILE to the public some time next sum-
mer. 1t includes almost all of the
scenery visible from the Bright An
gel hotel, familiar to every visitor.
The Colorado river traverses from
east to west the quadrangle repre-
sented by this sheet and divides it al
most symmetrically. The new map
Will be on a scale of one mile to the
inch, and the contour interval will be
so feet. 1t will show every pinnacle,
spur and gully in its true proportions,
and each line of cliff and terrace may
be traced along the canyon walls.
The dimensions of the Grand cam
yon have been the subject of much
discussion ever since it was explored.
1t may, therefore, be of interest to
give some figures taken from this new
survey. The average width from rim
to rim does not exceed ten miles
throughout the Kaibab, or widest Sec
tion of the canyon, and frequently
narrows down to eight miles. The
river ~oes 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 magnifcently
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 usu-
ally visited by tourists. The death Of
the Grand Canyon, in one way, has
been overstated, in another UNDER
stated. Measured from the south rim,
the total depth is considerably less
than a mile. From the rim at the
Bright Angel hotel, where the altitude
is G.S66 feet above sea level, to the high
water mark of the river at the foot of
the tourist rail, the drop is 4,43O feet.
The highest point on the south rim at
the Grand View hotel is 7,496 feet,
the north side, however, the urbb II
the water level averages considerably
over a mile, and in many places even
exceeds 5000 feet. 1t may be stated
in a general way that the north rim is
from 1000 to 1,2OO feet higher than the
south, thus producing that high, even
sky line so striking in all views obtain
able 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 con-
sidered authoritative and final.