Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-10-16

eft of this publication without further
expense. and the residents of the state.
as well as its officials, may purchase the
maps at rates OF cents per sheet or 81
per hundred"
The benefits OF such maps as the above
which is really in the nature OF a prom
Use from the general government, are
great and numerous.
In the first Place n definite knowledge
OF the whole area of the State is gained.
This Is iinpor tant to the development OF
whatever resources the State may
possess. Naturally such maps facilitate
and render less costly any engineering
plans which may be formed They pro-
mote accurate knowledge Of the geo
graphy OF the region. Future highways.
electric roads, railroads. water systems
and the like may be directly planned bv
these maps and thus the usually ncccs-
sary preliminary surveys will be un-
necessary. They furnish accurate infor-
nation respecting all town or other
boundaries and as to the relation Of
towns to all natural features. They ar
ford a basis to which may be- referred
all questions relating to public works
whether under the state or national gov.
eminent. They show the location, exterl,
and accessibility Of lands, water, forests.
rock and mineral deposits and thus they
are Indispensable to State officials, inves-
tors, corporations and indeed to all prop
erty owners.
In addition. as an incident in the maxi
ing Of a topographic map. monuments
are established throughout the state, the
positions Of which are accurately deter
mined by geodetic methods and which
serve as datum points for all other gov
eminent and private surveys. There are
also established throughout the State
bench marks or permanent monuments
/ In ~ I'M oil t-lt fcr t,o
future determinations of height in con-
| neCtion with all public or private en-
cheering works. Meridian marks are es-
| tabiShcd at each county seat, which ard
| local and county surveyors in determin-
ing the decllnation Of their compasses
and which thus greatly facilitate the
| search for old property lines.
The cost of making these maps is
| necessarily large, from so to SIS per
| square mile according to the regularity
| or roughness of the area surveyed. Thus
! the cost to the state would be from IS to
! 800 square milo. the general govern
ment meeting all the remaining expense.
About one third of Vermont has al
ready been surveyed without cost to the
| State, but at the expense Of New York
and Massa chusetts and the United States
| Survey. New York allowed its survey to
| extend It's work to the east shore of the
lake and south Of burlington, to includ,
! the towns on the east side The survey
| under cooperation of tho United states
/ Survey with that of Massachusetts in
/ cludes the southern border OF Vermont.
/ Moreover the United States Survey has
mapped several areas. as that in which
/ the slate occurs, some Of the marble area
/ etc. The general government now dis
/ tinctly declines to map any more of Yer
mont unless Vermont will contribute the
same proportion of the cost az have New
u phlS0ttG COnOartipltt al
and number of other States. These
have appropriated from $1,000 to SOS on
annually for this work or course in the
! larger States a large sum s needed for
the prosecution Of the survey The work
would most naturally be under the d.
rection Of the State geologist as the III
rector Of the United States Geological
Survey proposes The work need not anc
/ indeed. cannot be all done in single
! year. It may be begun and carried or
little by little II that plan seems best
The moro the annual appropriation the
more rapidly the mapping will proceed
AS has been shown, the United State,
Survey promises to duplicate whatever
sum the State is willing to allow provided
! only that Congress continues its own ap
preparations.
i While I fully believe that the mans ~
question have all the value indicated II
what has been said I have no wish 4
urge TINS matter upon the people or th
state. | simply place the opportunity be
fore them. 1t is for them to say whethe
this proposal shall he accepted or reject
ed. 1t may be well to add that I am in
i formed by the director Of the United
states Survey that the number OF State;
to which this offer is made is limited a.
the funds at tho disposal of the survey
allow only limited cooperation anc
that If Vermont does not care to under
/ take tho work there are moro States tina
do care than can he assisted.
a bill making an appropriation for thi
work will soon he introduced into tn
Legislature and II is to be hoped that
few thousand dollars will be granted an,
the work started as soon as may be
g. II. PERKINS