The Green Forest tribune., 1903-07-11
A TYPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY.
Now Being Made of the Couutry
 Surrounding Green Forest.

Prof. H. B. Blair, topographer. of Washington, D. C., and a corps of six assistants are now engaged in gathering data here for the purpose of making topographi- cal map of section of the coun- try in which is included the town of Green Forest.
 The land that he expects to go over this summer covers an area of about fourteen miles east and west by thirty north and south. starting from the Missouri line. Green Forest is about the center of the territory and this place will be made headquarters until the work is completed, which will re- quire about sixty days time.
 Besides Prof. Blair there are in the corps of engineers, two levelmen, two rodmen and two field assistants. Only two Of the party besides Mir. Blair have worked at the business before. E. J. Fisher of the Madison State University of Wisconsin and R. F. Moss of the Missouri State University of Columbia are ex- perienced men. The four ap- prentices are from the Arkansas University of Fayetteville.
 Prof. Blair has found that the exact elevation of Green Forest at the corner by the Star hotel, which is about an average eleva ton of the land inside the incor- poration, is 1343 feet. He says that so far as elevation is con- cerned this country ought to be d very healthful location, as the distance we are above sea level ought to insure absolute freedom against malaria.
 This typographical work is be- ing done under the department of Interior of the United States gov ernment. It was begun about twenty years ago and is intended to be carried on till the entire surface of the United States has been covered. Something like one-third has been gone over up to this time. The work is very exhaustive, elevations being taken along every country and private road and from all of the hills and carefully noted, so that when map is prepared 1t will show the elevations exactly as they exist.
 Mr. Blair is assisted in his work in locating corners by the field notes made by the govern ment in 1880. which, while they are very imperfect, are quite es- sential to the successful carrying on of this work.
 This typographical work is only preliminary to the work of the geological survey which will be made by the same department Of government later on. Mr. Blair says that every civilized country on earth is now prosecuting d similar work to this he is doing, some of the older countries haV- ing had it in progress for moro than 600 years.
 It is the purpose to have these maps of the country so perfect that a person may form a definite idea of any part of the country he may desire information con cerning without having to visit it.
 Prof. Blair is only one, of course, of several hundred men employed by the government in this typographical work. The same kind of work is being car ried on now in many different states. The summers are spent in making observations, the notes upon which are compiled during the winter months.
 Prof. Blair says 1t is his inten- ton to furnish publication, which is gotten out by this de- partment of the government, an article on this section soon and when 1t Is out he has promised to furnish THE TRIBUNE with a copy of it.