The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1905-02-21
CAMPAIGN OF
Ed ucAT|oN
How the U. S. Government Pre-
pares Typographical Maps
of the Country :.
Especial Staff Correspondent

\opCNiui NotdII
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.-The topo-
graphic maps Of the United States geo.
logical survey have gained wide popu-
larity in the last nine years. Whereas
only s6.974 maps were distributed in
1895. there were 501,775 maps sent out
in 1904. These were distributed as fol-
lows: through retail sale. 1906:
through wholesale sale, 293,653;
through members of congress-, 1887;
to libraries and institutions, 1919; for
official use, SILT. Although the retail
price of each map is only five cents
and the wholesale price but two cents,
the considerable sum of $S.976.36 was
received for maps. This merely de-
trays the cost of the presswork and
does not pay for the paper on which
the maps are printed or, for the expense
Of distributing them. The total amount
received for publications Of all kinds
in 1904 was $12,222.21 as compared with
$21S0S5 in 1895. Notwithstanding the
fact that many publications that were
sold in 1895 are now distributed free.
1t Is only since the passage Of an act
Of congress on February 1s. 1897. that
the maps have been disposed of by sale.
They are sold at the rate of five cents
a sheet of standard size. When 100 or
more standard topographic atlas
sheets, or their equivalent in value in
other maps, are ordered, a discount of
60 per cent will be made from the re-
i tot v,ina tho& ;c eto
graphic atlas sheets will cost ST.. The
order may be given for that many cop
les Of one sheet only or for that many
different Sheets and, unless otherwise
stated, this discount will apply also to
special. general, and combined maps
the larger maps only may be ordered;
but in no case can orders be filled at
the wholesale rate unless the sum re-
mitted solely for topographic maps
amounts to at least 81. Prepayment is
required and may be made by money
order payable to the order of the d.
rector of the United States geological
survey, or In cash-the exact amount.
Checks foreign coin, and postage
stamps can not be accepted.
Ever since its organization in 1879,
the United States geological survey has
been engaged In making topographic
survey and map Of the United States.
The unit Of survey Is a quadrangle 10
minutes. 80 seconds. or degree in ex-
tent each way. covering an area Of one
sixteenth, one-fourthi or one square
degree" The unit of publication is an
atlas sheet 12ls by 20 inches, and each
sheet it Topographic map of one of
the above areas. The scale of the full
degree sheet is 1:250000. that of the
30 second sheet is 1: $4,000. and that of
the Is second sheet 1:62500. A sheet is
designated by the name of some WE'LL
known place or feature appearing on it,
and the names of adjoining published
sheets are printed on the margins. The
maps are engraved on copper and
printed from stone, in three colors. The
cultural features, such as roads, rail-
roads, cities, towns, etc, as well as all
lettering. are in black, all water feat
ures are printed in blue; while the hill
features are shown by brown contour
lines. The contour interval varies with
the scale of the map and the relief of