The Glenwood post., 1909-01-30
Il Pixies PEAK s1Nxnoe
Pike. Peak is decreasing in heigl


inference that the peak is shrinking in
to the ground may be drawn from fig
ures recently published by the Unitel
States geographical survey, regarding
the elevation of this famous mountain.
Since Perry announced the official
height of Pixies Peak as 1925 feet,
some time prior to 1884, several Other
attitudes have been announced as Off
cial by various departments of the fed
eral government, each showing de-
crease in elevation. The latest official
lpronounciamento as to the height OF
Pixies peak fixes the elevation at 14,1o9
feet. This is according to a survey
made last September.
The various federal surveys of the
country have been hitting the high
places during the last year, and their
work has resulted in shsttering many
cherished traditions as to the extreme
elevation of numerous peaks and ma
tonal land marks.
A most simple system of levelling is
now employed by the geographical sur
vey in determining the altitude of var
ious points, the principles of which arc
the same as those which were in use
1000 years ago, but the instruments are
vastly more accurate. All surveys to
determine altitude begin at point the
! elevation of which has been very care
fully determined by measuring the force
If gravitation with a pendulum. From
there a sight is made through tele-
scope to rod located a few hundred
feet distant From the rod location,
sight is then made to a new point and
so on until the desired elevation of the
| .,lace is determined.
AS the starting point usually is near
the sea coast. this means a good many
"sights from the level of the Atlantic
or Pacific ocean to the top of Pixies
peak. but they have been made by the
geographical survey, which now claims
that all previous announcements as to
the elevation of the famous mountain
,re in error. OF course this does not
mean that surveyors ran levels 20 the
top of the peak in season, but they
started from some established point
near the mountain and worked up to
the top.
The latest surveying party to fix the
altitude of Pixies peak was in charge
of Charles Hartman and it started work
from bench mark in Manftou near
the cog road and ran level to the
summit. Bad weather near the top
handicapped the party, for it is NO
easy task to handle the rod and level
with the mercury down to zero, and
stiff wind blowing a man off his feet
The last eight miles of levels in thi,
instance were run in snow from eight
to fourteen inches deep, although it
was no later in the year than the last
day of September. In its work on the
mountain that day the surveying party
experienced a change of from sixty
degrees with no wind, to twenty-five
degrees with "breeze" travelling at
the rNe of forty miles an hour and
snow falling in clouds.
Changes in figures regarding the
altitude of Pixies peak have been an
nounced by various, federal surveys
as follows:
Parry's survey, 14,2l6 feet; signal
service survey. IA, 147 feet; coast sur
vey figures, 14,1Os fee. weather bur.
eau, IA, Ill feet, and last of all the
geographical survey record of 14,1O1
feet
The last named figure is now accept.
ed as official and the metal tablet con.
tanning the record has been set in sol
i'd rock at the top of the peak.
These benchmarks being placed
throughout the country by the geo.
graphical survey are expected to last
for all time and will form the basis of
all future surveys by the federal govern
men.. They are used as starting points
; for all sorts of surveys and the records
of elevations now being established are
expected to be authoritative for all
future generations, save for al.erna.
tlons in the height of the land itself
I SCHOOL NOTES