The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-06-27

With the breath of spring comes to
all Of Uncle Sans Geological Sur
vey men the call Of the vast stretch
es of sagetrush and shortgrass coun-
try of the West, the mountains and
glaciers of the backbone Of the coun-
try, and the snow-bound territory of
Alaska. During the winter months
they have been busy at their desks in
the office a: Washington, but now the
reports and maps of the last field sea-
son, are completed and the geologists,
the photographers, the ,topographers
the animal and plant fossil experts,
and other specialists are spreading
throughout the United States and in
to the vast silent places of ALASKA.
There are over five hundred of
these field men of science. The to-
pograpners will invade the remote
places in many western States that
are yet unsurveyed, and will also
push their way into unknown parts
of Alaska. Among the newly dis
covered coal beds of Arizona, Utah
and other states the coal geologist
will busy themselves in the land clas-
sificatfon work that has proved to
be of such great economic value.
The torographers and hydrogra-
pliers are perhaps more widely traV-
eled than any other Of the field men,
for they are going to carry their map
making and their study Of water
power and lakes and streams into the
Hawaiian Islands. Phosphate beds
are constantly being discovered and
classified The discovery Of another
fertilizer, no less than potash. is con-
fidently hoped for in the great pre-
historic lake basins Of the. arid re-
gion, where vast beds Of the mineral,
so vital to our farmers, were un-
doubtedly deposited in the early ages
of the world.
Summer finds the men OF the Sur
vey scattered through the swamps
and desep,ts. the mountainous re-
gions and the rural districts Of the
country, leaving only small admin
Istrative body at the headquarters at
Washington. If one might obtain a
birds eye view of the United States
and its territories it would be inter-
esting to note the progress Of these
small bands Of workers.
Among the snow-covered mountain
ridges and through swollen rivers
they struggle. Forest fires threaten
them and in some districts SO num-
erous are the dangers by which they
are surrounded that even the new
field assistant, thirsting for exper-
ience, Is more than satisfied. But
seldom are there any real mishaps,
for adequate preparations are made
to overcome most difficulties. AS a
matter Of fact, what seems to the
first year man daily adventures, Oft
time too thrilling, become, after a
year or two of service, simply a part
of the days work, and not Of sufti-
cient Impotence to mention. Men
who have gone through trials and ex-
periences in the high Sierra country,
along the vast Continental Divide, or
who have placed their maps on the
untrodden sections of Alaska in the
hands Of "explorers'' who come later,
can scarce be prevailed upon to ad-
NIT that they have ever had any "ex-
periences."
Laden with their telescopes, their
plane tables and other surveying in
struments. the topographers are gen.
orally first on the field unexplored by
survey men. All the mbountans, can
yons, an6 plains of the country arc
duly sketched; no lake, marsh,
stream, spring or inequality Of the
ground escapes the surveyors eye.
The Geological Survey maps are made
in the fed, upon the ground and are
more acrurate than would be a Sc
ries of photographs.
In the closer populated districts
all the routes of travel, the cities, the
towns and even the farm houses are
carefully indicated on the topogra-
pher's field map which Is later en-
graved and published at Washington.
During the thirty-one years of the
Surveys existence, the topographers
have surveyd in this fine detail more
than one-third of the United States
and much territory in Alaska. Be-
sides the country actually mapped,
large areas have been covered in a
reconnaissance way, and this is es-
pecially true of Alaska, where the
Survey has been active only about
ten years.
Indeed, of the 100000 square
miles of that north country there is
less than third that has not been
explored in a greater or less degree
by the Geological Survey men The
work in Alaska, which, with the ex-
canfioo of feu ponterc ic almost to-