The record., 1911-06-15
U. S. Topographic Map for Kentucky
Now Out.

of Kentucky, has just been complet
ed by the United States Geological
Survey at Washington, and the MAJ
is available for distribution. Thi:
map represents by far the mos
complete survey ever made of thi:
section of the State. 1t shows sc
clearly every physical feature of thC
country covered that the character
of any part of the quadrangle, a:
we'll as the shapes and areas of the
hills and valleys, can be seen at a
glance. The elevation of any par
ticular point in the entire area can
be easily determined. This relief
of the country is graphically shown
by means of brown contour lines,
each one of which represents a GER
tain elevation above the sea-thal
is, the traveller following the course
shown by one of these contour lines
will 60 neither up hill nor down hill
but on level. The elevation in
dicated by every fifth line is shown
by figures on the map, and it is in
teresting to determine the heights
of different points, by simply count
ing the contours up or down from
one of the marked lines. 1t is easy
to understand how such map is of
prime value to the engineer who
may be laying out railroad or troll
ley route, highway, drainage or
irrigation system-in fact, any piece
of engineering work. The water
features of the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,
lakes, etc shown in blue, with
the same exactness of Outlines as
the land features. In addition to
the topography, the map shows, in
black, all the works of manroads,
principal bridges, towns, houses, etc.
The Typographical mapping done
by the Geological Survey represents
the highest type of geographic work,
and the maps show subtantially ev-
erything as it is on the ground at the
time of survey. In making the sur.
vey of this particular area, the topo-
graphers tramped over practically
every portion of the quadrangle,
hundreds of miles being thus cover
ed. Permanent iron benchmarks,
showing exact elevations, were also
set at various points in the quad
rangle. The location of these marks
is indicated accurately on the map,
and they can be used for all time as
the basis for any further elevation
surveys desired. This sort of map
making Is a very different undertake
ing from that of constructing an
average geographical map, which is
generally a matter of mere approx
imation and compilation. Every
thing on the Geological Survey topo-
graphic sheet is exact and true to
nature.
This sheet forms but one small
section of the great topographic at
las or map of the United States
which the Geological Survey is
making, and which will be the larg-
est and yet most detailed map in
the world. Already nearly nineteen
hundred of these sheets have been
completed, covering over a third of
the country.
In some parts of the country much
of the work is carried through rough
and almost impossible areas, with
dense forests, insurmountable pre-
cipices, or deep morasses. Hun
dreds of temporary camps are made
during each field season, at attitudes
ranging from above snow line to be-
low sea level. All this work is fol-
lowed by an enormous amount of
office drafting, and the task is final
ly completed in examples of copper
plate engraving and lithographic
printing second to no others in the
world.
The cost to the Government of
these quadrangle surveys, for both
field and Office work, ranges from
$500 TO 5000 each; but the maps
are sold at only the nominal cost of
paper and printing-5 cents a copy
or s. hundred.
The Geological Survey SwiIl furn-
ish without charge index sheets
showing all the topographic maps
which it has published.