The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1911-06-23
Topographic Map Of Northern Carroll.

The Advocate is in receipt of one OF
the new Government topographic maps
of the Emmitsburg and Taney-
town quadrangles surveyed in CO.
operation with the States of Mary
land and Pennsylvania. 1t has just
been completed by the United States
Geological Survey, at Washington,
and the maps are available
for distribution. These maps rep
resent by far the most complete sur
vey ever made of this section Of the
State. They show SO clearly every
physical feature Of the country COW
cred that the character Of any part
of the quadrangle, as well as the
shapes and areas of the hills and val
leys, can be seen at glance. The
elevation of any particular point in
the entire area can be easily determin-
ed. This relief of the country is graph
cally shown by means of brown con-
tour lines, each one of which rep
resents a certain elevation above the
sea-that is, the traveller following the
course shown by one of these con-
tour lines will 60 neither up hill nor
down hill, but on a level. The ele-
walton indicated by every fifth line
ig shown by figures on the map, and it
ig interesting to determine the heights
OF different points, by simply counting
the contours up or down from one of
the marked lines. 1t liz easy to under
stand how such a map is of prime
value to the engineer who may be
laying out railroad or trolley route,
a highway, a drainage or irrigation
system-in fact, any piece OF engineer
ing work. The water features Of the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., lakes, ETC., are
shown in blue, with the same exact
ness of outline as the land features.
In addition to the topography, the
map shows, in black, all the works OF
Iman;-roads, principal bridges, towns,
houses, etc.
The topographic mapping done by
the Geological Survey represents the
highest type of geographic work, and
the maps show substantially every
thing 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, hun
dreds of miles being thus covered.
Permanent iron benchmarks, showing
exact elevations, were also set at var
ious points in the quadrangle. The
location of these marks is indicated ac-
curately 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 undertaking from that OF
constructing an average geographical
map, which is generally a matter OF
mere approximation and compilation.
Everything on the Geological Survey
topographic sheet Is exact and true to
nature.
This sheet forms but one small sec
ton Of the great topographic atlas or
map of the United States which the
Geological Survey is making, and
which will be the largest and yet
most detailed map in the world Al
ready nearly nineteen hundred Of
these sheets have been completed, COW
ering over a third of the country.
The cost to the Government of these
quadrangle surveys, for both field and
office work, ranges from $500 to S.
600 each; but the maps are sold at
only the nominal cost of paper and
printing cents a copy or SO hun
bred
The Geological Survey will furnish
without charge index sheets showing
all the topographic maps which it has
published.