The Elbert County tribune., 1913-12-12
GREAT COLLECTION OF MAPS
All Told, There Are About 2oo, 900 Of
Them In Uncle Sans
Care.

Wnat Is not only the largest but
also the most remarkable collection
OF maps in the world is owned by the
United States government and cared
Tor In the congressional library. To
the wing set apart for their preserva.
ton come the most eminent of geo
graphers. and here Commander Peary,
discoverer of the north pole, has dons
some Of his scientific research.
All told. there are about 100000
maps In the collection. One room ha.
huge aliases piled tier upon tier from
the foor to the roof: old-fashioned
ones dating from the beginning OF
atias making to the up-to-date crea,'
tions of the binders art An expert
Is Kept continually at work mounting
maps. Tor many that are purchased
are III dilapidated condition and
must be mounted or backed" on linen
OF the newest and strongest texture.
The market from which they are
procured covers the world. From
Greenland to India, from China to
Patagonia. maps are gathered, and
the older they are the more they are
valued. One map OF China is printed
with the odd designs of rivers, noun.
tains, trees and men In a tumble OF
winch the American mind can make
nothing. but possibly to a Celestial
1t is perfectly clear.
Among the most interesting and
most precious are early maps, some
OF them dated prior to the discovery
OF America. One of these is hand-col.
ored affair made in 1882, Just ten
years before Columbus discovered the
new world A map made by Cosa, a
companion of Columbus, and dated
lboO, shows an odd-looking continent
meant to represent America. There
are rude drawings scattered about on
this queer picture. most of them at
tempts to show dwellings and people
OF strange aspect. In 1903 a map OF
the new world was engraved for the
hrst time and its grotesque outlines
seem pitifully childish under the glass
or the handsome case in which 1t re
poses BY its side is perhaps the
queerest of all maps, powderhorn.
on which map is etched in brown,
while not far of is a map made by
one OF the famous pirates OF that day,
Capt. Bart. who probably used 1t In
his buccaneering expeditions after
Spanish gold.
map dated 1897 shows America as
consisting of Florida mostly, while
Virginia occupies the rest OF the CON
tinent almost exclusively. One of Eng.
land in of
and made by Saxton is shown In a
hne state OF preservation.
or revolutionary maps there are
several dozen. representing different
states or the location or troops at a
particular time. To this period be-
longs most interesting relic of Wash
ington. which is a survey of one OF his
own farms, every field being accurate.
y drawn to scale and the number OF
acres 1t contained written clearly at
the top.
The freak maps attract the most at
tention from the visitor. They are
ranged in a case containing about ten
queer specimens of the map-making
art. and all are modern. Perhaps the
most ludicrous OF these is a drawing
representing "All the World Watch
ing" showing the outlines OF oil the
nations fashioned into faces, but the
Characteristic of each country shows
In Its countenance. and the correct
geographical lines are given. Brazil.
the United States. England, Spain,
Portugal. Norway and Sweden are SO
drawn that their ocean line forms q
human face. with the eyes watching
sharply.