The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-07-24
.SKOWHECAN QUADRAN-
GLE AREA
Has New Topographic Map. Accom-
pIl.hed Through the Efforts OF Df
George Otis Smith

A new Topographic map of the aref
known az the Skowhcean quadrangle
+ III cooperation with the State Of
Maine. has just been published by the
United States Geological Survey. Il
vas through the efforts Of DR.. George
Dts Smith Of Washington and skoW-
hogan. director of the United States
Geological Survey that this was ac-
conplished.
This map represents by far The most
/ complete survey ever made of this
section Of the State. II shows so
clearly every physical feature of the
quadrangle that the character of any
part Of il. as well as the shapes Of The
iills and valleys, can be seen at a
Glance and the elevation Of any parti-
sular point can be easily determined
The relief of the country is graph
ally shown by means OF brown con
tour lines. each one OF which repre-
i senls a certain elevation above the sea
i The traveller. walking along the
course shown by one OF the contour
lines will 20 neither up hill nor down
] hill but on level That such map
is of prime value to the engineer who
may be laying a railroad or trolley
route a highway, drainage or irriga-
ton system goes without saying. but
il is also of great value to the aver
age citizen. Farmers and automo-
bilists. for instance, buy thousands OF
the maps. In addition to the land
and water features, the map shows, in
black. all the works of man-roads,
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 il is on the ground at the
time of the survey. In making the
survey for this particular map, the
/ topographic engineers tramped over
practically every portion of the quad
rangle, hundreds of miles being thus
covered. Permanent iron bench
marks showing exact elevations, We're
also set at numerous points in the
quadrangle. The location of these
marks is indicated accurately on the
map. and they can be used for all time
I h. h7y +ft1Ft-
desired. This sort of map-making is
a very different undertaking from that
of constructing the average geograph
ic map al a desk which is generally
matter of mere approximation and
compilation. Everything on the Geo
logical 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 the
most detailed map in the world When
completed this map will be approx
mately an acre in extent. Already
more than 200 of these sheets have
been completed covering nearly IL
per cent OF the United States.
In some parts of the country much
of the work is carried through rough
and almost impossible areas with
dense forests, iusurmountable preci-
pieces, or deep morasses. Hundreds
of temporary camps are made during
each field season, at attitudes ranging
from above snow line to below sea
level All this work is followed by
an enormous amount of office draftinS,
and the task is finally completed III
examples of copper-pate engraving
and photographic printing second to n9
others in the world.
The cost to the Government of these
quadrangle surveys, for both field and
office work. ranges from $4,000 to
So each but the maps are sold at
only about the cost of paper and print
inc 10 cents copy or So for fifty
copies
The Director of the Geological Sur
vey will furnish without charge in
dex sheets showing the published top
oeraphie maps of any State