The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-12-11
GREAT COLLECTION OF MAPS
All Told, There Are About 100000 OF
Them In Uncle Sans
Care.


Also the most remarkable collection
of maps in the world is owned by the
United States government and cared
for In the congressional library. To
TIE wing set apart for their preserva-
ton come the most eminent Of geo
graphers, and here Commander Peary,
discoverer of the north pole, has done
some of his scientific research.
All told, there are about 100000
maps in the collection. One room has
huge aliases piled tier upon tier from
the floor to the roof; old-fashioned
ones dating from the beginning Of
atlas making to the up-to-date crea-
tons of the binders art An expert
is kept continually at work mounting
maps, for many that are purchased
are in 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
which the American mind can make
nothing but possibly to Celestial
it 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
1900, shows an odd-looking continent
meant to represent America. There
t are rude drawings scattered about on
this queer picture, most of them at
/ tempts to show dwellings and people
! Of strange aspect. In 1903 map of
! the new world was engraved for the
first time and its grotesque outlines
I seem pitifully childish under the glass
Of the handsome case in which it re-
4 poses. BY it's side is perhaps the
i queerest of all maps, powderhorn.
on which a map is etched in brown.
while not far off is map made By
one OF the famous pirates OF that day,
a Capt Bart, who probably used it in
his buccaneering expeditions after
Spanish gold.
A 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 the time of Queen Elizabeth
and made by Saxton is shown in
fine state of preservation.
OF revolutionary maps there are
several dozen, representing different
states or the location or troops at a
particular time. To this period be-
:ongs most interesting relic OF Wash
ington, which is a survey of one Of his
own farms, every field being accurate
| iy drawn to scale and the number Of
acres it contained written clearly at
! the top.
The freak maps attract the most at
tention from the visitor They are
| ranged in 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 all the
nations fashioned into faces, but the
characteristic of each country shows
In it's 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 a
human face, with the eyes watching
| sharply.