The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-03-01
MAP NATIONAL CAPITAL
BY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
PROGRESS IN MAPPING U. S.
WORKING ON MAP OF
THE WORLD.

A new topographic map of Wash
ington, D. c., and vicinity just issued
by the United States geological sur
lvey of the department of the interior,
is now ready for distribution This
new map is the result of recently COM
pleted topographic surveys, and is II
typical example of the art of map ma =
king as it has been refined and de-
veloped by the geological survey after
more than generation of study and
experience. The map was actually
drawn in the field by the surveys top
ographic engineers, and represents the
highest accuracy and refinement that
can be attained in Il map printed ON
the scale used. 1t shows an area of
465 square miles, which includes al
most every form of topography, from
the lowlands along the Potomac Drive
to the broken country in Rock Creek
park and the picturesque gorge of the
Potomac above the city. The map is
printed in four colors. Black is used
as railroads, wagon roads and houses;
blue is used to represent streams and
water surfaces: and brown is used for
the curves, showing elevation, which
every up and down in the area. The
automobile edition of this map
shows through routes of all-the year
round good roads in bright red and
connecting links in dotted rel lines.
A distance of inches on the map
one mile on the sronnl-
that is, the scale is / to 81 $50 , inch
on the map corresponding to 1850
inches on the ground. The relative
heights are shown by curved contour
lines drawn to represent heights above
mean sea level at intervals of 10 feet.
A Barnin in Maps.
The Washington and vicinity map is
printed on paper of good quality and
measures A by SO inches. It's price Is
25 cents retail, or Is cents each In lots
of so or more. and 1t may, be obtained
from the director of 'the United
States geological survey, Washington,
D. c. Every American citizen should
certainly look forward to visiting his
capital city, and the acquisition of this
map is undoubtedly a good first step
in planning such a trip.
The difference between the topo-
graphic map issued by the geological
survey and the ordinary map is that
the survey map is made on the
ground-the map is made and prac-
tically completed in the field--Where-
as an ordinary map is compiled at
drafting table or desk.
Forty Per cent Of U. S. Mapped.
Beginning nearly 40 years ago to
construct accurate Topographic and
geologic maps of both the known and
the UNEMPLOYED regions of the United
States, the geological survey has
steadily progressed with this part of
its work until topographic maps of 40
per cent of the country are now pub
lished, besides maps for large areas in
Alaska and Hawaii. Extensive areas
have also been covered by geologic
maps and all the work from the begin
ming of the field survey to the print
ing of the finished map is done by this
government bcreau. Other activities
of the survey are the classification of
public lands, the annual collection OF
mineral statistics of the United States.
and Investigations of the nations wa
ter resources; all involving the pub
LEGATION of scientific and technical re-
ports containing over 10000 pages an
nually.
During the last 80 years over $15,-
900, 900 has been spent by the geologi-
cal survey in geologic and topographic
surveys in the United States. Last
years expenditure was nearly $780,
600, not to mention the cost Of en-
craving the copper plates and printing
the maps in from 3 to 20 colors.
Map of the World.
ping comes under plan for an inter-
national map-a map Of the world on
the scale of 1:1,000, O00-the American
portion of which shall he uniform IN
scale and symbols with those repre-
senting areas on the other continents.
The special map production under this
plan is being supplemented by the is
suance of state maps on the same
scale, which is about 16 miles to the
inch, and also on scale twice as
large. All these topographic maps are
sold to the public at a slight increase
over the cost of paper and printing,
the nominal price being charged TAX
ing no account of the heavy initial ex-
penses Of field surveys or the expense
of engraving the copper plates and
preparing for color printing.
Nearly 10000 Maps in Stock.
The geological survey thus keeps In
stock for sale some 100000 copies of
$500 different maps. These topo-
graphic maps show with great accur-
acy all the natural features of the
country and man-built structures. Per-
haps their most notable feature is the
contour lines, which are graphic rep