The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-12-20
MAPPING II. S. COSTS
FORTY MILLIONS
Government Expects Cooperation on
the Part of States in Carrying
Out Great Project.

Out Great Project.
Several factors have combined to put
added emphasis on the country's need
Of an adequate large-scale map of its
whole territory, The industrial devel-
opmemt Of the nation and the conse-
quent variety Of engineering projects
Of land reclamation, of power genera
ton, and most recently Of highway
construction have created demand
for the topographic data that are best
displayed by Typographical map based
upon accurate surveys; and the war
not only called attention to the de-
fenseless condition of much of the
country's border area where the army
had no maps upon which to base its
campaigns, but their military expert
ence overseas taught hundreds OF thou
sands Of citizen soldiers how to read
and use topographic maps.
With nearly 80 per cent Of the area
Of the country totally unmapped and
much that has been mapped in need of
resuryeys, and with the geological sur
vey, the largest mapping organization
in the country, surveying only about
10 per cent Of the area in 40 years. the
logical demand is for more speed. ii
these maps are to serve their full pur-
pose in promoting national develop.
ment the whole country must be
mapped within this generation, or, even
better, within the next decade
The estimated cost OF this mapping
program is S40,000,000, including the
cost Of revising The older surveys 10
accomplish this work within the period
desired would, however, involve more
than the appropriation Of this amount
Of money by the federal and state gov
ernments. An organization of specially
! trained engineers must be built up by
means of gradually increased appropri-
ations, beginning with 100000 for the
field season Of 1919 and reaching a
maximum of 100000 in 1925 1t is
believed that on such a scale of ex-
pcnditure the field surveys could be
both economically and effectively ex-
exuted, and the work could be com
pleted in 1882 ..
The active cooperation Of the states
in such a program is expected by rea
son Of the increased interest in topo.
graphic mapping throughout the coun-
try, for counties as well as states are
now planning for the federal govern
ment in financing these necessary sur
yeys. With the geological surveys
appropriation for topographic surveys,
with cooperative state funds, and with
the special funds for military mapping
contributed by the war department,
approximately 100000 becomes avail
able for the year beginning July /, 1910.
AT an engineering conference held at
Chicago last April of engineers, archi-
tects, and constructors representing IA
natoal, state and local organizations,
with an aggregate membership of over
100000 men, resolutions were adopted
urging the speeding up of this work Of
completing the topographic map of the
United States.
This Endorsement of the topographic
maps by the engineering profession
was weIlsconsidered expression of
general demand for something need
ed by the members of the engineering
organizations represented at the CON
ference These practical men realize
that every dollar of federal and state
funds appropriated for these surveys,
if spent in the next ten years, will
save many dollars that otherwise must
be expended by corporations and indi-
yiduals and even government bureaus
in fragmentary surveys made for spe
cial purposes, and the worst feature
of such an uneconomic procedure would
be that it would provide no maps for
the use Of the general public. 1t is
therefore an underestimate of the ma
tional economy involved TO say that
the dollar spent in time for this pur-
pose win save nine, The program Of
mapping the whole country for the use
of this generation appears warranted
as an essential item in the larger plans
for the best use Of the nations re-
sources. Annual report of director,
United States geological survey.