The log cabin Democrat., 1921-03-17
SHOW TEXAS AS
 LAND CRA5BER
Maps Give It 1875 Mics That Don't Belong to It, Says
 GeoIogiSt.
NO PROPER STATE MAP MADE
Texas System of Land Survey Inher- Ited From Mexico and Spain Current Maps Made by Many
 Individuals.

Austin, TeX.-According to Dr. Rob- ert T. Hill, former state geologist, who has just finished study of the topo- graphical features of Texas and Is making report on the subject for the United States geological survey, until recently all existing maps give an in- accurate idea as to the geography of the state, particularly with reference to the courses of the Rio Grande on the South and the Red River on the north. MT. Hill says that all current maps of Texas locate the Rio Grande, which has always been accepted as the boundary between this country and Mexico, inaccurately. The maps in- clude in Texas strip of territory av eraging 25 miles in width and 75 miles in length (about 1875 square miles), which does not belong to it. Until the World war, when special surveys of the border were made by the War de partment, nothing was known of the Rio Grande district. These maps, since published by the department, revealed the mistake in current maps.
 No Proper State Map.
 There Is no map published showing even approximately the physical fea- lures of the trans-Pecos section, the mountainous portion of the state. Many of the ranges and peaks are entirely omitted and others are located inac- curately. Doctor Hill has made spe- cial study of these sections of the state and will make known many inaccu- racies through the maps he is prepar- ing for the government.
 The Davis mountains, we'll known to Texas residents, are not included on any map. They form one of the prin- cipal range districts in the state To the west of these mountains is long, narrow strip of desert country, low lying valley plains about POO miles in length, running along the Rio Grande, northwest into New Mexico. These valleys are not defined on any map published.
 The Diablo country consists of un- dulating plains, with peaks of various sizes and kinds, extending into the Sacramento mountains of New Mexico. The railroad follows valley secured out of the vast plain, extending north west into New Mexico and southwest into Mexico. The traveller from Fl Paso to the New Mexico line Is always either upon or in sight of this plain for about 25O miles. The surface is so smooth, except where it Is broken rarely by peaks, that it seems as level as q floor, The plain is inclosed on all sides by wall of higher mountain ranges. But none of these features has been placed on, a map.
 Based on Settlers Notes.
 The county and state maps of Texas are inferior to those of other states, Doctor Hill said, because of the differ ent systems of land survey used in Texas. In other states the land has been accurately surveyed and divided into townships and sections. The sur veying was done and field notes made under United States supervision, as maps of the country were always nee eSsary to acquire land. The Texas systems were inherited from Mexico and Spain. Scrips or warrants were issued to individuals, who went out, took some natural object fop a corner. measured off q block of acres called for in the shape and direction chosen. and sent the notes to the land office, Current maps were compiled from these notes, made by many individuals, and the topographic information SUD- piled was nearly always meager.
 Up to 1860, when the geological sur vey began in Texas, there was only one point in Texas with its exact loca- tion on the earth'S surface known. This was monument to David Crock ett, near the old land office, on the cap- itol grounds at Austin. It was located by the United States geodetic survey.
 About 1880 some women were giving bazaar for patriotic purposes in Aus tn. They desired some souvenirs to sell at the bazaar, and at their request the old monument was broken into pieces and taken to the bazaar. Thus perished the only point in Texas def- nitely located on the earth's surface