Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-07-26

time often decorated their work with
pictures Of this sort, showing the
natural exhibits and interesting
features OF the different countries.
This chart shows an excellently
drawn elephant, a camel, deer, uni
corn, and other animals in Africa,
for instance, and in Europe the
principal cities are marked by their
coats of ars and a tiny view of the
city over the shield. Each of these
views is no larger than a 25-cent
piece. Yet the towers and battle
ments of each city are distinctive.
The different countries are marked
by pictures of the rulers sitting on
canopied thrones. The apparel of
the kings and the colors and style
in which they are drawn are
strongly suggestive of the royalty on
a modern deck of playing cards.
This was a map of 1853. AZ more
colorful ard fanciful affair than
current maps with their dots for
| cities and wavy lines for noun
tains. Yet this map is scarcely con-
sidered old by cartography experts.
A map made after 1850 is compare
lively modern. This is logical when
you consider that the Romans made
Slid 10 III PiaiiiiiiS tiSll loouS, eiiN
that records of maps go back sew
eral centuries before Christ. Some
LOT the most interesting maps in the
Library of Congress, to Americans,
at least, are not old by this stand
ard.
A rare and unique map of this
country Is one showing the names
proposed by Jefferson for new states
in 1874. What is now the north CEN
trail and northwestern part Of the
United States was beginning to open
up and jefferson proposed an Or
dinance to parcel it off and name 1t.
He suggested in his ordinance such
names as Sylvania, Assenisippia,
Polypotemia. C~herronesus. Metro
potamia, Michigania, Saratoga, Pei
isipia, Illinoia and Washington.
Most of these names were never
take n~seriously. One critic said OF
them, such a mixture of Greek,
Latin, English and Indian perhaps
was never seer before" But the
next year a publisher printed a tiny
picket almanac containing a picture
of the map as Jefferson wantd it.
Division Saves Billions
Showing the public its entertain
lnS eAulDl-S 10 Hot, VI S'dA7S t''
main function of the Map Division
Mr.. Phillips has in his charge on
of the largest collection of maps
in the world, and the material i
put to important uses. He lays tina
his division has saved the govern
ment billions of dollars;
When the United States was bar
gaining for Alaska, the boundar.
line was in dispute and maps from
the Library of Congress showed tn
original line to which the Russian
territory extended. Another time
Mississippi and Louisiana had
controversy over an island in tn
Gulf of Mexico. 1t was an insignia
catn island that no state would hav
thought OF arguing over until ]
became known as a fine place t.
catch terrapin. Library of Con
gress maps were sent for to shov
old established boundaries.
Lately Newfoundland and Canad
have been ~disagreeing over thei
boundary line and men were sen
down to Washington to study tn
map material of the finest collection
In the western world. These ar
a few random instances, showing
the use to which the government
maps are put.
Maps are sent out of the building
only for government use. The pub
lie can consult the material in III
library. People out of the city OF
ten use the Map Division, however
as a source of information. The
write to ask the status of Danzig
how to pronounce Balchuistan: an
where to find Rusinia on the map
There is more interest in maps nov
than there has been for SOME time
and the division is kept busy. Map
of Siberia and Russia. which wer
rarely consulted before the war ar
now called for frequently.
The United States collection ma,
be somewhat smaller than those o
several European governments, bu
our map division dates back onl,
to 1897. IT, 25 years Nj Phillip
has made ii the most perfectly or
ganized map collection. in the world
He had been in the Library of Con
gress when it was in the Capito
building and he took charge of tn
new division from the b%eginninf
He has catalogued it, written vol
umes of descriptive indexes for ref
erence use. designed . c~onyenien