The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1924-10-23
FACTS OF INTEREST
TO ALL AMERICANS
Publication BY Government
GiDes Much Information.

maxim Of wide appeal to Americans
In these days. and government pub
licati0n just issued affords notable
contributions to the general knowl.
edge of some features of our national
domain and history. This publication
is entitled Boundaries, Areas, Geo
graphic Centers and Attitudes of the
United States and of the Several
States, with Brief Record of Imp0f-
tant Changes In Their Territory" by
ID. M. Douglas, and has been issued
by the Department of the Interior as
Bulletin $50 Of the geological survey.
The report Is sold by the superintend-
ent of documents, Washington, at a
nominal cost
The book gives numerous little
known facts relating to the 0rganiza-
ton of the original thirteen colonies
and of the states after the Revolution.
For example, how many know that the
colony Of Virginia once included the
Bermuda islands and also the country
westward to the Pacific ocean. then
called the South sea--so christened by
Balboa In 1913, because at the place
where he first saw 1t the shore. line
runs nearly east and west--or that the
area now called Vermont once be-
longed to New York and that Massa-
chusetts controlled the area now In
Guided In Maine.
The reasons for the peculiar irreg
ularities and joys In some of the boun-
dairy lines are explained. For, exam
pie, the nose" projecting into Canada
at the Lake Of the Woods, on the Min
nesota boundary, Is due to the use of
inaccurate maps by the makers of the
treaties by which this area became
United States territory. The pan
handle" at the southern corner OF
Missouri is said to be the result of
efforts of prominent property owner
to have his plantation included In the
new state.
The Indebtedness of some Of the
early boundary lines is Illustrated by
quotation from Rufus Choate. who
in the boundary dispute between Mas,
sachusetts and Rhode Island said be
fore the Massachusetts legislature:
1.-THE commissioners might as well
have decided that the line between the I
states was bounded on the north by
1 bramble bush. on the south by alt
,lue jay. on the west by hive Of
bees in swarming time, and ON the '
EAST by 500 foxes with firebrands tied
o their tails" 1T
The state of California has within ?
is boundaries the highest and the low II
st points of dry land In the United
states proper and Alaska has the
highest mountain peak In the posses
ions of the United States. Colorado
) the state having the greatest aver \
ge altitude; Delaware has the least 4
The bulletin describes the outlying y
of the United States and 4
ellis when and how they were ac z
uired. OF the newly added posses :
ions ALASKA, bought In 1867, not In z
luded), the 1000 or more islands COM 3
rising the Philippine group, cover the Z
reatest area. The Virgin islands are \
be most recent acquisition and also Z
be most costly. To obtain sovereign :
Y over these islands, which have x
ombined land area of trifie less 4
han 1873 square miles, the United x
tates paid nearly $500 an acre. For Z
laska. which has been an important =
ource of revenue, the United States q
aid less than 2 cents an acre. &
1t is generally supposed that the Z
nited States has never relinquished 3
,rritory once acquired, but this Is not Z
he case The United States gave uI
ore than 10000 square miles Of west ~
n land when 1t purchased Florida =
ON Spain by the treaty of 1919.
The bulletin contains fac-simile
production of map Of the British VI
Id French possessions In America as
ey were known in 1855. A copy OF II
at map was used in the preparation II
the treaty with Great Britain in
81. when the United States was first II
cognized as an Independent nation =
ne book also contains numerous 9th.
maps illustrating the growth OF
g United States and the changes In
boundaries from early colonial days n
to the present time.