The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-08-28

Centers and Attitudes of the United States and
the Several States but don't let that formid-
able-sounding title daunt you. For in this 265-
page, paper-covered book by Edward NJ Doug
las you'll find more interesting facts than in all
the history and geography books you studied
at school,
It's a big country, this United States of
America. You'll never appreciate just how big
1t is until you read the statistics given in the
last two pages of Bulletin 817. From Green
lands icy mountain to Indias coral strand is
the familiar and poetical way of expressing
the extreme ends Of the earth. But the distance
suggested in that expression is as nothing COM
pared to the distance between the northernmost
and southernmost points in the territory over
which the Stars and Stripes float. Point Bar
row, the extreme north point of Alaska, is near
~ 5000 miles north of the equator and Rose
Inlet in the Samoan group the farthest south
American land, is exactly 1000 miles south of
1t. Claims that may be based upon the Byrd
explorations and discoveries Of 1929-30 in the
Antarctic region may put the American flag
even farther south so that may be able to
match England's boast of dominion over palm
and pine" with one which mentions 'from pole
to pole"
Few Of may ever get the chance to go
from one end of the American possessions to
the other, but in these days of the automobile
and improved roads any of US can get acquaint-
ed with the extent of the mainland" of our
country. Suppose you decide to make "circe
tour" Of your oountry-follow its boundary lines
until you're back where you started from. How
far do you suppose you will have gone? Exactly
1885 miles. Driving steadily at the rate Of
40 miles an hour and putting in IL hours a
day it would take you five weeks and two days
to make such a trip.
Here's the mileage: Start at West Quoddy
Head, near PASSPORT, Maine, (the easternmest
point on the mainland" of the United States)
and drive west following the northern bound
airy all the way, including the water boundary
through the Great Lakes until you reach Cape
Alva, Wash. (the westernmost point). By that
time you will have covered 1887 miles. Follow
the Pacific coastline down to the Mexican bor-
der and you will add 2,730 more miles. Turn
east along the Mexican border and it's 2,O13
miles until you get to the gulf Of Mexico Fol-
low its shoreline Of 3,641 miles until you round
Florida then head north and after $685. miles
along the Atlantic ocean you will be back at
West Quoddy Head with 1896 miles behind
you
Or II you don't care for the circle tour" and
want to make direct route from the two points
farthest apart in the United States. start at
Cape Flattery, Wash. and travel southeast until
you reach point on the Florida coast south
Of Miami. You will have covered 2.S35 miles.
Would you like to have the experience of being
at the highest and the lowest points in the
United States in the matter of altitude? You
don't have to go from one end of the country
to the other to do that. You can 60 from the
highest to the lowest points in less than an hour
that is. IL you use an airplane. For they are
only SO miles apart. Sail over the summit of
Mount Whitney In Inyo, Tulare county. in Cali
fornia latitude 1896 feet above sea leveD
then swoop down less than three miles to the
Death valley In Inyo county and you will be
276 feet below sea level.
Giant that the continental United States is.
she has giant son-more so than most Amerf-
cans realize. That il her territory. Alaska. Did