The Omaha guide., 1939-04-08

n ~
It will give the WPA workers
new confidence and a new skill
that WI increase their chances Of
findAk work in private industry.
"Ris is splendid, is the com
ment of John M. Carmody, REA
Administrator on the project. II
am glad these men and wonien have
opportunity and do such useful
work"
Members of REA's Legal, En-
cheering and Operations Divisions
will use the maps to keep track
Of righs-of way easements, and
a. construction progress. Designed
. 1oite o4'Aer purposes than those
o-clarca b. TIE United Staess Geo.
logical Survey, the Coast and Geo
desic Survey, and other map-mak-
ing agencies of the Federal Gov
eminent, they will be quite differ
ont from those maps. They will in
licate the location of every electric
powes line financed by REA. As
the rural identification program
expands, this ia expected to result
in a great saving Of time. A glance
a. the proper map will provide in
formation aiat otherwise could be
obtained only by pouring owe a
mass of tables, reports and mem
oranda.
Tho need for such maps became
apparent last year. The press Of
regular duties, however, made it
impossible for REA's personnel t.
prepare them. Hence, as an expert
ment, .REA obtained the services
OF some 80 picked NYA youths.
These young people prepared sam
plo tracings. After examining these
kEA officials decided that they
we're sufficiently accurate for their
immediate needs. Once this decision
rad been made, WPA allocated
funtg and workers to REA and
work began on the present scale.
The 35 NYA youths and 215
WPA workers now engaged on the
project are acquiring a new skill.
None of them had any experience
in map-making when they were
assigned to the project. They were
nos even qualified craftsmen.
Hence their training had to begin
at the bottom. Two technical in
s.ructorr first showed them how
to use drafting instrument, then
taught them to handle ire special
tools used in carsography. Only
when this groundwork had been
lard could the actual work of map
tracing begin.
The training is n continuous pro-
cess. The project workers learns
something every day. They study
geography, mathmaties, the history
of townships. and the rudiments of
aerial photography. Then they APP
ply these to their work. From
limo to time they hear lectures on
geographical mathematics and on
Interpreting aerial photographs.
In preparing the strip maps, the
workers first trace a base man of
state roads in complete county
units, on q scale of one inch to the
mile. Then they combine parts of
several counties into REA project
areas. Next they enlarge the draw
ings and pantograph and projee-
ton to a scale of four inches TO
tho mile. They then revise and
correct the enlarged project maps.
using aerial photographs supplied
by various other government agen-
cies. Finally, they plot uhe power
lines of REA projects from data
taken from field reports made to
REA by project super intendents.
After all this had been done, the
maps are edited and compiled into
platt books which become perma-
nent records.
When they were assigned to the
project, all the WPA workers were
classified as clerks. As they gain.
ed in skill, they have received pro.
motions.
Five Negro workers have bee,
advanced to the grade of senio,
craftsmen and II to junior drafts.
men.
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