Page:The National geographic magazine, volume 1.djvu/120



Geological Survey is engaged in making a map of the United States. This work was commenced as an adjunct to the geological work, and was rendered necessary by the fact that, except in limited areas, no maps of the country on any but the smallest scales were in existence. While these maps are thus primarily made to aid in the geologic work and in the delineation of geologic results, they are being made of such a character as to meet all requirements which topographic maps on their scales should subserve.

The work is being carried on in various parts of the country and is being prosecuted on a considerable scale, the annual output being between 50,000 and 60,000 sq. miles of surveyed area. Commenced in 1882, the work has been extended over more than 300,000 sq. miles at the present time. Of this work the survey of Massachusetts forms a part.

In some of its features this survey was an experiment. It was the joint work of the State and the United States, and, so far as I know, was the first example of such joint work. In the summer of 1883 the U. S. Geological Survey commenced topographic work within the State, the scale adopted being very nearly 2 miles to an inch. Only a beginning was made during the season, and in the following winter the Governor of the State recommended to the legislature that if practicable advantage be taken of the opportunity, and an arrangement for coöperation be made between the State and the Geological Survey, by which a map upon a larger scale and with a greater degree of detail might be obtained as a result of this survey. Accordingly, after some correspondence with the Director of the U. S. Geological Survey, the legislature authorized the appointment of a commission, with power to make an arrangement with the Director of the Geological Survey looking toward the result above indicated, and appropriated $40,000, being half the estimated cost of the survey upon the larger scale, $10,000 of which was to be available the first year and $15,000 in each of the two subsequent years. The following is the text of the bill, which is in many respects a model legislative document: