Page:The National geographic magazine, volume 1.djvu/121



Resolved, That the governor, with the advice and consent of the council, be and is hereby authorized to appoint a Commission to consist of three citizens of the Commonwealth, qualified by education and experience in topographical science, to confer with the director or representative of the United States Geological Survey, and to accept its coöperation with this Commonwealth in the preparation and completion of a contour topographical survey and map of this Commonwealth hereby authorized to be made. Said Commission shall serve without pay, but all their necessary expenses shall be approved by the governor and council, and paid out of the treasury. This Commission shall have power to arrange with the Director or representative of the United States Geological Survey concerning this survey and map, its scale, method, execution, form and all details of the work in behalf of the Commonwealth, and may accept or reject the plans of the work presented by the United States Geological Survey. Said Commission may expend in the prosecution of this work a sum equal to that which shall be expended therein by the United States Geological Survey, but not exceeding ten thousand dollars, during the year ending on the first day of June, eighteen hundred and eighty-five, and not to exceed the sum of fifteen thousand dollars in any one year thereafter, and the total cost to the Commonwealth of the survey shall not exceed forty thousand dollars.

In pursuance of this resolution Gov. Robinson appointed the following gentlemen as commissioners on the part of the State: Gen. Francis A. Walker, President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mr. Henry L. Whiting, Assistant U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey and Prof. N. S. Shaler of Harvard College. The Director of the Geological Survey, upon being notified of this action, laid before the commissioners a proposition for a joint survey in the following terms:

It is proposed to make a topographic map of the State of Massachusetts, the expense of which shall be borne conjointly by the Geological Survey and the State of Massachusetts.

The Borden triangulation and the Coast and Geodetic Survey triangulation will be utilized as far as possible, and additional triangulation will be made to such extent as may be necessary.