T8 National Geographic Magazine. 



THE SURVEY AND MAP OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



By Henry Gannett. 



The 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, ex- 

 cept 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 cooperation be made be- 

 tween the State and the Geological Survey, by which a map upon 

 a larger scale and with a greater degree of detail might be ob- 

 tained as a result of this survey. Accordingly, after some corres- 

 pondence 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 Geologi- 

 cal Survey looking toward the result above indicated, and appro- 

 priated 140,000, 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 legisla- 

 tive document : 



