THE TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS OF THE UNITED STATES 
The United Stmts GoaJogvrD Snrvev i? waking r» standard 
topographic* Mllfci uf tlU’Ufiivd HpiliW. T liifl ffT)lh hi© bttru III 
progr*-5 piunc omJ 00 l'tv»n|te consult of pnbhditd maps of 
mnr* Dmn JO pm* c*Q( of the eotvnfry, excJudve <rf ou Dying 
pi»e**uiiH. 
Ttife to|>oeTuphic atlas i- publidmd ia tin: fbrm of map*, on 
wliwb* itUWBuring about ltij by 20 i notice- Under the impend 
pirn* adopted the oniiutry is divided into quadrangle* hr,undid 
by parallels of latitude ami men, Iiun8 of longitude. Tin c 
,|rja,lrangh* are untyped uu tlilTere»»» wales, the frCfUc 'WlwtOll 
ibr &u [i map living tliat wWth if best adapted Hi genc/tii itee in 
Dll? duvUnpimuit to Lie coUxitty, and con-wqueiilly, though tile 
rtoitidtod map? are *»f neatly umform «u*% they fwpnseut. area* 
of different sizes. Uu the lower margin of each map me printed 
graphic wales showing dtetouoef in feet, metere, aud lulled In 
addition, .the scale of Die u»ap is ahown by a faction expresuiijg 
u fixed ratio between linen moiifeureimiDtn on the rrfity and cor- 
responding dinl-'inew on Die gioutid. For exam pit*. Dm grain 
^ nuMUf tiiHt 1 unit on Die map (auch u- l inch, l foot, or 1 
meter) rcprwoute 62,500 similar units on the enrth’s tfurfaue, 
Although *otiie arena ure surveyed and eofue intpe are com¬ 
piled and published on special sealee for special purposes the 
ataindaid topographic surveys for the United Statue proper and 
tbu m-uhiug ma|* have for many year* been divided into Dime 
types, dillVren I ifded a* follow*: 
1. Surveys of anus iu which there are problems of great 
public on portaiim—-if lulling, for example, to mineral develop¬ 
ment, irrigation, or rwlacnation of swamp aTOte—-on? made with 
sufficient nwuTfby to ho used in the pUhliftuDon ot maps on u 
&ea)e of (1 inck=one-half mild), with a eon tour interval of 
3, 5, or 10 foot, 
2. Surveys of amt* In which there are problem- of average 
public importance, such us most of the basin of tin MlfeW.^ppi 
and its; tribnhuiea. me made with sufficient, accuracy w be used 
ill the publication of mnpe on *» H*ale ot t „V, (1 inch = nearly 
1 milt?), with a contour interval of 10 to 25 feet. 
3. Survey* of omw in which the problems are oi minor 
pubhe imports nog, such as much of the mountain or ihs^rrt 
region of Arizona, or New Mexico, are made with sufficient 
accuracy to be \i*ed in the publication of cdype oo n scale of 
~- f) (l iuoh= nearly 2 mile-), with u contour interval of 25 to 
JUO fceb 
A fcopogruplii<:ui wy j! Alaska bn* bc&Ti in on>gre*-s soic<! 
-1*0*,. orrd newly 37 per Of hf nier. L-'-i mv- beeft-i3iity|iedtf 
About It) pci cent of the Territory htv, beer, covered by ncoo- 
DAiflttiuce mu|»6 on a hmJc af or wbuot 10 miles to ko 
inch. JMCwL oi the ivuraialiJg ;liil ^livcyed in Alnuhh has 
heen luapjied cm u ecu It +>f bio about *4 .tKK) square ini]e« 
lui* been mapped on a scale of 
About lialfof Du Hawaiian T-lands hcr brwn surveyed, find 
the rosulDug map are published on * - t cu,!e oi\^. 
The feahirei shown on Dieeo caojv may lm arranged in three 
gmu]! 0 —(1) water, including -reat, lokrn Iivei-. CHImIh, SWHTi 11 .^ 
and .other bodie* of water; (2i •< Uef, iiododing mountoitis, 
bills, valleys, and utter fuanircs uf die loud Moluce; 13) eulhuc 
(works ol* man), eiirh a* towns, cities, loads, railroad*, and 
I < 
bftutiditru* Tim mnvolitional signs used pj reptv^iut Dm-*,- 
)raln»v?M ari -hown mul cApluillcd below. Variation* appear 00 
scdii!’ earlier mA)w, nod flihliDouni featured are tvjircucnbfd ot* 
sum** hpecinl map*. 
All the waief fauhirtw me represented in blue, the smaller 
Jfesiu. 3 iiod onimh by aiftple blue limn and tin.* larger streams, 
dj»« bike-, iiod ihi ve<i hyhhtu water lining or lilup tint. Inter- 
.Tiirterit *1 reams—tho^e wlldOu bed* arc drv for .1 largo part ol 
the year—<ire *huWP by Iiucp of blue dote and diuhe* 
ftebef b ihnwn by coulour lines in brown, which on tvmio 
lumps ore supermen tel by shading showing ihe etfecl of light 
llrrow’ll from the norDiwest across the aicu icpresented, for the 
purjnjejc of giving the appearance of ralief and Diu/s aiding in 
the iutcq'retalioii of the contour lines. A contour line repre¬ 
sent* |iq imaginary lino on the. ground (a contour) every port 
(a which it at the same allilude above h:u Icveh BuoJi a line 
could be ihawn at any altitude, but io pnidicc only the cou- 
teui'- ut certain regular interval* of altitude are shown. Tlic 
line of the ^eicoacd it«elf‘ i* a contour, cbi datum or zero of alti¬ 
tude Indug imaan sen level. The 20-foot contour would be the 
shore line if Uu* rieu should rise 20 feet, C^ntruir Hue* show 
the *ha]K‘ of the hills, mounudn.«s ami valleys as well as their 
altitude. Kucce.sni vc contour line* tlmt fire far apart on Die 
map indicate a gwuDc elojn': liucf that are flloee together indi¬ 
cate a steep aliipe; and line* that run together indicate a cliff. 
The tniumer ill which contour line- expfese altitude, 1'oim, 
and grade i« shown in the figure below. 
The sketch represent* :» riwe valley tbit lie* between twi^ 
lulls In ihe foreground the sea, with a bay that ie partly 
inclosed by a bonked sand bar. Uu each side of Du* valley is 
A termer into which -umll streams have enr narrow iru 11 its. 
The hill on the right lias a rounded «imimit and gently dop¬ 
ing flpim .vparnted by mvine^ The »|)UtaAre rrnnented at, 
T*BD| m/Kjg • 
OUN \ KN T1 rtN Ah SI (US S 
theh lower enda by u -en clilV, The bill ut the luff termimiter 
abruptly Ut Die valley u) M »*f»*p *y«arp, from wliicll it i*|iqi«n 
gradually uway and Ibnnp an inclined mhle-kml lloitiwLrav- 
er^cd by a tew pImIJow On tbo muji rach of ihfw* 
features ia represcufed, ilirectly bcncflih itt po/ilion iu Die 
iketch, bv contour linca. 
m 
The contour interval, uu- Dm vcirticnl distance in Iwt between 
otic i?oiitiiur nod Die ucm}, t* ut the bottom of eocli map. 
This interval diltir- Hetdrding to tin- topogiupliy of the urea 
mapped: io a Hat moint.y it rnuv be iw tunall to 1 foot; i|| a 
mouuciiiinus region ii may be gTWit n* 25(1 feet. Certuio 
cPnfcour line*, uvhv\ iimilB aefflUl one. iuv made luaivier limn 
the oilier* nud lire lu'cmnp, ,,i c d ),y figurei? -bowing nlriLurto. 
The heighP of ntnpy poini-*—?iuh u- road corner*, vummifx, 
Murlnce* of lakes, und hetn'.b ruiu'ku—art: sdho given on the map 
•n figures which show ambidte to tJm ucnnaf foot Hilly. Mure 
exact altitudes—tho-o of bench uuu lto—aa well MS Die gpndetiu 
ouordhnttte of triimguiaidm ftai^ite, afv puldiybed in bulletin* 
hciifid by Dm Geological Purvey. 
l/*ttenng iiiiii the work-of luiin ara shown in black, bound¬ 
aries such a* t.li'wo of n Dtiitc, county city, laud grant, tovre- 
ghip, or reecrvMtum, an* ilmwo hy potitiimbUB nr broken line- 
of different kind* ami weights Maf.ded muds am shown by 
fbuihl* lilies, rme of which is accentuated Oflier public n.<uL 
am shown by Hne double limyj, private ami poor coudfl by 
du*lied double lint«, trail* hy dn*hvd Mingle lim**. 
Each quadrangle ip dmigiNlted by Dip oame of a city, town, 
or prominent uatur.d fcawra within h., and on Die morgiua ot 
Dm map are plilltcl the name* of adjoining quadrangle- of 
which maps have been pul, limited. Over rj,(XXJ quad rah gJt^ in 
the United Btetes have been i-urveycil, and map* of them 
similar to the one on I.Ub other ^ido of this sheet have hewn 
published. 
The topograplkiv map j* the base tm which Die geology and 
mineral resources of u qundrtiugle arc mprtSttJiPd, and Die 
maps showing these feature- aie hound togethvt with a dcrvnp- 
rive text to fiiPui a folio of Die Geologic Atla* of the United 
Btiitte More Dial* 200 folios have been pubtedmd. 
Index maps of each hbitn and of Ainaka and Hawaii showing 
the areas UflYered by oq>ographic maps nud geologic folio* pub¬ 
lished by the United Hate* Geological Survey may be Obtained 
fm*.. Copies of the rand ml loj^yra^oc maps mav bn olitiined 
fur 10cent- ei* m < <**nld al different prins. 
& • d U ^rrrnirrff - rSi <l | *B»T"wd an • t<Hf fa .aapsT 
amounting to 'x «o *u" • »*-Dl place. The geologic 
lb libs are -old lur 25 'ri,W o/ mon* each,-the price 'iej'pndiug. 
on the si'to of Die folk/. A • imilai dcs-nhing the folio- will 
be =ent on request. 
Application^ for I 0 H |*6 or folioH *>«n,,ld he HGPOinpane*d by 
cash, drutl, or money urJor (not pu*tage *Cnn|i*) and oliould be 
addressed to 
THE UrKECTUR. 
/h'h'd Sttikfi Gevkyi*il 8un*y? 
1 Vuiklngton, LK C, 
dmutaryv 1021 
CULTURE 
sprinted o> hUuJr* 
"&Uk ' M. i j' 
. * y i .. 
. itx.ii Hun’s .1,1,1 I^uii" nor rvn.l Btivute«u Truil f.r Ivlt-,r»j-i. 
• v.?di an•! *lt'iioi-vf- 
i Ka 
atuxi'sl Wliui-rv*. Hivaloraiei OrrmAmdc-c* lA-iua 
audjettiea i 
lam iMmi ivitu l<"'1v 4'iiUal tuulc. I S.nwudti|>iuul :Oriu.*tij,e l'crnjt\-Venn Civil I,,*msI, 1 }> ftt>»a’vaja,,« LunJ. GrijTnH*L^f,a* ilhtdllpikar i rt?? <m|„mi*i 
.SM.tij*,,, lin-o ’m 1. „ n„«r«,ui luomuxiwl 
Wbi Lion Ml, sjnurc*. u -«*vi luacnfurtur 
T’f 
3 ' 
U,,,iui> ut , i lii'utli .SulitM'l Col*,. *• v<•,*» ThiiI.- -iii* * *»I n>»tl» 
.,.•*, 11.1 — ■ I.M * 1 , 1,1 
KAto *-* np f 
relief 
• f.,- r*/*d \» 
1 
& 
r , i . , -1 T 1 ,., a-<«MUt4i 
-m,i oUh pt*M«n 
taaMiM iMifw <WM + ! ■<$m 
• *• • ' »,► -iiy 
Ml W iuvr«. f t\ • i- te-- 
«fuVt V^teionuait 1 U - r— t oi H i« 
L>v'" 
- i~,.ii Mu/,, tluiiip> 
♦ ,.l,,,.»iv J trtwM Ml«1 i 
i£ttp «ji 
I*: 
Stu.0 
tW l 
• I #» 
catixi^l ML** ruuiml l.t^lxituTTw-- t.i$^bc^tap Litf-*(*/TiT,c, 
• .jj«i w, .ihe«on 
<l.»u, ’(4 
WATFR 
(•f/fi/tlaif iit /.Iu*, 
Sum, 111,'. I r «1te ilul BllM'iililtMtl l >u,iU. At|, 11.^1 ii ivis i,' Ami/mIm irt rw t 
rtiWVlM , * i ■ ■ 
■Ii'.- life. 
UJiev 
1*111, l»-l*l 
put/fi l|,**4,|, ll«| 
II*<},U,‘ 
i rzr. | 
- - < > 
in, i • •' hi • > 1 .. h--ti i,,^ i *b ... • i 
WOODf. 
laZrw «Aflf, n trr-nted (n Hrr-' iiV 
