42nd Annual Meeting

A. O. QUINN, P.E. Quinn and Associates Horsham, FA 19044 Opening Address: Two Centuries of Service

AM INDEED GREATLY HONORED to be asked I to provide the Opening Address for this Annual Meetingofthe American Congress on Surveying and Mapping and the American Society of Photogrammetry. I have con­ cluded that your convention chairman, Jack Friedman, decided that in this bicentennial year, he'd pick a guy from the "place where it all started", Philadelphia, and that that per­ son should be old enough to account in some way for nearly two centuries ofsurveying and mapping service. I suspect that my creden­ tials place me somewhat close to this unenvi­ able category. At any rate, I am pleased to provide you with my review of a few of the highlights during 200 years of service in our profession. A. O. Quinn. By attending this convention, you will see and hear the very latest in technology and professional development in surveying and valuable insights into the world's history. photogrammetry. The program is resplen­ With the start ofWorld War II in Europe, map dent with outstanding speakers who will de­ collections throughout the world were scribe surveying and photogrammetric ac­ dusted off and used to provide information tivities throughout the world, including about little known areas. Many obsolete and, space. I recommend that you carefully review regretfully, poorly prepared maps provided the schedule of papers so that you may hear the only source for forgotten islands, and participate in those parts of our profes­ plateaus, mountains, and jungle trails. In my sion that warrant your attention. When you own experience, I remember trying to fit re­ are weary of listening, you should see the cent aerial photographs to old Japanese maps outstanding exhibits which reflect an unbe­ of the Pacific islands. The result was pretty lievable degree of sophistication in the com­ horrible and led to the production of new bination ofoptics, electronics, and mechanics maps based upon the best available control. in the instruments and techniques on display. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum After accepting the invitation to give this Commission published, in 1965, a book enti­ address, I embarked upon a most enjoyable tled "Indian Paths of Pennsylvania" which review of the history of our country to pin­ describes the old trails which, in many in­ point a few of the events of our 200-year stances, are the routes of our present high­ growth in which surveying and mapping ways. The author, Paul Wallace, says, "It is played an important part. possible to map the old paths with a fair ap­ Maps were the earliest form ofcommunica­ proach to precision. There are many sources tion between members of ancient civiliza­ of information available. Among these are tions. Cartography emerged slowly from early maps, traveler's journals, land warrants, obscure origins to define places and things reminiscences of old timers and landmarks onto a medium that could be used and pre­ and crude diagrams recovered in ar­ served. Old map collections have provided chaeologists' findings."

PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING AND REMOTE SENSING, 953 Vol. 46, No.7, July 1976, pp. 953-958. 954 PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING & REMOTE SENSING, 1976

Surveying and mapping were not new and chain, the U. S. Public Land Survey was terms to our Founding Fathers. They hadjust begun in eastern Ohio. The section surveys finished a war that made them aware of the resulted in a network of fundamental survey vast differences between the colonies which lines oriented predominantly in cardinal di­ were united only in their desire to be free. rections, which stand in sharp contrast to the The Virginia gentlemen fought side by side metes and bounds surveys along the eastf' rn with New England farmers and moun­ seaboard. taineers. Yet these men found their way The pace ofcadastral surveys was slow but through the forests ofNew York and Pennsyl­ later, as settlers clamored for land, it in­ vania. The battle maps, and maps used to plan creased in speed. By the time ofthe Civil War the military operations, while crude by (1861-65) a large part of the eastern United present-day standards, proved to be adequate States had been subdivided. During the war, in meeting the needs of the Revolutionary many of the surveyors enlisted and were War. employed in a variety of military mapping In the American colonies, there had been activities. Upon the restoration of peace, great concern with mapping ofthe land since cadastral surveying occupied the attention of earliest Europe settlements. In 1585, John many workers, and a remarkable number of White drew a map of the Cape Hatteras area published and unpublished, official and un­ during the ill-fated Roanoke expedition ofSir official cadastral maps were available. Walter Raleigh. In 1612, Captain John Smith Fire and underwriters' maps ofurban areas explored the Chesapeake Bay and produced were developed in the period 1850-1900 and an important map ofthat locality. One of the used extensively to show the location and the most important maps in Colonial times was fire-resistive character ofbuildings and other produced in 1670 by Augustine Hermann (a types of data. Bohemian) for Lord Calvert of his Maryland Surveys for the transfer of properties and patents and a large region beyond. A map the development of the cities and villages covering an even larger area from Virginia to was accomplished first by apprentices from the Great Lakes was made by Joshua Fry (un­ European countries and later by surveyors der whom George Washington served in the trained in the colonies and by graduates of French and Indian Wars) and Peter Jefferson the early American colleges. Two ofour early (father of Thomas Jefferson) in 1751. The Presidents-Washington and Jefferson­ most ambitious map made in Colonial worked as Surveyors. America was by John Mitchell in 1755. This Surveying instruments and techniques map and all the others were printed outside were imported. However, as the need for sur­ the country, and while adding to geographi­ veys increased, "Yankee ingenuity" rose to cal knowledge, they were essentially Euro­ meet the demand for "homemade" equip­ pean in methodology and symbolism. After ment and new methods were developed to the Revolutionary War, American cartog­ cope with conditions in the new country. raphy developed along more independent The first set of 83 road maps produced in lines. An immediate concern was the settle­ the United States were made in 1789 by ment ofa vast public domain and a committee Christopher Colles who came to Philadel­ under Thomas Jefferson proposed a method phia from Ireland in 1739. The maps covered for its subdivision. routes and alternates from Albany, New York, , Jefferson's committee's report led to the to Yorktown, Virginia. enactment by Congress of the Land Ordi· The earliest use of contour lines to show nance of 1785. The major elements of this elevation changes in a large area on topo­ legislation were- graphic maps is attributed to a French en­ (1) A survey was required prior to settle­ gineer, J. L. DuPain Triel. The date of his ment. work was 1791. The application of DuPain (2) Orientation of survey lines was to be Triel methods to American cartography was systemized. by two West Pointers, Lt. George Whistler (3) The township unit was established (who was the father of James Whistler the and, famous American painter) and Lt. William G. (4) The section concept was required. McNiell in 1822. To implement this systematic ~adastral Our expanding country required the de­ survey, Thomas Hutchins of New Jersey, velopment of roads, canals, and (later) rail­ who had served under Washington as a sur­ roads. The exploration and stakeout ofroutes veyor, was appointed Geographer ofthe Un­ demanded an ever increasing number ofsur­ ited States--or first officer in charge of gov­ veyors. The Erie Canal across New York State ernment surveys. Using a magnetic compass was completed in 1825; the Chesapeake and OPENING ADDRESS: TWO CENTURIES OF SERVICE 955

Delaware Canal in 1829; and numerous canal JerseyjustwestofEnglewood; the other west systems in New Jersey and Pennsylvania from Gravesend, Long Island. The first maps were designed and built to meet the needs of were published in 1834 and involved the growing transportation in the East. New York City and Long Island. Scientific mappingofthe nation by triangu­ Additional troubles followed the initial de­ lation and astronomical observation began lays. The Survey was transferred to the Navy after the acquisition of the territory west of Department; Congress now and then failed to the Mississippi River. The Louisiana Pur­ provide the necessary funds to carry on the chase in 1803, costing 15 million dollars, in­ work; shipowners failed to receive the prom­ creased the national domain by 140 per cent ised navigational charts from the Survey and and provided the land for all or part of 13 demanded a congressional investigation. states. As early as 1796, Thomas Jefferson (Sounds like 1976, doesn't it?) pointed out to his colleagues in the American After 1843, the Survey was given a more Philosophical Society the importance of the stable organization and provided with funds territory west ofthe Mississippi River and the which were more nearly adequate. The ex­ necessity of exploring it in the interests of pansion ofthe country and the acquisition of national defense and the future welfare ofthe island dependencies increased the duties of nation. Thus, when the time came to take the Coast Survey, bringing under its surveil­ possession of the territory of Louisiana, Jef­ lance more than 100,000 miles of coast line. ferson negotiated, in 1803, a confidential In 1878, with still no national topographic grant ofmoney by Congress for the purpose of survey in the offing, the duties of the Coast exploring the new purchase. Meriwether Survey were increased still further. Accurate Lewis, Jefferson's private secretary, and Cap­ maps ofthe wild West were urgently needed, tain William Clark ofthe United States Army and the only department of the Government were sent by President Jefferson to explore the that was properly organized and tooled to new territory and survey a route to the Pacific meet the emergency, to provide the neces­ Ocean. The success ofthe expedition opened sary connecting triangles between the old vast new territories to American knowledge territory and the new, was the Coast Survey. and led the way for the settlement of the On June 20, 1878, Congress enlarged the West. From 1810 until 1880, rarely a year scope of the Coast Survey to cover inland went by without at least one military recon­ topography as well. naissance party being in the field or about to Almost as old as the Coast and Geodetic embark on an expedition into the wilds ofthe Survey is a second government mapping interior. Yet the country was so vast and, ac­ agency which evolved more or less from the cording to the best reports, so much of it was expedition of Lewis and Clark. This was the uninhabitable that few, ifany, seriously con­ Corps of Topographical Engineers, or­ sidered an intensive topographic survey of ganized March 3, 1813. This body, later con­ the whole. solidated with the Corps ofEngineers ofthe The principal difficulty ofmaking an inten­ Army underthe War Department, furnished a sive topographic study of the United States nucleus for organizing and executing an before 1800 had been caused by the fact that adequate topographic survey of the nation. there was so much to be done in a hurry, The Corps was charged with military topo­ without precedent and before the central graphic reconnaissance, exploration and sur­ government was properly organized. The vey at a time when the population, both white boundaries of the country were poorly de­ men and red, was in dire need of military fined and much of the interior was a dark discipline. It was kept so busy exploring and mystery filled with unknown perils. policing the interior that it had neither the President Jefferson proposed a survey of time nor the funds to do anything else. After the Atlantic coast to aid navigators and pro­ 1863, its duties were broadened to include vide scientific data for future mapping ac­ the "planning and construction of works for tivities. Congress authorized the "Survey of the improvement of rivers and harbors; the the Coast" on February 10, 1807, placed it trigonometric, hydrographic and topographic under the jurisdiction of the Treasury De­ survey ofthe northern lakes; the astronomical partment and appointed a Swiss scientist, determination of boundaries and initial Professor Ferdinand Rudolph Hassler as points; the topographic surveys and recon­ superintendent. After many delays including naissances ofthe Interior and ofthe Western the procurement of surveying instruments Territory, & c." . and equipment from England, geodetic sur­ The Geological Survey was constituted veying began in 1816 with two baselines, March 3, 1879, under the Department ofthe each about four miles long. One ran in New Interior. Its function was to furnish closer 956 PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING & REMOTE SENSING, 1976 coordination between government agencies situation, "A Survey with theodolite or trans­ assigned the job of classifying the public it, entirely independent of the magnetic lands and "the examination ofthe geological compass, was required to provide by structure, mineral resources, and products of trigonometrical measurement of the relative the national domain." It was to supersede all angular position of the mountain summits of the earlier geological and geographic sur­ and other landmarks, a map of the wilder­ veys. Limited at first to the land west of the ness." His persistency earned him the job of 100th meridian, the field of the Geological superintendent for the New York State Land Survey was eventually extended over the en­ Survey, and for the next 15 years, starting in tire country. 1873, Colvin literally ran up and down the Multipurpose maps of the National Topo­ mountains carving sight lines, triangulating graphic Series now are produced and main­ using personally devised solar reflectors, tained by the Topographic Division of the leveling and recording water depths and Geological Survey, with some effort contrib­ temperatures ofhundreds ofmountain lakes. uted by the Forest Service, the Tennessee In addition to his surveying capabilities, Col­ Valley Authority, and the Mississippi River vin was a master at sketching terrain condi­ Commission. Military mapping is handled by tions and in the preparation ofdetailed narra­ the Defense Mapping Agency, the Army Map tives which he submitted to the legislature. Service, and military units. National mapping He was a tyrant to work for and he had no idea requirements, as determined primarily by oftime. He ascended many mountains late in federal agency requests, are the basis for the the day and was frequently forced to make National Topographic Program which in­ dangerous descents through wilderness areas cludes several individual map series. Most of or to spend frigid nights fighting howling the program effort is dedicated to the produc­ gales on the sides of the Adirondack peaks. tion and maintenance of the 1:24,000 scale, His reports read like thrilling novels with 7V2 minute topographic map series. The frequent encounters with bears, wolves, and ortho-photo map recently has been added as a unbelievable weather conditions. new edition of the 7V2 minute series. The His surveys and resulting maps largely es­ report ofthe Federal Mapping Task Force on tablished the history ofthe Adirondacks and Mapping, Charting, Geodesy and Surveying his persistent efforts led to the creation of in July, 1973, indicated that general purpose the area as a state park in which millions of map coverage at scales of1:24,000 or 1:62,500 acres are dedicated to be "forever wild." is now available for about 87 per cent of the I am certain that surveyors present today total area ofthe United States. Alaska is about would be interested in the following para­ 80 per cent covered with maps at a scale of graph from Colvin's 1874 report: 1:63,360. "As during previous seasons, the use ofal­ The activities of the federal mapping agen­ coholic or fermented liquor of any kind was cies in small-scale mapping were prohibited to anyone connected with the sur­ supplemented by various state organizations vey. Neither while engaged in the laborious which, until relatively recently, conducted climbing ofthe mountains nor while encoun­ independent surveys and mapping to meet tering bitterest storms or the severity ofwin­ their own needs. One such survey was the ter's snows was any stimulant used or carried. work in the Adirondack Mountains of north­ The result has been steady and persistent ern New York State by Verplanck Colvin. work, and men who have believed stimulants Colvin was born in Albany, New York, in absolutely necessary have expressed a 1847. He was educated as a lawyer with a change of opinion." Can anyone doubt Ver­ strong taste for the sciences. Following a planck Colvin's credibility? career in mining surveys and geology, he The work of Colvin in accomplishing a taught higher surveying, geodesy, and topo­ most difficult survey has been duplicated a graphical engineering at Hamilton College. million fold in the survey work for our major The Adirondack Mountain area was a virtual engineering projects-the transcontinental wilderness, used as a hunting ground by the railroads, our highways, canals, dams and the Indians, which received little attention from development of millions of acres into cities, the original settlers in the state. Military farms, parks, and commercial centers. grants at the end of the Revolutionary War Substantial progress in our private and na­ prompted surveys to establish boundaries. tional mapping programs has been made The going was difficult and there were no since the introduction of aerial photogram­ reliable maps, blazes, or stakes to make these metric mapping methods. In the 1850's, surveys any better than educated guesses. photographs were taken from kites and bal­ Colvin was convinced that to remedy this loons in France and used experimentally for OPENING ADDRESS; TWO CENTURIES OF SERVICE 957 the compilation oftopographic maps. The art signed the optical-mechanical instruments of photogrammetry was continually im­ required. The aerial camera used 6V2"-x 7 8V2" proved in France, Germany, and Austria dur­ glass plates instead ofroll film. This became ing the latter part of the nineteenth century. known as the Brock process which was a u­ In 1895, Captain E. Deville, Surveyor Gen­ nique American solution to photogrammetric eral of the Dominion of Canada invented a mapping. Prior to this development, photo­ stereo-plotting instrument and published a grammetric instruments were of European book on photogrammetry. design and manufacture. In the United States the first known aerial In 1922, the first test area at Media, photograph was taken by James Black and Pennsylvania, was mapped. Subsequenttests Samuel King from a balloon called "Queen of were performed in the United States as well the Air." This photograph was made over as in France and Italy. The first commercial Boston from an altitude of630 meters. Oliver mapping contract was performed in 1924 in Wendell Holmes immortalized the photo by South Carolina for a hydro-electric project. captioning it, "Boston .... as seen by the Later projects included work for the Cana­ eagle and the wild goose." A print is on dis­ dian railroads; the U. S. Corps of Engineers, play in the Boston Museum ofScience. Other Louisville District; and mapping at Hoover photographs were taken from captive bal­ Dam for the Bureau of Reclamation. loons by the Union Army in 1862 at Frank Weymouth, Chief Engineer of the Richmond, Virginia, and used for military in­ Bureau of Reclamation, joined the group in telligence purposes. A survey camera was the early 1920's to form the engineering firm used in conjunction with a plane table for of Brock and Weymouth which continued mapping in Alaska in 1895 by the U. S. Coast operations until 1931 when the worldwide and Geodetic Survey. The most successful of financial situation brought all activities to an the kite photographers was G. R. Lawrence. end. The equipment was acquired by Aero He flew cameras weighing as much as 1,000 Service Corporation and used until 1950 on a pounds and, with one ofthese large cameras wide variety of mapping assignments. hanging from seven kites, he took a picture in The accomplishments in photogrammetry May 1906 of the earthquake-leveled San using Swiss, German, and Italian instruments Francisco from an altitude of 600 meters. as well as the American designed and built The use ofaerial photography for mapping Kelsh-type stereo plotters are well known. progressed slowly in the United States, and it Many of these instruments are on display. was not until after World War I that any sig­ The recent publications ofthe American Soci­ nificant developments occurred. The Ar­ ety of Photogrammetry, the American Con­ thur Brock, Jr. Tool and Die Works was gress on Surveying and Mapping, and Cana­ formed in 1912 by Arthur Brock, a Philadel­ dian and European organizations contain phian with an A. B. Degree from Harvard. numerous papers concerning our current After the start ofWorld War I in 1914, Brock status in photogrammetry and surveying. conceived the idea of taking photographs of I'm told that it's difficult to bring a love battlefields from an airplane. Edward Cahill, story to an end. The stories about surveys for his mechanical engineer, was responsible for the major engineering projects in our country the design of this camera which had a Wol­ could go on forever. Take, for instance, the lonsak 12" lens, F:4.5 and which had a construction of our railroads and highways magazine carrying 4"-x-5" cut film. The cam­ across the country; dams and irrigation proj­ era was tested over Fort Sill, Oklahoma in the ects; pipelines; transmission lines, etc., etc. summer of 1915. A second camera was de­ For me, my love for our profession of sur­ signed to accommodate roll film 4W' wide and veying and mapping will never end. I felt the 46 feet in length which would produce about same thrill of accomplishment when Neil 100 exposures. The camera was fully automat­ Armstrong stepped on the surface of the ic and controlled by the pilot. It was sent to moon as I do when I step on one ofVerplanck the Mexican border in 1916 and flown by the Colvin's triangulation stations on the top of Ordinance Department of the U. S. Army to an Adirondack peak or when maps made by obtain aerial photographs for the military ex­ our company are used to design a major en­ pedition. gineering project. Surveyors, photogrammet­ France and Great Britain, as well as the rists and map makers can take just pride in United States, purchased a number of these their accomplishments during the first 200 cameras during 1917-1918, and they were years ofour country's life. My recent studies used in World War I. have shown me a most astounding and yet In 1921, Mr. Cahill devised a method of orderly development of our knowledge and mapping from aerial photographs and de- technology. One cannot deny the feeling ofa 958 PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING & REMOTE SENSING, 1976

Divine Hand in the guidance and expansion ords of surveying, Mapping and Civil En­ ofour work. Is it, for example, sheer accident gineering projects of days gone by." Based that the airplane was conceived after the au­ upon by recent research, I can promise you a tomobile? And what would we have done most fascinating experience. You will be with electronic measuring instruments be­ pleasantly surprised at the wealth of survey fore optical reading theodolites? Obviously, and mapping lore to be found in your local we never could have reached the moon library and courthouse. I hope that many without the computer. papers similar to Mr. Heppert's will be pub­ Our technology is continuing to develop to lished. This would be a most worthwhile proj­ meet the great challenges that lie before us. ect for the various chapters of our two We must be certain that our own professional societies. standards, ethical behavior, and technical BIBLIOGRAPHY capabilities will continue to grow to solve the problems that are before us. "What's past is Adirondack Life, Spring, 1970; Winter, 1970. prologue," and I am certain that youropening Brown, Lloyd, The Story ofMaps-Boston 1949. speaker in 2076 will point with pride to the Colvin, Verplanck, Report on the Topographic Survey of the Adirondack Wilderness 1873; accomplishments in surveying and mapping Report of the Superintendent of the State between now and that time. Land Survey 1897. I am deeply indebted to many reference Jensen, Oliver, Railroads in America 1975. books and magazines, some of which I've New York State Conservationist-February­ listed in a bibliography appended to this March 1954. paper, and to many individuals who have The Pennsylvania Magazine ofHistory and Biog- suggested areas of interest for me to trace. raphy, October, 1960. A most interesting description of Tennes­ Skelton, R. A., Maps-Chicago 1947. see Valley Surveying 1745 to 1780 by E. D. Synder, John P., The Mapping ofNewJersey 1926. Storms, C. E., Aerial Mapping in the Delaware Heppert, Jr., is contained in the December Valley 1976. 1975 issue of "Surveying and Mapping." At Thrower, Norman J. W., Maps and Man 1972. the conclusion of the article, the author Tooley, R. V., Maps and Map Makers 1949. suggests, "Why not start a public affairs proj­ Wallace, Paul A. W., Indian Paths of Pennsyl- ect for your own community researching rec- vania 1965.

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