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116 HISTORICAL SKETCH
SURVEYS OF BALTIMORE AND VICINITY.
In the early years of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey
a topographic survey of Baltimore and vicinity, incidental to that
of the state of Maryland, became a subject of interest. A letter of
Professor Hassler, the first Superintendent of the Coast Survey, date
of January 7, 1834, to the Secretary of the Treasury, remarks: " It is
proper for me to get more information upon the views of the survey
of a map of the state of Maryland upon which Professor Ducatel had
corresponded with me last summer. " He writes under date of Janu-
ary 9: "In the course of last summer, Professor D. informed me
that he and Mr. Alexander had been appointed by the Legislature
of Maryland to make a topographical map of the state and its junction
with the Coast Survey. "
In April, 1834, Professor Hassler, in another letter to the Secretary
of the Treasury, writes: " Upon your favor of the 9th, relative to the
junction of the survey of Maryland with the Coast Survey, authoriz-
ing me to make the proper arrangement to put the measure into execu-
tion, I shall make the appropriate agreement with Messrs. Ducatel and
Alexander, combine with them and then give you details upon the
plans agreed upon mutually. "
Three months later Mr. Hassler reports to the Secretary the indefi-
nite postponement of the proposed work, the Maryland committee not
being ready to perform its part.
A period of ten years then elapses before any steps were taken for
surveys in Baltimore or the Patapsco river.
Professor Hassler had in the meantime been succeeded by Professor
A. D. Bache.
December 23, 1844, in report of Professor Bache, mention is made
of the beginning of the secondary triangulation in the Patapsco river
under the direction of Assistant F. H. Gerdes. The triangulation in
the near vicinity of Baltimore was done by Assistant Ferguson, who
determined the positions " Rosanne, " five miles from the centre of the
city, near the old Frederick road, and " Finley, " several miles farther
in a northeasterly direction. 1 These points were important factors in
1 Washington Monument was also determined during the same period.
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