438 FIRST REPORT UPON MAGNETIC WORK

out the loss of considerable time. The station was then placed as
near to the county-seat as circumstances would permit. Additional
stations were added as opportunity offered, e. g., while waiting for
railroad or steamboat connections. Later, when the survey had ex-
tended over the entire state and it was known where stations were
most needed, additional points were placed in those regions. From
an inspection of the isogonic map it will be seen that the distribu-
tion of the stations is fairly uniform. Every county is represented by
one or more stations. Stations need to be multiplied in Central and
Western Maryland. The 1896 survey will be valuable in indicating
where future stations can be placed to the best advantage.

The stations were not generally occupied in any logical order, the
observer allowing his movements to be controlled entirely by the time-
tables of the railroad and of the steamboat companies. No time was
therefore ever lost in waiting for a steamer or a train to carry the
observer to a station which would logically come next. This explains
some of his apparently erratic movements as indicated by the itinerary.

Nor did he allow his movements to be checked to any extent by cloudy
or rainy weather. Such observations were made as were possible,
the observer then pushing on and returning to his base station in
spells of continued bad weather. Such rainy spells were not un-
welcome at times, for they gave the needed opportunity of working
up the field notes. On the whole the weather was propitious.

On arrival at a station, the first cab or vehicle sighted was hired. ¹
The driver was next questioned with regard to the large open places
in the town. Usually such a place could be found around the court
house, around a public school, or around a hotel, and the driver was
directed thither. As the observer was an official representative of the
State Geological Survey, he readily received the necessary permis-
sion from the authorities in possession of the grounds to be occupied.
After a casual inspection and a few inquiries, e. g., with regard to
the presence of iron pipes, etc., the grounds were selected, if condi-

¹ In some cases, of course, no vehicle was to be had, but as the instru-
ments were packed in an easily transportable shape, there was no difficulty
in having them transported by a carrier.