Introduction to the PLS

Transcription

1 Historical Surveying Instructions and Their Influence On Surveys Of The 3 rd and 4 th s, 4 th Principal Meridian John Dahl January 2009 Introduction to the PLS A Few Terms: GLO General Land Office PLS Public Land Survey Commissioner Surveyor General Deputy Surveyor 1 2 Dark shaded area surveyed from 5 th PM. Light shaded area surveyed from 4 th PM. Initial point the 4 th Principal Meridian rd and 4 th s Typical 4th Township 37 North Range 22 West the 4th Principal Meridian Showing Typical Section Numbering. 4 th 3rd Layout Townships Between the 3rd and 4th s. NW 1/4 36 NW 1/4 SW 1/4 SE 1/4 3 rd 5 SW 1/4 SE 1/4 A Regular Section Nominally 640 Acres 6 1

2 The Footstep Thing Following in the footsteps the original surveyor simply means following the evidence the footsteps. The evidence should include the instructions, field notes, the plats and any other evidence, both documentary and physical that can be found at the time the retracement (Robillard, Wilson and Brown, 2003, p. 256). 7 Documentary Evidence 8 Documentary Evidence Written Prior to the Survey Documentary Evidence Written During/After the Survey Contract Special Instructions Letters Field Notes Plats Examination Notes Letters 9 10 History Center St. Paul, Original Field Books Letters, Contracts, Examination Notes, Maps. Almost no letters from before s statehood (1858) Iowa Historical Society Des Moines, Iowa Field Books Letters, Contracts, Examination Notes, Maps. Most the documents from before statehood (1858)

3 Original Field Notes Plats Contracts Thousands Letters Prairie LaCross July 1st 1847 Gen G. W. Jones Dear Sir, No money I have would been somewhat induce them to unfortunate stay & I could thus not far blame with them for two them were nearly my blind. hands I for stand yesterday it very well four myself, them but Should quit they work I are fail owing a I shall great entirely be annoyance. under to the I shall annoyance necessity make effort asking the to gnats for get an & hands here. extension musketoes. time, say to the first I am very well December. pleased with my contract & should like to complete it & will do so within the specified time if possible. Please inform me by first boat. Very respectfully Yours, C.S. Woodworth

4 Reports / Instructions 1847, June 7 Dubuque IA H.A. Wiltse to G.W. Jones Wiltse describes the country and the difficulties in extending the 4th P.M. to Lake Superior. Letter No. 61 Encl. GLO SGLR 4pp C p , 12 Dubuque, Sept. IA H..A. Wiltse to G.B. Sargent, Dubuque,. Wiltse reports on the character the country along the St. Croix, Kettle and Snake rivers and the progress in settlement, Letter No. 34 Encl. GLO SGLR 6pp cf p23 Aug , Dubuque, IA C.H. Booth to Theodore Conkey, Fond du Lac, Wis. A copy booth s instructions for surveying north the base line and west the 4th P.M, Territory. Letter No. 50 encl. GLO SGLR 2pp f p22 Letter Books the Surveyor General 1846, Dec. 18 GLO J.H.Piper tot G.W.Jones. Instructions re the survey lands bordering on the Saint Croix GLO LBSG Vol. 12, p cdef p , June 30 GLO R.M. Young to G.W. Jones. Re the survey the townships embracing the Falls Saint Croix. GLO LBSG Vol. 13, p cef p , July 9 GLO J. Butterfield to C.H. Booth, Instructions to keep the field notes surveys in Wisconsin separate and distinct from those in GLO LBSG Vol. 13, p cef p , April 23 GLO Justin Butterfield to G.B. Sargent. Instructions re surveying operations in Wisconsin and GLO LBSG Vol 14, p abcdef p Special Instructions Written in letter form and accompanied most contracts. Example: The very name this survey will suggest to your mind the necessity great care and precision in its execution, while the price paid you per mile contemplates difficulties the worst character ever encountered upon a survey, except perhaps that the Fourth Principal Meridian in Wisconsin. 21 Special Instructions Example to Wiltse: In your survey the 3rd parallel, when you arrive at the township corner dividing ranges 16& 17 North the said line, you are to take an accurate observation the latitude at that point from which & other data in your possession you will calculate and make the requisite fset.. 22 Theodore Conkey Grand Chute, April 1st, 1850 To the Hon. C. H. Booth Surveyor General Iowa Sir: After a protracted delay months I send to your fice the Field Notes the survey my District in. The cause this long delay has been a severe attack inflammatory rheumatism which has rendered me helpless from the second week after my return home until within a few days since. I am still unable to travel, hence I am compelled to use the mail as the only means transmitting. I had to encounter countless difficulties and embarrassments in the process my work which I have never before had to contend with. After the water becomes cold and the weather severe I had great difficulty in keeping a party together. The survey the North Eastern part the district is badly surveyed and had I thought as much it before leaving the country as it has distressed me since I certainly should correct it. I will however hold myself ready to make the correction should you think proper to advise it. It was so near the and the country entirely valueless and being wholly destitute supplies I passed over it with too little forethought for my own good or reputation. There is no necessity for sectionalizing any part the district excepting that portion lying immediately upon the and Road from Saint Paul to Fort Gaines (now Camp Ripley). No benefit could possibly ever come to the Government by subdividing any more than the fractional townships along the river. Considerable pine exists along Rum but generally inferior quality. Meander corners were established as far up as it was thought possible for a board raft to run. The anxiety to forward my notes has induced me to omit their platting and mapping, as it would require too much delay in my present enfeebled condition to do it. You will please direct my draft or Warrant to be made payable at the Land Office at Dubuque and sent to me at Appleton, Brown, Wisconsin and 1850, April 30 Dubuque, IA Respectfully Your C.H. Booth to Theodore Conkey, Grand Chute, Wis. Obtd. Servt. Booth criticizes the results Conkey s survey work in Theodore Conkey Territory. Letter No. 40. Encl. GLO SGLR 1p F 3 rd and 4 th s Typical 4 th 3 rd 24 4

5 Prior to 1846, the full general instructions were hand copied to accompany most contracts. After 1846, a book instructions was written by George Jones to accompany survey contracts in this area. Provisions the 1846 Elimination double corners. Section numbering scheme defined. lines are defined. Curvature the earth This section would be less than. (am ount not specified) Township line convergence due to Earth's curvature. Provisions the ch Set at 83 chains Each these sections would b e ( c h a i ns). More Provisions the 1846 Instruments were to operate Independently the magnetic needle. Explicit and extensive instructions for setting and marking section corners. Chain specifications. Horizontal measure. Obstructions. Meander corners Provisions the 1846 How to establish Township lines. Observe magnetic variation every mile. How and what to meander. Physical Footsteps

6 C B A 4th 3rd D Figure 7 Areas 3rd and 4th s With Available Coordinates C B A 4th 3rd D Figure 7 Areas 3rd and 4th s With Available Coordinates C B A 4th 3rd D Figure 7 Areas 3rd and 4th s With Available Coordinates Physical Evidence Coordinates Used to take the Long View These s. 3 rd Washington Ramsey Anoka 4 th Pine Kanabec Mille Lacs Morrison Anoka Mille Lacs C Morrison Benton B A Isanti Mille Lacs Sherburne Kanabec 4th Chisago Pine Wisconsin Anoka Washington 3rd D Ramsey 31 Figure 7 Areas 3rd and 4th s With Available Coordinates 32 Morrison Benton Mille Lacs Kanabec Isanti Pine Wisconsin 3 rd Morrison Benton Sherburne Mille Lacs Kanabec Isanti Chisago Pine Wisconsin 4 th Sherburne Anoka Washington Chisago Ramsey Anoka Washington Ramsey ``` Questions Raised During The Research Possible bad work done on some original surveys. The Tapering Township issue / Wisconsin i border issues Morrison Mille Lacs Kanabec Pine Benton Sherburne Isanti Chisago Wisconsin Ramsey Anoka Washington

7 Bad Work - Good Work? Tapering Townships rd and 4 th s Typical 4 th 4th 3rd Layout Townships Between the 3rd and 4th s NW 1/4 36 SW 1/4 SE 1/4 Township 37 North Range 22 West the 4th Principal Meridian Showing Typical Section Numbering. NW 1/4 SW 1/4 SE 1/4 3 rd 39 A Regular Section Nominally 640 Acres 40 T40N R17W Wisconsin / Wisconsin Border

8 T40N R17W 3 rd and 4 th s Typical 4 th 43 3 rd 44 Wisconsin Border 1846, Dec. 18 GLO J.H.Piper tot G.W.Jones. Instructions re the survey lands bordering on the Saint Croix GLO LBSG Vol. 12, p cdef p , June 30 GLO R.M. Young to G.W. Jones. Re the survey the townships embracing the Falls Saint Croix. GLO LBSG Vol. 13, p cef p , July 9 GLO J. Butterfield to C.H. Booth, Instructions to keep the field notes surveys in Wisconsin separate and distinct from those in GLO LBSG Vol. 13, p cef p , April 23 GLO Justin Butterfield to G.B. Sargent. Instructions re surveying operations in Wisconsin and GLO LBSG Vol 14, p abcdef p.504 The Footstep Thing Following in the footsteps the original surveyor simply means following the evidence the footsteps. The evidence should include the instructions, field notes, the plats and any other evidence, both documentary and physical that can be found at the time the retracement (Robillard, Wilson and Brown, 2003, p. 256) Summary The original records, letters and instructions sometimes provide answers to the question how did this get like this? Answers that may not be apparent in recent survey records. Other times they just provide more clues. The Records should be consulted. The Records must be preserved. 47 St. Cloud Technical College Land Surveying and Civil Engineering Technology We have student openings for fall semester 2009 Contact any the following people for more information: John Dahl jdahl@sctc.edu Rich Antony rantony@sctc.edu Jody Mies jmies@sctc.edu (320) or