Repository: UIHistories Project: Sophograph - 1890 [PAGE 50]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

Till

OPHOORAPH.

principal meridian. If the di m< ri or • runs three chains, he must rel i t h e whole seel n bo larj has just run. [f the random line hits t h e t nsh ne within three chains of the corner >ld ii meridian is run n o r t h and south by a transit, sola)- compass ine other instrument of equal accuracy, (so the law ex- tions of the land office the rami a 1. becomes the tru one. h u t by present i n s t r u c t : B musl . .'• t h e (listpressly provides) which is called the principal meridian. ance north or south, the temporary hi -mile rn T w o s - of chainmen are required to measure the line thus moved, and then Bel on t h e t r u e lii run. and >nes or posts are sel at every mile and half-mile All excesses of defi< es in the to-, ship are n< for the corners of sections and quarter sections, and every divided up equally among the a ons, bui ire tin n in :x miles for I vnship corners—the different monuments the north and wesl halt ctions I .vnship. e i n g marked » as > be readily distinguishable. From the Minor divisions of .- ions made oun or ini d point a line is also run on a parallel of latitude, called the base line. On this, in ihe same manner as on the princi- other competent Bun »r a t t h e owner's exp< This is in brief the I faited S in of pal meridian, t h e corners for quarter-sections, sections, ami lands a system which it - ma Im imj ivnship are Bet. A t the end of every six miles, a meridian edu< I mi the ' im ry of ih^ adjoining ranges of town- upon, al leas! in theory; and. as 1 cpect rs of bips. A he and were true meridians, there was skillful surveyors ta i the field, we m fficulty encountered, caused \)\- the conver- field work to be redui I t o a m i n i m u m . g( > tie f ridians, a difficulty for which Beveral remedii prop 1. Finally it was agreed bo adopt standard ' die or i lit" , every twenty-four or thirty miles vi; ie difficulty. So now, at the end of every twenty• ;r or thii mile on the principal meridian, a new base line. t w< •. ia i i. On this then tie- true distances for hip in measured off.

The firs! lan.l surveyed by (he general government was in eas rnOhio. There seven tiers of townships were surveyed north from the Ohio river, for mine: the "Seven 11 4 Ranges, as they were called. Tin sections were numbered i'rom south to north in each tier, beginning at the southeast corner. By a law <>{' later date this way of numbering was changed. At present they are numbered beginning at the north-easl corner, first west, then cast, then wesl again, and on to 36 in the south-east corner of the township. In starting a survey, a point is first established as an initial point. This point is usually established near Borne natural monument, as a hill or mountain, or at the junction • two rivers. From the initial point thus established a true

The law provides that tl township linea shall no< run tina l i * • Tl secure the United Stat- gai shall act as a check upon another. In rwi 'i linei the surveyor starts at tie- fii mile i wtof the principal meridian, and. on the base lin< uni -mile a nearly north as he can, setting a balf-mili mile i then, supposing he is on th. I e p

run i mile eas< on a random line, mile corner, toward t h e Corner prev * temp :« the