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Drunken surveyors and Montana
Posted by holy-cow on October 20, 2021 at 4:04 pmWhile looking for something else I stumbled upon the story in the link below. The word drunken and the word surveyors was actually used in the same sentence. Can you imagine that? The other suggestion is the surveyors got LOST. Wow!
https://mythsoftheamericanwest.wordpress.com/2015/11/13/the-myth-behind-the-montana-idaho-border/
bill93 replied 2 years, 5 months ago 17 Members · 22 Replies- 22 Replies
I bet the drunken surveyors’ surveying was better than that writer’s writing.
Surveying after a round of imbiberance is difficult even by today’s standards. I have worked with surveyors that were inebriated. It’s not easy and can test your nerves.
The words surveyor and drunken being in the same sentence doesn’t surprise me….However I am surprised that sentence doesn’t include the word revolver…
Butte, Idaho and Billings is the capital of Montana.
- Posted by: @oldpacer
Butte, Idaho and Billings is the capital of Montana.
Helena, Montana is the capital city. Boise, Idaho is the capital city.
Montana was really, really slow according to this date in the story. “until after Montana became its own territory (1966). “
I think that oldpacer’s point is that if the boundary had been established as intended both Butte and Helena would be in Idaho -leaving Billings to be the capital of Montana.
I don’t even know what to say…I can’t decide if my 12 year old son wrote this article to piss me off with all the grammatical errors or if I’ve been drinking too much…I’m going with both!
See, we are realizing quickly how people can devalue information based on obvious spelling, grammar and similar errors that go undetected by the author of the information. We all need to keep this in mind as we produce our own work for the benefit of others.
Just today while using a survey from six months ago as I guide for one in the adjacent block I discovered a meaningless, yet stupid as hell, mistake in the final plat. The block consists of 12 lots, with six on the west side of the central alley and six on the east side. The lots on the west are odd numbers. Those on the east are even numbers. Apparently, I had labeled the odd lots correctly, then copied them to the even side and changed them to be the even numbers. Except, somehow I overlooked what should have been lots 10 and 12. Leaving them to be 9 and 11, duplicating the lots to the west of them. No one to blame but myself. My six month ago survey did not involve what should have labeled as lots 9,10,11 and 12, so no one was looking at them, including me.
Just goes to show that no matter WTF happens, it??s the Surveyors fault. ????
@flga-2-2
NOBODY TOLD ME!!!!!!
I stopped reading when he said Idaho was the forgotten state… because of its size. Idaho is the 5th largest state in the country…
@bstrand 11th. 14th if counting by land+water.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_area
- I hope everyone has a great day; I know I will!
Guess I had bad info.
Or it was slope distances. ???
Still a ridiculous statement by the author, imo.
- Posted by: @paden-cash
Surveying after a round of imbiberance is difficult even by today’s standards. I have worked with surveyors that were inebriated. It’s not easy and can test your nerves.
Paden, that has been the cause of some conflict between Georgia and Tennessee for years. The surveyor assigned to establish the Northwest corner of Georgia, on the south line with Tennessee, was reportedly inebriated when he set the corner. It was about a mile south of where it was supposed to be. Going strictly by the Latitude a portion of the Tennessee River would be in Georgia. I DO NOT believe that the corner, which has been there for 200 years, should be in question even though some of our politicians believe it should.
Andy
@andy-bruner The U.S. Supreme Court state boundary cases I have reviewed highly favor the accepted and acquiesced physically established boundary, despite errors and ancient bad procedures. I think that??s why Georgia politicians occasionally bring it up but Georgia AGs never push it (they know the chances of winning are between slim and none). Meanwhile Tennessee just ignores Georgia.
There were three California-Nevada boundaries, California and Nevada conferred, agreed on which one to use then California sued Nevada to bring it into the Supreme Court which ruled the agreement is correct.
There were 3 or 4 Iowa-Missouri boundaries considered, and the US Supreme Court went with the oldest one (Sullivan Line of 1816) It is interesting because you can see it curve, the effect of changing magnetic declination which was not updated on the compass as the survey moved east.
.THE HONEY WAR
Ye freemen of the happy land,
Which flows with milk and honey,
Arise! To arms! Your ponies mount!
Regard not blood or money.
Old Governor Lucas, tiger-like,
Is prowling ??round our borders,
But Governor Boggs is wide awake ??
Just listen to his orders.
Three bee-trees stand about the line
Between our State and Lucas,
Be ready all these trees to fall,
And bring things to a focus.
We??ll show old Lucas how to brag,
And seize our precious honey!
He also claims, I understand,
Of us three bits in money.
Now, if the Governors want to fight,
Just let them meet in person.
And when noble Boggs old Lucas flogs,
??Twill teach the scamp a lesson.
Then let the victor cut the trees,
And have three-bits in money,
And wear a crown from town to town,
Anointed with pure honey
@bill93 the Supreme Court said the Sullivan line was the line used and respected by the us government in administering the territory and besides it looks like it split the baby.
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