Where does the line run today?
This is a puzzle involving the PLSS but also applies to other surveying decisions worldwide. Here is the scenario:
1865—Government contractor creates the boundaries of Section 14. The eight points marked are all a wooden stake set in a dirt mound formed by excavating four pits in the cardinal directions around the stake. (All original monuments were wiped out by county road construction or other means in the 1800’s.)
1941– A surveyor working for the state DOT uses some unstated method to set an iron bar at the west quarter corner of Section 14.
1960–A different surveyor conducting a private survey uses some unstated method to set an iron bar at the southwest quarter of Section 14.
1878–(following opening of county roads) The County Surveyor conducts a survey of Section 14 and sets stones at the northwest corner, west quarter corner, southwest corner and at the west quarter-quarter corners of both the northwest and southwest quarters. Thus, there are now five stones along that one mile being the west line of Section 14.
Today– Your project is to lay out a simple rectangular tract in the southwest quarter of Section 14. Your tract will fall between the west quarter corner and the quarter-quarter corner.
Key facts: The bar set in 1941 and the stone set in 1978 MIGHT still exist under nine feet of fill and asphalt for the current State highway. A surveyor in 1969 set a bolt where he thought the 1941 bar was set based on physical evidence of culverts built for the highway. The bolt was torn out by later highway work. In 2010 a contracted surveyor preparing for further improvement of the highway resets a bar where he believes it is supposed to be becoming the current opinion as to the location of the west quarter corner of Section 14
Also, the bar at the southwest corner set in 1960 still exists and appears to be undisturbed.
Also, the 2010 surveyor excavates and discovers the stone set in 1878 at the west quarter-quarter corner of the southwest quarter of Section 14 at a depth of three feet. A bar is set directly above the center of the stone with the top of bar being one foot below the surface.
You recover the 2010 bar at the west quarter corner. You recover the 1960 bar at the southwest corner. You also diligently dig down one foot and find the 2010 bar said to be set above the 1878 stone set at the quarter-quarter corner.
Options:
A– Your determination of the west section line is a straight line connecting the bar at the west quarter corner to the bar at the southwest corner.
B– Your determination of the west section line is a straight line connecting the bar at the west quarter corner to the bar at the quarter-quarter corner then kinks to connect with the southwest corner.
The problem: The quarter-quarter bar above stone is 1.73 feet west and 2.03 feet south of the midpoint of a the straight line connecting the west quarter corner to the southwest quarter.
Option A or Option B???????????
Log in to reply.