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From: <>
Subject: Re: (U.S. system of public lands)
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 1997 12:10:26 -0500 (EST)

Hello all!

Following is a description of US Survey system:
"In 1784 thew U.S. systems of public lands surveys was inaugurated.
Twenty-eight years later, in 1812, The General Office was established for
the purpose of directing public lands surveys. Since that date most of the
country has been surveyed into rectangular control tracts. Variations from
this rectangular control pattern occur where private claims and other land
grants had prior title by descriptions based on some other system. Other
variations occur where settlement and development preceeded the
establishment of the control system. Even where the control system had been
established, local customs and rules, as well as changes in detailed survey
instructions, have caused somewhat different standards and methods of land
platting in certain sections of the country.

1.1 THE SURVEY SYSTEM - LOCATING PARCELS

In general, the survey system is based on a division of lands in 24-mile
control 'squares'. The north-south lines of the squares follow the
longitudinal lines of the earth, and therefore the squares are not true
squares, due to the convergence of the longitudinal lines as they approach
the pole. In order not to accumulate this difference, a correction is made on
the south line of each 24-mile tier, to bring it back to its full 24-mile
dimension. The east-west lines follow the lines of latitude and are,
theoretically, consistently 24 miles apart.

.................
Each of the so-called 24-mile control squares is further divided into 16
towns, or townships, as near 6 miles square as possible............. These
towns (townships)
are numbered consecutively north and south from established east-west base
lines, and consecutively east and west from established north-south base
lines, referred to as meridians. Is township is approximately 6 miles
square, and is further divided into
36 one-mile squares, called sections, each containing 640 (+-) acres. The
sections of a township are numbered 1 to 36, commencing with section 1 along
the northeast corner of the township, proceeding west along the northernmost
tier of sections through section 6, dropping down one tier to section 7, and
proceeding to the right. This process is continued, ending with 36 in the
southeast corner of the township."
Ref. Construction Design for Landscape Architects, Albe E. Munson, P.E., L.A.

Well, dear friends - that must have beat 'that horse' to death - whaddaya
think?

Beste hilsner, Sissel

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