corner belongs, the missing corresponding corner of the section in the opposite township may be re-established in line, north or south of the existing corner, as the case may be, at the distance stated in the field notes.

This mode is considered preferable to that of retracing the section line, because these double corners are not usually more than one or two chains apart, and this distance can be measured with greater accuracy than the section line could be re-run.

[NOTE. The surveyor should not, however, content himself with simply chaining the distance between the double corners, but should in all cases test his work by coursing on trial lines and by chaining to known corners. It may be remarked here, and the remark applies to all cases of rechaining referred to in these instructions, that the chain used should be carefully compared with that used by the United States deputy surveyor, by rechaining stated distances between noted objects or corners in the original survey, and where it is found to be either longer or shorter than the chain originally employed, allowance must be made therefor, keeping in mind that all distances in the resurvey must be made proportional to those of the original measurements.]

This note is to be taken in connection with, and considered a part of, the instructions which follow for restoring extinct corners.

3. Where both corners are missing, and it is required to restore the one established when the township line was run.

Run a straight line between the nearest noted station trees or corners north and south, or east and west, as the case may be, and plant the missing corner at the point in such line indicated by the distances from said trees or corners given in the field notes. The measurements of the survey of the exterior lines should govern, and if the chaining of the surveyor does not agree with the original measurements, the difference should be divided

proportionally between the respective distances remeasured, as directed in the preceding note.

The restored corner will be common to two sections either north or west of the township boundary; and the section line north or west, as the case may be, from said corner should also be retraced, to test the accuracy of the result.

4. Where both corners are missing, and it is required to restore the one established when the township was subdivided. Retrace the section line which closed on the missing corner, and plant the section post at the intersection with the township boundary line. Test the result by measuring the distances to noted objects on the township line, and comparing the measurements with those given in the original field notes. The restored corner will, of course, be common to two sections south or east of the township line.

5. When triple corners have been established on range lines, one or two of which have become obliterated, and it is required to restore either of them.

It will be remembered that only two of these corners are actual corners of sections, those established when the range line was run not corresponding with the boundaries of the sections either east or west of said line. The surveyor will, therefore, first proceed to identify the existing corner or corners, and then plant the missing corner in line north or south of them, according to the distances stated in the original field notes, and test the correctness of the result as heretofore directed.

If the distances between the triple corners are not stated in the field notes, the required corner must be restored by retracing the section line closing on said corner, as directed in the case of double corners similarly situated.

6. Where triple corners have been established, all of which are missing.

The required corner should be restored in accordance with the instructions for re-establishing extinct double corners similarly situated: i.e. by retracing the section line. which closed on the missing corner, either east or west. The range line should also be rechained north and south to the nearest corner, to make sure the correctness of the result.

EXTINCT QUARTER SECTION CORNERS.

Quarter section corners, except those on section lines which close on the north or west boundaries of townships, are required to be established equidistant between the section corners; it is an easy matter, therefore, to restore such of them as may become extinct, if the true section corners be known.

1. To restore lost quarter section corners on a township boundary.

Only one set of quarter section corners are actually marked in the field on township lines, and they are established when the exteriors are run. When there are double section corners, the quarter posts are considered as standing midway between the corners of their respective sections, and when required to be marked in the field, should be so placed. This is also true in regard to triple corners; but great care must be taken not to mistake the corner of one section for that of another.

2. Quarter section corners on section lines which close on the north and west township boundaries.

These corners must be re-established according to the original measurement, at forty chains from the last interior section corner. If the measurements do not coincide with the original survey, the excess or deficiency must be

proportionally divided between the two distances as stated in the field notes.

For example, suppose the line between sections 5 and 6, or 6 and 7, to be 81.25 ch. according to the field notes, but according to present measurement it is 80-85 ch. Then, as 81.25: 80-85:: 40-39-75, ch. The quarter section corner must therefore be placed at 39 chains and 75% links from the last interior section corner, and consequently 41 ch. and 09, links from the township boundary, according to present measurement. The same course should be pursued in the case of anomalous sections, where two or more corners occur at intervals of 20 chains, between the regular half-mile post and the township line.

3. Interior quarter section corners, except in the preceding cases, must be re-established equidistant between the section corners, and in a right line between the nearest noted. station trees or section corners on either side of them.

EXTINCT TOWNSHIP CORNERS.

1. When the missing township corner is common to four townships.

These township corners should be restored in accordance with the directions for re-establishing interior section corners.

2. When the missing corner is on a correction line and common to only two townships.

Both the correction line and the range line of the township to which the required corner belong, should be carefully retraced and measured to a sufficient dis-tance to insure accuracy in the courses and distances; and if the range line should not intersect the correction. parallel at the distance from the nearest township corner

stated in the field notes, the work should be further examined and rigidly tested.

EXTINCT MEANDER CORNERS.

1. These corners should be restored by retracing the lines which closed upon them in the direction that they were run by the government surveyor.

Fractional section lines closing on Indian boundary lines, reservations, private grants, etc. should be retraced in the

same manner.

2. It may not unfrequently happen that, after proceeding to restore a lost corner in the manner described in the foregoing pages, the surveyor may come upon some traces of the original corner; when such is the case, and the traces unmistakably indicate the original locality of the corner, the resurvey must of course be made to conform therewith.

EARLY LAWS OF CONGRESS RELATING TO SURVEYING THE PUBLIC LANDS.

The following brief synopsis of some of the early surveying laws may be of service to county surveyors in the regions of the old surveys.

The first enactment of the National Legislature in regard to surveying the public lands was an ordinance passed by the Congress of the Confederation, May 20th, 1785, which prescribed the mode for the survey of the "Western Territory." This ordinance provided that said territory should be divided "into townships of six miles square, by lines running due north and south, and others crossing them at right angles," as near as might be.

It was further provided that "the first line running north and south should begin on the Ohio river, at a point due north from the western termination of a line