Three monuments recently found. The small one is actually a good one. It was set into pavement in 1979 but a snow plow caught its edge pulled it out and sheared it off. The one on the right was set for a ROW monument by a contractor. A bolt in inside a DOT cap. These were to be concrete monuments 36" long dug into the ground with an 3" aluminum cap inset into the monument. The center one was set by unknown parties and is unmarked-replaced with a 30" rod and 3" cap.
Hey, now
The one in the middle makes an excellent monument in the right place. I call them crosstie spikes as they are used to firmly connect one railroad tie to another. Despite being a few inches short of the standard 24" length, they will sing like a canary. Much more stable in softish ground than a typical 1/2" rebar. The larger diameter aids in location in grassy areas. The only problem is the inability to place an identifying cap. I suppose someone could try wiring a cap to the shaft and leaving it at ground level adjacent to the top of the spike.
I will agree that the contractor was pulling a fast one using a three-inch bolt in place of the 30" concrete pillar.
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Despite being a few inches short of the standard 24" length
A few inches short-if you call 16 a few. That thing was set for a 1/16th corner by someone unknown. It was unmarked and came out of hard ground like it was being ejected. If it were 16-18 inches I could understand-but 8 inches made it really flimzy for a monument like that. Anyway 24" is a minumum length with a 2" cap.
> ... It was set into pavement in 1979 but a snow plow caught its edge pulled it out and sheared it off. ...
A really bad idea to set anything at grade in pavement or any travelled way, even a side walk. Gotta get them below where things can scrape them out.
setting something at surface is nice, but only if the "real" monument is out of harms way.
Actually, it's amazing that it lasted so long. In 1979 the pavement had to have been completly different than today. There have been a number of repaving projects done since then, width was added to the pavement and still that monument survived. Until this winter. It has two reference monuments so its easy to replace. The boys have to dig in 69 ROW monuments for that project. Need to get on it while the ground is soft. They are marking for utility locates today.
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More like 16 to 18 inches in length is the norm for the ones I've seen. Some are longer because they connect three ties. A quick check shows one manufacturer makes them up to 20 inches in length.
I just dredged this one up from my archives and reloaded it on the server. old stuff.
http://www.sdi-baja.com/survey/monuments.htm
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16-20" would make a pretty good monument. It could be stamped, but to be up to code they would need to be 24". Unless set into a rock or concrete.
Used to work for a guy with good intentions but he would forget to load the truck with iron. He would end up setting whatever he had with him and then forget to go back and place the monument. Now I go out to one of his subdivisions and find a chisel, or screwdriver or even a mechanical pencil with flagging and I know it's the original.
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Now I go out to one of his subdivisions and find a chisel, or screwdriver or even a mechanical pencil with flagging and I know it's the original.
That's funny! I once found a nail, at a fence corner, where my dad was supposed to have set a rebar... but it never got set, and I eventually did set one.
But, a mechanical pencil, or chisel, etc! That guy at least was willing to sacrifice a tool, and did set it!!
N
Good easy to see and find monuments can make a huge difference in the stability of boundaries. Not sure why those little things are used.
At least they aren't wood.
We find the remains of wooden 4X4 posts that were set as MS corners in the early 1900's. Usually all that is left is some old wood fibers in a square hole, but they at least built a cairn around it, so those are easy to find.
-JD-
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I have found some odd "irons" as corners in my time. Bedrails, shotgun barrels, buggy springs, 6" hex head bolts, etc. I have to say I've never found a mechanical pencil, that takes the cake. Better than finding nothing I suppose!
