Compromise.
Our profession is rife with compromise.
The GLO surveys were often done with compromise.
I have seen the diagrams, done up to REDUCE the miles traveled, and yet to set most corners in a township.
I have seen the subsequent surveyors come in, doing 1320' squares.
And, finally we come down to today.
Today, the GENUINE originals are being lost day by day.
The surveys of today, are being based on the markers set by compromise methods.
I'd even dare say, over 1/2 the title in the nation, is marked with improperly set markers.
Yet, they have been out there for 40-50-75-100 yrs.
They have gained the respect of time.
Now, we have to disciple, and mentor the new guys, coming into our profession, in comprehending, and following the compromise markers!
And, we have pincushions.
And, we have "Virtual pincushions".
And, we have "Improperly set markers, that have been there for a long time, yet, are now being removed, but their 'used to be' location has been preserved in somebodies database." So, we can reset the wrongly set monument...
This makes surveying interesting!
I have SEEN a number of young folks come into our profession, all excited to "Get to the bottom of all this, and perform NO COMPROMISE SURVEYING.
Then, begins their "Education". Um, better YIELD to that monument... 'cause it's been there for 30 yrs... and Mr. Clients barn was built based on it...
And, so on, and so forth. And, THEN a few have "Turned to the dark side", ACCEPTED the compromise PRINCIPLE, and began taking us toward FURTHER compromise. Basically, fast, dirty, cheap, wrong, and sometimes plain silly.
I take the posit that we often must yield to compromise monuments... WHILE KNOWING where they were supposed to be.
NOT yielding to them, WITHOUT KNOWING where they are supposed to be.
IF we yield, without knowing, then it is not possible to STOP the drift, toward MORE compromise.
IF we yield, while KNOWING, then we can make a MORE PROFESSIONAL judgement call.
That's what I endeavor to do, and encourage others to do.
Happy Friday to all. I hope your batteries are hot. Because, it's hard to survey without batteries!
Nate
Happy Friday to you Nate.
If you get the time this weekend, I suggest reading WALLACE v. FORDYCE LUMBER COMPANY (1962) http://opinions.aoc.arkansas.gov/weblink8/0/doc/104572/Page2.aspx
http://opinions.aoc.arkansas.gov/weblink8/0/doc/104572/Page2.aspx&apos ;">
Reading and understanding this case might calm your nerves...it's not compromise...it's the law.
Before that line which has been accepted through the long years is changed, it should be made to appear that the wrong, the injustice, the inequity of the situation is glaring and the change is appreciable, and the error easily traced to its source.
In some instances judgments and court decrees, as well as accepted usage, go back to corners established by our forebearers on the basis of the best knowledge they had obtainable and we rather think that the logic which brought forth the ancient maxim STARE DECISIS, ET NON QUIETA MOVERE, which has done so much to stabilize the decisions of the courts, might well be applicable as we contemplate the effect of the change of long established lines. In these circumstances we prefer to stand by precedent and not disturb settled points.
A professional surveyor, dos not so much have to deal today with the FACT of compromise, but has to deal with the MANAGEMENT of compromise.
For example, a title holder may have TITLE to the E 1/2 SE1/4. But, due to a guy in the NW corner, doing stuff, and SETTING the C1/4 in a rather non-proper method, and NOW, this affects the location of the NW corner of his E1/2-SE1/4.
That is, we now must learn to MANAGE the compromise.
And, make it all work.
N
"When a man has had a training in one of the exact sciences, where every problem within its purview is supposed to be susceptible of accurate solution, he is likely to be not a little impatient when he is told that, under some circumstances, he must recognize inaccuracies, and govern his action by facts which lead him away from the results which theoretically he ought to reach."
Boundary Surveying is a bitch......but I'd rather do it than construction surveying, engineering, or real estate sales.
Thats precisely it, there Tom. Exact science. Surveying.
That's where we get pincushions, virtual pincushions, and "plat fails to close by 0.036', so I moved the monument o. 01' N and 0.028' E."
Surveying is a combination science. Exact numbers, sometimes, exact monuments, sometimes. And, we must know what we are about....