I spent a little bit of time this afternoon working on a survey of some lots in an 1883-vintage subdivision in a small town in West Texas. I can honestly say that I've never seen anything like this.
The subdivision was apparently surveyed in 1883 and the lots were described in the conveyances by metes and bounds, all tied to a "large stone" marking a corner of the section within which the subdivision was situated. Naturally, this being Texas, the section was originally laid out running N6°E and N84°W and the subdivision grid as described in the various deeds given by the subdivider parallels those directions.
However, every one of the metes and bounds descriptions, rather than reciting ties that run parallel or at right angles to the grid of blocks, gives cardinal ties from the section corner marked by the large stone to the POB, i.e. so many feet North and East or West of the stone. These were obviously calculated, so someone went out of his way to do this, rounding the resulting North and East components to the nearest foot.
It is something that would make sense in a very large block of land, but really looks crazy at the scale of 50 x 125 ft. lots.
Here's a photo of the fellow who I think was responsible for that bit of calculation, S.A. Thompson, seen here with his second wife, I believe, the sister of his deceased first wife.
Why break in a new mother-in-law if you have the first one trained properly?
Are The Ties Truly Cardinal ?
"North" does not necessarily mean "North 0° East" and in this particular case I would say "North" means "North 6° East". In other words "North 6° East" is Grid North for the entire subdivision.
Or are you saying someone actually calculated True Northing and Eastings correctly for the twisted grid?
Paul in PA
He went out of his way to grow that awesome mustache too... Must have known Movemmber is coming up!
Are The Ties Truly Cardinal ?
> Or are you saying someone actually calculated True Northing and Eastings correctly for the twisted grid?
Yes, but rounded them to the nearest foot.
Are The Ties Truly Cardinal ?
Maybe someone was anticipating SPC way back when.
Paul in PA
Are The Ties Truly Cardinal ?
> Maybe someone was anticipating SPC way back when.
Well, Mr. Thompson, like his fellow West Texas surveyors, made extensive use of coordinate calculations in his work. The typical pattern in the 19th century in locating a large block of surveys was to run a random traverse along some convenient route through the block and to any other corners that were needed to determine the block's location, and then compute the positions of the corners of sections in the block in relation to the traverse points.
Are The Ties Truly Cardinal ?
Don't the best surveyors all have hirsute upper lips ?
YOS
TNAI
Are The Ties Truly Cardinal ?
> Don't the best surveyors all have hirsute upper lips ?
I probably helps with winter heat loss when there is a kilt involved below the equator, so to speak.
Are The Ties Truly Cardinal ?
You help guys wearing kilts with heat loss?!?!?:-P
Are The Ties Truly Cardinal ?
> You help guys wearing kilts with heat loss?!?
Yes, I advise them to grow a mustache.
Are The Ties Truly Cardinal ?
Dude, you're settin' them up too easy 😉