Daniel Ralph, post: 454196, member: 8817 wrote: Alpha dog just has to lift its leg on everything.
Probably right, but you would think they would want to use something more substantial than a plastic cap to mark their territory.
There are numerous triggers requiring 'upgrades' to existing monuments. In some cases it makes sense to add a cap to unmarked monuments. It makes for easy id, and in recording States you tell the story for all to see. I cannot think of a scenario where one would place his or her cap over another.
I personally have always held existing pins and monuments as something maybe close to "sacred"..for lack of a better word. Even if they've evidently been set by a surveyor who's work I might think a little 'loose', I try to disturb their "in-situ" integrity as little as possible.
I think this was due to an old mentor of mine. Jim was an old and unlicensed party chief that had probably forgotten more about surveying than I will ever know. Around that time ('69 and '70) all "surveyors" in Oklahoma became licensed by merely applying with letters of recommendation. Jim didn't see much need. I remember him saying "a piece of paper won't make me a better surveyor or get me a raise". But he was a sharp investigator when it came to putting the 'past' together by digging holes and smelling the dirt.
As a youngster I would swing the dip-needle around until it, well, dipped. Then I would dig a hole about 4" deep and if I didn't find anything it was time to move on. Jim explained it like this, "If we find one, that is one less we have to set". It was not uncommon in those days to find "four corners", chain between them and then cross chain to maybe check; or chain down the road to a quarter corner as a check. If we could get by without setting up a gun, we did. So Jim felt that digging up everything was the thing to do. I he walked away and said there is nothing there; you could rest assured there wasn't.
I know things have changed dramatically since then. But a "found" pin has its own right and should be honored. Pounding a new cap on seems like a desecration to me.
Somebody here (I'm sorry I can't remember whom) use to have a signature that read something like, "You don't have to be a good surveyor if you can find all the pins". I agree wholeheartedly. 😉
[USER=20]@paden cash[/USER]
That would be Kris Morgan's motto
Many times I've found monuments that were rusted or broken and not stable or soon to be too diminished to be useful.
Then I would replace them with a similar or same type of material if possible and make record of that in my new description.
maybe he charges extra for having to set HIS corners! :p
I figured someone would suggest asking the other surveyor. I thought about it but then I really don't want to know the answer. This surveyor has turned into the fly-by-night, cash-only, $500 survey types. I run into his work and always double check it because it is normally off, but then he keeps us in business because we have to fix his mistakes. He's been reported to the board with no action taken.
In NJ I've seen this when a surveyor is requested to set corners and finds the lot already monumented, which are the ultimate customer's option, so he can charge for "setting the corners"!!!!
A Harris, post: 454167, member: 81 wrote: [USER=6718]@sjc1989[/USER]
What point of law would bring about a choice to put your cap on a found rod or pipe, etc?
In my State we are required to affix our number to unmarked monuments, but not to those already marked.
paden cash, post: 454209, member: 20 wrote: I personally have always held existing pins and monuments as something maybe close to "sacred"..for lack of a better word. Even if they've evidently been set by a surveyor who's work I might think a little 'loose', I try to disturb their "in-situ" integrity as little as possible.
I think this was due to an old mentor of mine. Jim was an old and unlicensed party chief that had probably forgotten more about surveying than I will ever know. Around that time ('69 and '70) all "surveyors" in Oklahoma became licensed by merely applying with letters of recommendation. Jim didn't see much need. I remember him saying "a piece of paper won't make me a better surveyor or get me a raise". But he was a sharp investigator when it came to putting the 'past' together by digging holes and smelling the dirt.
As a youngster I would swing the dip-needle around until it, well, dipped. Then I would dig a hole about 4" deep and if I didn't find anything it was time to move on. Jim explained it like this, "If we find one, that is one less we have to set". It was not uncommon in those days to find "four corners", chain between them and then cross chain to maybe check; or chain down the road to a quarter corner as a check. If we could get by without setting up a gun, we did. So Jim felt that digging up everything was the thing to do. I he walked away and said there is nothing there; you could rest assured there wasn't.
I know things have changed dramatically since then. But a "found" pin has its own right and should be honored. Pounding a new cap on seems like a desecration to me.
Somebody here (I'm sorry I can't remember whom) use to have a signature that read something like, "You don't have to be a good surveyor if you can find all the pins". I agree wholeheartedly. 😉
This is exactly what I was alluding to in another thread when I said "Agreed - the ability to "adjust" measurements is a task well-suited to the "expert measurer" rather than the true boundary surveyor."
Jim in AZ, post: 454409, member: 249 wrote: In my State we are required to affix our number to unmarked monuments, but not to those already marked.
Same here, if it doesn't have a number you need to stencil one on it. Then they have minimum requirements, so lots of originals don't work anymore. No plastic cap allowed, 24" minimum length, ect.
