I am working on a comparison of surveying costs for original land surveys in Texas vs. PLSS states. Can anyone tell me where I might find copies of the contracts let for the PLSS work? Looking for 1870s-1880s surveys, preferably in the state of New Mexico or Oklahoma.
Annual Report of the Commissioner of the Land Department to the Secretary of Interior
These reports generally have a tabulation of survey costs for each State/Territory/Land Office. They may or may not be easy to find on line (my experience has been mixed at best). Texas has similar Reports, so don't get lost in various links to those documents.?ÿ
Individual Contracts can be found in the National Archives, but that's a whole different ball of wax.
Thanks!
I think the break downs I am finding in the report is sufficient to generate an average cost per mile for any given territory.?ÿ