http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b466
An interesting read with a few cool pictures.
I especially like the photo of a grown-over Bearing Tree blaze (X-Section).
Loyal
Thanks for that link. We love stuff like this.
Cheers,
m & h
I remember reading somewhere; about a story about how they got to the Canadian Border and stopped short, because it had not been established yet. They stashed their gear, never to return.
does anybody know the rest of the story?
Dugger
That's really cool.
When they cleared line, they really CLEARED line. Take no tree prisoners, large or small.
Its location by 20 engineers ...
From Page 11, referring to the difficulty of determining the exact initial point in the middle channel of Snake River opposite the mouth of Clearwater River:
>"I believe its location to be so nearly exact that it is correct for all practical purposes; and at any rate will not vary farther from the true position than its location by 20 engineers, acting independently of one another, and with the same data and opportunity, would all vary from one another."
Retracement Survey - Initial Monument
Thank you for the PDF! I've been trying to talk my instructor into letting me retrace the 1st mile and a half of that line for some extra credits as a special project. Good chance for originals on all the closing lines that land on Lewiston Hill (circa 1867-1876). This is pretty rugged country and fairly "untouched".
I have also been to the initial monument on the north bank of the confluence (confluence determined by astro obs and floating whiskey barrels) of the Snake and Clearwater rivers. It is the original 1873, column of basalt, 6" X 8" X 7', in a 7' MOS, 3' high. "1873" deeply chisled on N. face, "I.T." on E. face, "LAT 46 25'51.96" " on S. face, and W.T. on W. face!
Beautiful with moss and lichen all over it! Hard to find others like it.
Original notes has 19 bearing objects!
I.S.P.L.S. put a nice little plaque in concrete in 1998.
Been here for almost 140 years. Family couldn't hurt it!
That monument is lucky I didn't break out the wire brush, paint, and flagging. It would have been a crime!
Retracement Survey - Initial Monument
As an aside, sort of from another recent thread...you sure don't need any state laws requiring you to tear that out and replace it with a BLM grade metal post.
The 1973 Manual specifically provided for not remonumented existing substantial monuments. BLM practice would be to set an RM or 2 nearby to perpetuate the location without disturbing existing historical or proven well monumented corners. And of course an record of what was done was reported in record.
Nice pictures by the way.
- jlw
