LAND SURVEY AND PURCHASE 23 



THE ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY 



The Survey. Before lands are taken over for park 

 purposes, a survey is usually made by the engineering 

 department. This is an easy matter when the boundaries 

 are well defined by street lines, fences, stone monuments, 

 hedges, stone walls or a sufficient number of blazed trees. 

 It frequently happens, however, especially in rural reserva- 

 tions, that the landmarks, usually blazed trees, are par- 

 tially or entirely gone. In such cases the determination of 

 the boundaries becomes a difficult or impossible matter, and 

 especially, as frequently happens, if the recorded deeds 

 contain inaccurate or grossly incorrect descriptions. In 

 all such cases the matter has to be adjusted between buyer 

 and seller, and, if no agreement can be reached, the ques- 

 tion is passed upon by a condemnation commission, to 

 be described later on. In purchasing a large reservation, 

 it is the usual practice for the engineering department to 

 prepare a large map of the tract, locating the boundaries 

 and the principal topographical features, such as brooks, 

 buildings, etc. The surveys of the individual lots and, 

 when surveys cannot be obtained, mapped deed descrip- 

 tions are plotted on drawing paper or cardboard. These 

 plots are then cut out and fitted together on the large map. 

 Overlaps and underlaps are frequent in cheap rural lands 

 and occasionally a triangular piece of land will have to be 

 purchased twice. 



Options. The policy of obtaining options on property 

 likely to be acquired is a good one. Property owners can 

 frequently be approached when they are in a favorable mood 

 and advantageous agreements for the sale obtained subject 

 to a definite time limit of purchase. These options may be 

 obtained by members of the engineering force or by the 

 purchasing agents. 



