DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS FOR 1937 71 



Appendix No. 18 



Extracts from the Field Notes of the Survey of Base and Meridian Lines in 

 the Nipigon Provincial Forest. 



By R. S. Kirkup, O.L.S., 1936. 



The survey was started from the iron post planted by O.L.S. MacQuarrie 

 at the south-west corner of the Township of Walters. From there we ran 

 south astronomically six miles between the Townships of Vincent and McCom- 

 ber. This line ran through very rough, broken country, impregnated with 

 innumerable small ravines and rocky hills. It was practically all burnt 

 country and the fallen timber made packing in the supplies rather arduous and 

 difficult. As the Blackwater River contained about fifty (50) portages within 

 the Township of McComber, it was impossible to use this waterway as a means 

 of transportation, the water being very low indeed, so that it resolved itself 

 into a straight packing job. 



The line was then carried east to the boundary of the Nipigon Forest 

 Reserve tying into the thirty mile (XXXM) post on that boundary. Return- 

 ing to the south-west angle of Vincent Township, the line was then carried 

 west six miles more or less to intersect the east boundary of Summers Township, 

 striking between the posts planted by O.L.S. MacQuarrie and O.L.S. Phillips 

 and Benner the previous season. 



These last twelve miles were through better country, well wooded and 

 with a good percentage of merchantable timber standing. The party then 

 moved to the south-west corner of Summers Township, and the last six (6) 

 miles were run out to Lake Nipigon, forming the south boundary of Eva 

 Township. This latter line was somewhat hilly being close to Lake Nipigon 

 and there was considerable merchantable timber — white birch and poplar 

 predominating. The party then returned to Warneford on the C.N. Railway, 

 and returned to Fort William on October 9th. 



The lines were well cut out and well blazed — a sky line being cut at the 

 approach to all lakes and large rivers. Iron posts of the standard pattern 

 were planted at the 3 and 6 mile posts and pits and mounds dug at these 

 points. The other posts were well made and planted, and with one exception 

 were mounded with a good cairn of stones. The exceptions were in an area 

 where it was impossible to procure stones, and we dug pits and mounds around 

 it. 



Two bearing trees were marked from each post where available. The 

 chains were checked against the standard before proceeding to the field. 



The lines were chained twice — once with a two chain tape and in the 

 opposite direction with a 100 foot tape. Both these chainages appear on the 

 field notes submitted. The base lines of all triangulations were double chained 

 in a similar manner, and the result entered in the field notes submitted here- 

 with. In some cases in these triangulations, the calculated distance did not 

 agree within a few tenths but we took the distance always as computed in 

 chains. 



Two instruments were used, one as a spare — being a Cooke 6 in. and Watt 

 6 in. Astronomical observations on Polaris were taken at frequent intervals 



