CHAPTER VI 



THE UNITED STATES PUBLIC LAND SURVEY 



In order to facilitate the survey, location, and designation 

 of the lands in the United States, Congress in 1785 adopted 

 a system since known as the United States Rectangular 

 System of Public Land Surveys. This system has been 

 modified from time to time, but remains substantially as 

 first adopted. The earth's surface is like that of a sphere, 

 and it would be expected that in attempting to lay out the 

 surface into rectangular areas one would encounter many 

 difficulties. Yet these difficulties have been very satis- 

 factorily met. 



The squares of this system are bounded on the east and 

 west by true meridians of longitude, radiating from the 



north pole, and on the 

 north and south by 

 chords of parallels inter- 

 secting such meridians. 

 A principal meridian 

 is chosen in each land 

 district, and from this 

 meridian a base line is 

 run east, west, or east 



Base Lme initial Point and west, from what is 



called the initial point. 

 Standard parallels are 



Figr. 26. Showing the division and num- run east and WCSt from 

 bering of townships. . . ,. 



the principal meridian at 

 intervals of 24 miles. These standard parallels are often 



