UNITED STATES PUBLIC LAND SURVEYS 63 



parallels at intervals of twenty-four miles, resulting in tracts of land 

 twenty-four miles square, as nearly as may be, which shall be sub- 

 sequently divided into tracts of land six miles square by two sets 

 of lines, one conforming to true meridians, crossed by others con- 

 forming to parallels of latitude at intervals of six miles, containing 

 23,040 acres, as nearly as may be, and designated townships. 



Such townships shall be subdivided into thirty-six tracts, called 

 sections, each of which shall contain 640 acres, as nearly as may 

 be, by two sets of parallel lines, one set parallel to a true meridian 

 and the other conforming to parallels of latitude, mutually inter- 

 secting at intervals of one mile and at right angles, as nearly as 

 may be. 



27. Any series of contiguous townships or sections situated 

 north and south of each other constitutes a RANGE, while such a 

 series situated in an east and west direction constitutes a TIER. 



28. By the terms of the original law and by general practice, 

 section lines were surveyed from south to north and from east to 

 west, in order to uniformly place excess or deficiency of measure- 

 ment on the north and west sides of the townships. But under 

 modern conditions many cases arise in which a departure from 

 this method is necessary. Where the west or the north boundary 

 is sufficiently correct as to course, to serve as a basis for rectangular 

 subdivision, and the opposite line is defective, the section lines 

 should be run by a reversed method. 



For convenience the well-surveyed lines on which subdivi- 

 sions are to be based will be called governing boundaries of the 

 township. 



29. The tiers of townships will be numbered, to the north or 

 south commencing with No. 1, at the base line; and the ranges 

 of the townships, to the east or west, beginning with No. 1, at the 

 principal meridian of the system. 



30. The thirty-six sections into which a township is subdi- 

 vided are numbered, commencing with No. 1 at the north- 

 east angle of the township, and proceeding west to number six, 

 and thence proceeding east to number twelve, and so on, alter- 

 nately, to number thirty-six in the southeast angle. In all cases 

 of surveys of fractional townships, the sections will bear the same 

 numbers they would have if the township was full; and where 

 doubt arises as to which section numbers should be omitted, the 

 proper section numbers will be used on the side or sides which 

 are governing boundaries, leaving any deficiency to fall on the 

 opposite sides. 



31. Standard parallels (formerly called correction lines) shall 

 be established at intervals of twenty-four miles, north and south of 

 the base line, and guide meridians at intervals of twenty-four miles, 

 east and west of the principal meridian ; thus confining the errors 

 resulting from convergence of meridians and inaccuracies in meas- 

 urement within comparatively small areas. 



