LAND SURVEYS 103 



a provision permitting individuals to secure timber and 

 stone claims on surveyed lands without actual possession 

 of the land. In the western part of the United States where 

 precious metals are found, mineral areas are withdrawn 

 from homestead entry and mining claims are taken in place 

 of homesteads. The amount of land and the conditions 

 under which mining claims can be taken vary somewhat 

 with the districts. Regulations relating to those claims 

 may be secured from the Commissioner of the Land Office. 



LAND DESCRIPTIONS 



Metes and bounds. The following is a good example of 

 a description of a tract of land located by metes and bounds : 



Being Survey No. 13327 of one hundred and forty-one acres of land, 

 a part of Military Warrant No. 5948, the whole thereof being for five 

 hundred acres issued in favor of John Hobson. On the waters of the 

 West Fork of Brush Creek, beginning at two White Oaks and Hickory, 

 southwest corner to Charles Lewis Survey No. 3661, thence with this 

 line south sixty-seven degrees east one hundred and thirty-one poles 

 (crossing a large branch) to two Black Oaks, thence south twenty 

 degrees east one hundred and three poles, crossing the Marble Furnace 

 Road to two Honey Locusts, a Walnut, and a double Hickory on said 

 branch at the mouth of a small branch, thence south sixty degrees 

 west one hundred and fifty poles to two Black Oaks and a White 

 Hickory, thence north thirteen degrees west sixty-three poles to two 

 Bur Oaks and a Red Oak ; easterly corner to a survey of said Vinson- 

 haler No. 8367, thence with this line north seventeen degrees west 

 sixty poles to two Hickory from one root, thence with this line north 

 forty-five degrees west sixty-two poles to four White Oaks, northwest 

 corner to said Vinsonhaler No. 8367, thence with this line south fifty- 

 one degrees west fifty-three poles to a Hickory, corner to said Vinson- 

 haler and southeast corner to Survey No. 2550, thence with the line 

 of the same north thirty-one and a half degrees east one hundred and 

 twenty poles (passing the Northeast corner of said Survey No. 2550) 

 to three White Oaks, thence south sixty-seven degrees east thirty 

 poles to the beginning. 



Rectangular system. Under the rectangular system a 

 land description may be written: 



"E.J^, N.E.X, N.E.>£, SEC. 24 — T. 13N. — R. 2 IE. — 5 P.M." 



