488 THE FIVE CIVILIZED TRIBES 



consisted in the inspection of the work of the land survey and 

 the preparation of the topographic maps. With the commence- 

 ment of surveys in the Chickasaw Nation the force was further 

 increased. The field-work has been practically continuous) 

 having been prosecuted throughout the heat of summer and 

 the cold and storms of winter. 



An additional appropriation of $200,000 was made by Con- 

 gress in June, 1896. and in June, 1897, a further sum of $100,000 

 was appropriated. At the same time an appropriation of $141 ,500 

 was made for the resurvey of the Chickasaw Nation. In Jan- 

 uary, 1898, a further amount of $30,000 was appropriated to 

 com plete the survey of Indian Territory. The last appropriation 

 was rendered necessary by the discontinuance of the surve}^ in 

 the spring of 1897 owing to lack of funds, and the reorganization 

 and the long distances to be traveled after the appropriation 

 was passed in June, 1897. 



Under the provisions of the appropriation act of June, 1896, 

 an iron post was required to be set at each township corner- 

 These monuments are four inches in diameter, four feet long, 

 and are set three feet in the ground. They have been placed at 

 every township corner, including those established by the sur- 

 veys executed prior to the enactment of the law. In addition 

 to the usual marks referring to township, range, and section, the 

 elevation above sea-level is marked upon the brass cap of such 

 posts. The elevations are determined by means of spirit levels. 

 Prior to beginning the work upon the township lines, double 

 lines of levels were run over the tracks of the railroads traversing 

 the country, with frequent bench-marks as checks to the town- 

 ship lines crossing them. The datum point for the level work 

 is a bench-mark established at Fort Smith, Ark., by the U. S. 

 Coast and Geodetic Surve} r . 



A system of triangulation has been carried over the area sur- 

 veyed, the base for which was measured near Savanna, on the 

 line of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railroad, in the Choc- 

 taw Nation. This triangulation is a basis for the topographic 

 survey, and a means of checking and correcting errors, and will 

 assist in the recovery of missing corners should they become 

 lost or disappear in after years. 



The topographers in charge of subdivision parties, with the 

 aid of assistants, have mapped the topography of the area sub- 

 divided. They first plotted upon the field sheets the objects 

 noted by the surveyor, including the crossing of streams, roads 

 base and summits of hills, ridges, or mountains. The elevations 



