COMPUTATION AND OFFICE WORK 
31 
men form a usual party for line work in the northern woods, 
and from one to three miles a day can commonly be run 
with it, according to the ground and growth. The usual ex- 
pense for such work ranges between $6 and $10 per mile. 
A reliable transit line, on the other hand, cannot be cleared 
out and run for twice those figures. 
The work of the forest surveyor may be done for the fol¬ 
lowing purposes, and the party required for each sort of 
work, outside of maintenance, is noted in connection. 
1. New work, for the purpose of sale or administration. 
Party required: compassman, two chainmen, enough men, 
commonly three, ahead of the compass, with axes and a 
rod, to keep the rest of the party busy. 
2. Resurvey, for the sake of reestablishing lines and 
corners, also for getting area. Party: same as above; or 
it may be more economical in some circumstances not to 
employ chainmen, but for the surveyor himself, with one 
of his party, to go back and do the chaining. 
3. Careful resurvey with the compass of old lines, no 
chainage required. Party to correspond. 
4. Remarking lines where no great difficulty is expected, 
but where the lines need freshening. The man in charge 
and two axemen form an economical party. A small fold¬ 
ing sight compass may be used as needed. 
Balance in the party is one element largely influencing 
cost. The main thing is to have sufficient axemen to give the 
rest of the party enough to do. Subsistence is an important 
problem in some circumstances. A chainman can carry a 
pack on his work, and frequently chainmen are employed 
on long jobs in the backwoods to carry a portion of the 
supplies or outfit. 
SECTION V 
COMPUTATION AND OFFICE WORK 
1. Traverse 
To “ traverse” a line or route is to survey it by any 
method that ascertains direction and distance. The cir- 
