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 fine; 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 fine, 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. 
