The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-07-10
@, 1851. WHOLE NUMBER 5I|.

more difficult than those assigned to other
surveyors during the present season, anu
when they are shown we shall not be sal.
I.6ed; we shall then be constrained to ca't
for the evidences of Mr.. Booths superior
ability over many others now IN the fieio.-
We would not disparage his merits a. :
.spractcal Surveyor for although be mas
never 10 our knowledge "run a compass
upon tho public surveys, we believe MIN
|abundanlIy capable ol doing so, or IN COM
mon with the two thirds to whom we nave
already referred, capable of becoming
good practical surveyor on three days tul-
|tion, and doubt not he will execute the
work assigned him to the satisfaction Of s'i
Icancerned. We confidently believe snat'
General Booth, on his return from tne
swamps of Wisconsin, will utterly repuo'-
ate the back handed compliment which nis
friend Mr.. Merritt has given TO the "prac-
tical surveyors Of Iowa and Wisconsin,.
But we have picked this bone 30 long,
that the second one must be but slightly
touched, or laid over for future eating. Inc
editor Of the Express don't like il that tho
Surveyor General has appointed MT. Whls0
to examine the work Of the deputy survey
ors as it progresses in the field, 80 lnat
there may be surety that the work Is wen
done before it is paid for. We will not run
the risk of tho charge Of "spinning It OUT,
by stopping to examine this question, but
will merely say that the few facts when
have come to our knowledge are sufficient
to induce the belief that some such plan
must be adopted in order to arrest the fraud
which has been practiced by surveyors up
On tho public lands for many years back.
Thousands Of dollars have already been ap-
propriated by Congress for surveying the
public lands, in different parts OF the Unit
ted States, and il we are not egreglous'y
mist aiken, thousands more will be approprl-
ated for re-surveys in the very district
where General Sargent is eEdcavoring 70
introduce this reform.
| Complaints are coming from the settlers
upon the public lands in many parts OF our
own State that they cannot find their cor
aers, and this too upon lands purportlng TO
have been surveyed by what are technical
ly called practical surveyors. But lew
days since, as we are credibly informed,
deputy surveyor returned to the office IN
this city, with the report that SO lily dehn-
ed aud marked are the township lines OF the
portion of country assigned him for subdI-
vision, that il was impossible 10 proceed
with his surveys, and what adds particular
interest TO this case is the fact that an old
practical surveyor from the Legislature OF
Wisconsin has received full pay for rum
ming these same township lines. Ihs
/ II L. hat
man is master Of the trade until he is able
to make bad work pass for good, and for
ought we know, old practical surveyors
have adopted the same. The fault 10 not,
as we apprehend, in the appearances Of the
plats, but in the marks that are left upon
The ground, eyidencing that it has actually
been travelled over by the surveyor, and
that the lines have been run and the cor
ners distinctly and permanently marked
according to law. There is no difficulty,
in protrac'ing right lines upon paper TO an
indefinite length, nor is there the least diff
fcultv in making these lines close upon
the plat. All this may be done ia the
shade of camp, but fixing the corners and
marking them upon the ground 10 another
and quito different operation.
The examination OF the work in the field,
it strikes US, will have tendency to cor
rect these growing evils, and 80 salutary,
in our opinion will be its effects, that We
predict its universal adoption in every sur
veying district in the United States. Hsd
the plan been in operation since the COM
mencemen, Of the public land surveys, we
doubt not but the general government
would have been spared the necessity Of
annual appropriations of thousands Of dol
lars for re-surveying what has once been
paid for from the public treasury.
We have taken up this subject, not from
any desire to Join in what bids fair to bo
newspaper battle, but because il does not
suit our temperament to sit silent and wit.
ness an evident attempt to detrsct from tho
merits of worthy man, or an independent
and faithful public officer.
EDUCATE YOUR DAUGHrERs.-A writer
vs.--When | lived AMONG fha ChncA.-