Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-08-10
Land Surveys.
CIRCULAR FROM THE SURVEYOR GEN
ERAL.
L. 6. SURVEYOR GENERALS OFTIcE,)
WASHINGTON TERRITORY, ?

L. s. SURVEYOR GENEzAI's OFrIcE,) .
WASHINGTON TERRITORY,
OLYMPIA. August !. 1857
Owing the great number OF letters OF
inquiry received, from settlers and
others, relative to the surveys OF pub
lie lands, deem il well to explain by
this circular the two methods under
which they are obtained, also the law
regulating the same, and by which
this office is guided. The first method
is under that which is known as the
GENERAL APPROPRIATION FOR THE SUR
vEY OF PUBLIC LANDS.
An annual appropriation is made by
Congress for such purposes for the
United States at large. This sum is
apportioned to the different States
and Territories by the Hon. Commits
sioner OF the General Land Office
The Congress OF the United States
also fixes the rates of mileage allowed
for surveys. Owing to Inadequate APP
preparations for that purpose, il is fire.
quently the case very few OF the many
petitions on file in this office can be
entertained; so that, when available
funds for surveys are placed at my
disposal, have to take into consider
alton the needs OF the settlers in the
different sections OF the Territory and
advertise for bids wherever in my judg-
ment the necessities are greatest
Under this method of obtaining sur
veys no special form of application is
required; but before survey OF any
township can be considered it is ne
cessary that a petition for such survey
he forwarded to this Office, signed, so
far as practicable, bS all the actual set
tiers in the township, giving the num-
Der and range and general description
of the character of the land 1t should
show: What portions of the township,
. if any, cannot be surveyed, and the
! reason why it would be impracticable
to survey; what portions are suitable
for agriculture; what portions are
more valuable for timber than for ag-
ricultural purposes; what portions are
, mountainous, rocky, swampy, etc. !;
whether there are indications of min
erals of any kind If there are streams
! or bodies OF water that require mean
derlng, an approximate estimate of
such mcandcr lines should he shown.
The petition should also give the mum
Der OF actual settlers and their postot;ice
address, and in what portion of the
township they are located, the charac-
ter and condition OF their inhabitancy
OF the land, the extent and value Of
their improvements, the Uses made of
the land, and the quantity under cult
!, walton. The situation of the township
in respect to lines of public commun-
ication and the progress of settlement
OF the country should be described.
and all facts and circumstances stated
which will enable an intelligent iudg-
-ment to be formed as to the propriety
of making the survey applied for.
If all items of information herein
mentioned cannot be given with ex-
actness, an approximation, as near as
possible, should be made. Only petit
tons Tor the surrey of aa entire torn
ship or the surreyable portion of the
same can be considered.
SURVEYS UNDER THE SPECIAL DEPOSIT
I SYSTEM.
This system being restricted by law
to surveys for pre-emption and home
stead settlers is not applicable to the
survey of desert lands, nor to swamp
lands, nor to lands valuable chiefly
for timber, nor to waste or uncultiva-
bic lands of any character, nor to lands
occupied, enclosed or controlled. for
other than settlement purposes, nor to
private land claims, nor to townships
within known mineral belts, or known
to contain mineral lands.
i The only persons who are authorized
to apply for such surveys are actual
bona yfde settlers, who have attached
themselves permanently to the soil.
Applications for surveys must be
made under oath on printed forms,
which will be furnished by this Office
upon request, and sufficient number
of settlers must join in such applica-
tons to show that the survey is desired
for the benefit of existing actual settle
ments, as contemplated by law.
1t is required that Surveyors Gen.
eral shall critically examine all appli-
cations for surveys and they are held
to strict accountability for their rec
ommendation of applications, or con-
tracts afterwards found to be fictitious.
fraudulent or speculative.
When applications are received and
approved by this Office they are for
warded to Washington, and upon the
approval of the General Land Office
the Surveyor General is authorized to
furnish the applicants with an esti-
mate OF the cost of survey and office
work. This estimated amount must
be deposited by the applicants in the
First National Bank of Portland, Ore
gon, in such sums as that no certifi-
cate will bear a face value of more
than 5000. That bank will issue trip
licate certificates of deposit, and when
received, the originals must he trans
mitted to the Secretary of the Treas
ury, the duplicates to this Office and
the duplicates retained by the appli-
cants.
Triplicate certificates of deposit are
receivable from the settlers making
the deposits in part payment for their
lands situated in the townships, the
surveying of which is paid for out of
such deposits.
After the receipt of the duplicate
certificates of deposit by this office, ag-
gregating in sums equal to the amount
as estimated for cost of survey, two in
vitations for proposals to execute the
survey must be posted for 30 DAYS,
one in this Office and the other in the
local land Office, within the district of
which the land sought to be surveyed
is situated, and after the expiration of
the time, and at date specified, all
bids that may have been received are
opened and the contract is awarded to
the lowest bidder within the rates al
lowed by law, who must be reliable
and competent surveyor. But the
right is reserved to reject any and all
bids.
All public surveys, whether under a
General Appropriation or from Special
Deposits are matters of Contract, and
Surveyors General have no patronage
of this kind at their disposal.
Very respectfully,
j. CABELL BRECKENRIDGE.
U. s. Surveyor General, Washington
Territory.
A SEATTLE dispatch of the 7th inst.
says that an immense creosoting works