The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-27

Some ore shpuii have charge ef such.
aa1 sho rno.e properly than the sur
seyor general!
usxHods OF sarveyfnx.
The tendency OF 4 bureau far away
from the homes ef the settlers is shown
even ia the general land Office. for the
Manual OF Surveying Instructions for 1854.
has abolished entirely the use of the mag
nettc needle, thereby increasing. very
mucns the cost OF surveying OF course,
scientifically. IL would be better that
this Work should be done by theodosite
or transit, with fore and back sights.
which is really the only angular inssr4s-
fnent CT precision known to the profession,
but certainly no one would insist upon
tbs expensive method OF surveying the
puoisc lands
III should be borne In mind that prae-
ticaliy all the land surveying OF this
country has heretofore been done by the
magnetic compass alone. and that. 100.
IN the older states, where metes and
hounds were asei and not the rectangu-
lar system. where the surveyor has 50
many checks on bis work Any engineer
knows that the magnetic needle is a very
useful adjunct, and fairly good work eaa
be done with this. especially under the
safeguards. SO clearly and ably stated
IN the preceding manual, Qss0l.
sp~ei tile CHIEF Requisite.
Just look az the ahsurdity of insisting
upon scientific accuracy in dividing land
worth only sI.25 per acre. The main point
TO the settler is not whether he has one
or two ceres more or less, but that the
survey be executed quickly, the lines be
wall nj .%foA rxts-
are once established and accepted they
are the legal lines whether scientifically
done or not II would serve all neees-
sary scientific purposes to insist that the
township lines. guide meridians and
standard parallels Should be run with a
solar compass, or transit, the two latter.
whSEuger practicable. By transit, with
fore and back sights.
Although the system of surveying by
contracts and examinations by paid as
sistants slf the government, upon regular
salaries, seems and is a very expensive
one. Is it at all certain that the work
could be Gone more cheaply by employees
upon regular salaries?
The deputies. as class, work very
hard and often undergo great hardships,
frequently packing on their backs, over
rough, trails. or no trails at all. sill Of
their supplies. etc. In the nature OF things
employees OF the government would net
feel called upon to do this or undergo
such hardships. The deputies, in the
main. though there has often been great
carlessness in their selection. are honest.
hard working men They are generally
poor, and it IL a well-known fact. in this
district at least, that they certainly rarely
ever make more than fair or low wages.
he sarveyar Generals PowerA
1T seems to me that the long delays are
largely due TO the defective administra-
ton, for If the surveyor general was
made. in fact, as he was formerly. and
is now in theory, responsible for the speed
and accuracy of the surveys. instead of
the position having been degraded to
mere clerkship of the general hand office.
that 1t would infuse an entirely different
spirit into the work. He should he, as
his name implies. the head OF the sur
yeys of his district and be frequently in
the field seing that deputies do their work
properly.
'it is well known that the system has
had the worst trial possible, as the Of
fees of surveyor generals have been fire.
qtaently. generally, / may say, given as
chosen without regard to their adapt
ability or fitness for the work. III IL had
been the invariabie habit TO choose an
engineer or surveyor for this position,
as much so as lawyer for district at
torney. or an engineer for the other sur
yeyirg work of the government, there
would have grown up & habit OF putting
more responsibility upon the surveyor
general and giving him more direct
charge OF surveys. as was intended by
law, instead Of ceatralizing everything In
the central office at Washington City.
1.-The commissioner states that the most
fruitful cause OF delay is the awarding
and approval of contracts and the exam
ination of surveys.
Both of these used 10 be left to the dis
cretion Of the surveyor general, and /
see no reason why they should not be
again under proper safeguards. The au-
thority TO make examinations certainly
could. II this was done. as was formerly
the custom, instead CT waiting for an
order from Washington, the greatest
cause OF delay would be removed. II IL
was thought best not to allow the liscre-
ton IN the Surveyor general OF the ap-
pointment OF such examiners. let one
be appointed for each district. but let
him be subject TO The orders of the sur
ycyor general While I am confident the
contract system could be much improved.
/ think. however, it would be well, in a
tentative way. 70 try surveying the public
lands by employees. upon fixed salaries.
.But why could not this be better done
by the surveyor general OF each district
rather than by bureau having such a
radically different obJect in view, as the
geological survey. for IL the experiment
proved mare expensive and longer. a re-
turn TO the old system could he more
easily accomplished, for the history ot
all bureaus is that they continually tend
10 grasp more power ana authority. For
the above reasons respectfully submit
the following amendments TO the suntiry
civil bill:
Two Proposed Amendments.
provided, THAT such portions OF the
public lands as may from slime 10 time be
selected by the commissioner Of the gen
eral land Office. shall upon the order OF
she secretary Of the interior. 50 alrectlax.
be surveyed under the supervision OF ne
Surveyor general Of tAe Surveying dis
tricts, In which the lands ara situated.
by sucs persons may BIO employed by
or under him for tftst rgIrfrsss, ete.
',proYIleti. That such portions OF .l.A
charge ~ a sIHkie survey n be executed
by paid employees Ct the government.
shall be an engineer or surveyor OF stand
ing sas bis appointment SHAH b.. snhjert
to the Approval Of the commissioner az
the general lana ogtiee-
s..at II Washington.