The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-27
LOCATING THE LOST LINE,
NUMBERS OF HOUSEHOLDERS BE-
LIEVED THEY KNEW WHERE
IT SHOULD RUN.
No DOUBT BUT THAT SEVERAL
MONUMENTS WERE DELIB-
ERATELY MOVED.

There were good many inquiries at the
new City Hall yesterday to find out some
thing definite about the lost County line
on the south" Like the line, though
everything about it is clouded in mystery.
Surveyor Humphreys, who is looking
after the matter for the City and County,
Surveyor Tilton said, could throw no
light on the matter till some of the pro-
posed surveys were made.
"But there is no doubt whatever" he
added, "that it has been give and take be-
tween San Francisco and San Mateo coun-
ties for many years past. Each one has
been trenching on the other, and which
has got the better of this trenching bust
ness no one can say till the whole matter
is investigated.
81 know where I can lay my hands on
whole lot of old Government surveys OF
the peninsula, besides lot of other peril
nent data relating to the lost line With
these materials to work on and field of
competent surveyors guess it will be easy
enough to locate the old lines and nail
them in place with the proper monuments.
The new lines should be run in accord
ance with the township lines laid down IL
the Government surveys. They will have
to be located by the old corners. This will
make the County line something like the
teeth of a saw in certain places. If you
look at the official map now you will see
that the County line is run straight as an
arrow from the waters of the bay to the
ocean"
The last Official map of the City and
County was made in 1870. 1t is so full of
changes now that experts rarely consult it.
They try to keep abreast of the times by
noting changes and inaccuracies on their
own TriVata Soma of raru af
data to furnish information on where the
lost line" really is will be found in the
old records of the Legislature. Surveyor
Humphreys is going to depend good
deal on these. With their assistance he
can locate a lot of the township lines and
by running them out find sections of the
lost line" The county was described by
these township lines in early days. Hence
the big factor the early Government sur
yeys cut in the work.
There Is not much use for anxious in
quirers to badger the employees at the new
City Hall for information about where the
cline ought to CO." Till the line is def
nitely located by the surveyors the en-
ployes will not know any more about
where 1t ought to 60 than the inquirers.
A good many old settlers said yesterday
that they could pace off the line as easily
as they could their own holdings, but the
surveyors easily convinced them OF their
mistake.
Since THE CALL published its exclusive
story OF the ''lost County line" yesterday
information has come to hand to prove
conclusively that several of the old county
line monuments have been deliberately
moved. How far this change in the posi-
ton of the monuments will affect property
rights Is, of course, not yet known. Sew
eraI property-owners are now examining
the surveys to find out exactly where they
stand, or, rather, exactly where they
ought to stand. Surveys based on the old
Government township lines are, of course,
all right.
The easiest and cheapest way to settle
any doubt in the matter is TO quietly wait
till the official survey is run. That will
give all the information in nutshell and
will be official.
The biggest change the restoration of the
"lost line" is expected to make is in the
residence of people living in its vicinity.
There is no doubt but what good many
people living in San Mateo County really
live in San Francisco County and vice
versa. The finding of the ''lost line" will
accordingly make good many changes in
taxes and vote places among such house
holders.
The contract for the new official map is
signed, and Surveyors Tilton and Hum
phreys will get their men into the field as
soon as possible.