The San Francisco call., 1897-09-12
CALIFORNIA DOES
NOT GET TAHOE
New Government Sur
Vey Still Divides the
Big Lake.
Efforts of This State for a
Congressional Appropria-
ton Were Wasted.
Tho New NeVada-Californla Bound
airy Aim ost the Same as the Won
Schmidt Line of 1878.

TRUCKEE, CAL, Sept. u.-Advices
Just received here state that the survey OF
the boundary line between California and
Nevada is almost completed, and that
California is to get considerably less than
was origin ally expected. All hope of hav.
ing Lake Tahoe entirely within the State
is now dissipated, and the active efforts
made by this Sta 9 TO secure funds in Con-
gress for the prosecution of the boundary
survey in the anticipation that the lake
would be found to be a California prop
erty exclusively thu, go for nothing.
The surveyors who are comuletln g
the work are now on Freehils Peak. near
Bijou, Lake Tahoe, and In the Como
Mountains Surveyors Sinclair and Boyce
are at the former point, while Surveyor
Baldwin is in the Como Mountains
About 5000 of the Congressional appro-
priation secured by Congressman Cami-
netti remains uDexpended and will be
used by the men above named in correct
ing few mistake maze in triangulation.
According TO the information obtain
a bic at present, the new line varies little
from the Won Schmidt line, surveyed in
1878. Nevada 10 es some ground in the
neighborhood of Lake Tahoe, and gains
at other points.
The present survey has been in progress
somewhat over three years, although not
continuously for that length OF time. 1t
has concerned only the line south of Lake
Tahoe. North of that point the line was
established easily, because it was appar-
emily and actually straight, but south OF
Tahoe the line is part of great circle, and
hence continually changes in direction.
This fact has led to many disputes as to
the exact location of he line.
c. G. Sinclair has been in charge of the
work from the outset. He has two par
ties under him, one headed by w. b. FAIR
field and the other by A. l.. Baldwin. He
began operations in the spring Of 1894. All
his reports 20 to the main office OF the
Coast and Geodetic Survey at Washington,
and for that reason news OF the progress
of the survey come IN but meagcrly.
All surveys have had a point in the
middle of Lake Tahoe as their points of
departure. 1t had been hoped that the
new survey would change this pivotal
poin I, but it has not done so.
Owing to the great depth of the lake the
determination of the point for the bound
airy has been very difficult. The line
turns there. and the surveyors expended a
great amount of time and diligent comput-
ing in finally adjusting the point. From
Tahoe south it has been necessary TO first
compute the curvatures OF the line and
then to locate it on the ground. A tuil
year was occupied in this work on the
short distanc- OF 150 miles south of the
lake. Arrangements had also to be mad e
to avoid being in Death Valley country in
the summer season because OF the IN
tensity of the heat. Thi. delayed the
progress of the survey more or less.
Positive informant is not obtainab BILE
but so far as can be learned the new line
will cross the old one near Sweetwater, in
Esmeralda County, New In Invo County,
in this State, it will pass Bishop about
half mile west of the former stakes. By
this adjustment the old controversy as 10
the taxes OF Sylvania will be terminated.
That mining camp will be thrown entirely
into Nevada, it having been half in Cali
fornia and half in Nevada hitherto. A
number Of other mining camps will be
similarly affected, so that they will know
where to paw their assessments and will
no longer have an excuse for deferring
and disputing them, as they have done
hitherto.
California will gain something by the
survey, but Nevada's gain will off set it.
The cost OF the survey is estimated 10
have been about $4,000 per annum.
Surveyor Sinclair has had the new line
mark ID out by holes drilled in the rock
wherever that has been possible, and
these holes are to be used as found alton:
Tor the monuments.