The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-06

,aD,. - means or the biazed trees return
to their place of starting or OF entering
the woods.
To blaze is TO clip off from the trees by
an AK or hatchet a portion OF the bark
of the trees, cutting sufficiently deep 10
take off small portion of the wood be-
meath the bark. In blazing for path
very small trees are cut while In blazing
for the bounds of lot or town or
farm line, larger trees are selected, the
blaze being usually made breast high.
When, however, as Is often the case.
lines are blazed upon deep SHOWS In win
ter on snowshoes, the snow being some
seasons four 10 six feet deep, the blaze
is high up on the trees. After such blazes
have grown over and his lines are hunted
for in after years, IL Is often necessary
10 look high up upon the trees for them,
which falling 10 do often gives surveyors
much trouble in locating or following
lines.
In running n line or establishing bounds
through a forest the surveyor blazes in
this manner If the line goes to the left
OF a tree designed to be blazed, the tree
is blazed upon the right side; IL to the
right the tree is blazed upon the left
side; II the line strikes the tree plump"
IL is blazed upon both the front and rear
sides. In running a boundary line at
corner where two lines come together
either n monument Is erected-a stake
and four powders being usually regarded
as such monument-or a tree Is blaZed
on all four sides. or, as is sometimes the
case, three or four trees are SCARED so
as To indicate as nearly as possible the
turning point In the line, or. In other
words. it's corner, around which Shey
grow In this state the surveyor registers
the distance from one Of these posts or
monuments at every even mile, thereby
establishing his line with absolute GER
tainty at that point and giving a sec
ondary basis for the written description
OF the boundary required i'm title deeds
and abstracts of claims.
The permanency of the record made by
blazing fires is quite remarkable. and IL
is a matter of fact that i'm many cases
OF disputed lines or boundaries of lots in
forest land. the courts have held the
record of the blazes where carefully
drawn plans and formally attested title
deeds have set aside as containing possi-
BILE errors. The wound OF the blaZed
tree heals over. but never so completely
that the scar Will not be readily recog-
lized by the experienced woodman.
Therefore so long as the blazed tree es-
capes the tax of the lumberman. so long
such "A tree is an ineffaceable record TO
the truth of the line. The surveyors
recorded figures may be In error, and his
written description may not coincide with
the line he has traced on the tree trunks
with his hatchet. but blazes are unchang-
ing and I'm a court OF law they arc un
l!sputabe evidence. They cannot be
made 90 lie. no cross-eXamination, can
onfuse them. no argument can confute
hem, they fix dates as accurately as they
reserve inscriptions. The outer shell
shich has grown over the scar Is sawed
way and the rings in the wood beneath
he bark testify to the date.
The whole subject Is most interesting.
Fhethor taken as an carly landmark IN
\ ommon. as establishing bounds OF farms,
" settling disputed points in town or
reat-lot lines In cases before courts. the
lazed tree Is a factor OF historic and
-gal importance that can hardly be
Vcr-cstimated.-Ba Bangor (Mc) CONNER
s,1