The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-25
A B1AzrD TRrE's TESTIMONY.
Though the Bark had Covered the
 Surveyors fFarks, It Settled sAeky ,as Claim

San Francisco Examiner.
 A boundary tree, blaxed when the gov
 ernment was making the first survey or Mariposa county, twenty-seven years ago. and whose markings have long been practically obiiterated, was discovered re- cently after several months search and the claims to valuable mining property
 near IS definitely settled. Although the bark had grown entirely over the marx ings the letters and figures made by the government surveyors were easily read on the inner surface of the bark when 1t was removed and on the wood of the tree. When the first government map of Mar
 iposa was in preparation the surveyors, according to the usual custom, marked the positions of intersecting lines bound- ing sections and townships on blazed spots on trees. A blaze Is made by chop
 ping into the side of a tree, removing the bark and making the exposed surface smooth. On the tablet thus made the numbers of section. township and range are carved with an awl and the tree thus serves for years as guide post to all who are able to read it's cabalistic signs
 The particular boundary tree referred to was blazed: "B. T., S. 14, T. S8, R. 1Se.
 This meant: Boundary tree, section IA, township 3s. range IS east" and estab- lished the existence of a line which went down on the government maps.
 6aTS pdSStu uila n PhOSPCShOA SeSaAO that way, located claim, did little de- velopment work and went away. As the seasons went on the bark grew over the blaze on the tree and later the fiber also grew out over the bruised place and healed the wound, leaving at length noth- ing but a seam on the bark of the oak to mark the place where the blaze had been made.
 Not many years ago the man who had located the claim near the blazed oak re- turned to his hole. picked out few rich specimens, put his claim on the n-.rket and, shortly afterwards, sold.
 A company took hold and developed splendid mine within a few yards of the line dividing the claim of a neighbortng property. They pushed developments and uncovered a good ledge, when the parties owning the land~ immediately adjoining them brought suit for possession They presented the claim that the mine was on their side of the dividing line claiming that a mistake had been made as to the position of that line and that the pros- pector had sold property that was not his in addition to his own.
 Maps, figures, estimates and surveyors were brought in as evidence The court remained in doubt. The tree marking the dividing line in that old survey must be found.
 Both contestants set out on the search Months passed, and at length scar was discovered on the side of a large oak about six feet from the ground. Above | and below this scar a deep cut was made | with an ax and the slab was pried off | The bark had grown into the markings | and when the slab was split off these ini- tials stood out in relief perfect to the | smallest detail. The bark was presented | and admitted as evidence, the line was | thus fixed and judgment was given to the | mining company. The deed given by the | prospector was cleared and thousands of | dollars year insured to the developers l by the mute testimony of this piece of work actually written by the hand of nature