The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1904-05-19
INTERESTING INFORMATION.
Origin of the Meridian and Base Line
Used in Surveying.

! Origin of the Meridian and Base Line
Used in Surveying.
Minneapolis Journal:
To the Editor of the Journals: I desire
Information in regard to the terms ustsG
IN describing lands in this country; "a,
more particularly in this state and Norti-
Dakota. The usual form is something
like this: Section No. 4, in tOWnship NO.
6, north; range No. 7, west, from the fifth
principal meridian. l should like to know
| whore this fifth principal meridian" is
located, and by whom was 1t established;
and how far apart are these meridian
lines. Also the township numbers III this
state run from south to north. ! would
| like to know what and where is the base
line that the townships arc numbered
from, and is it u straight line, running
east ana west, and across all the differ
ent states of the west? BY looking at a
map of this state l should think that the
base line from which the townships are
numbered from is not a straight and reg
ular one, for the townships in Hennepin
count are numbered from rs upwards,
while in the western part of the state, and
straight west Of US they are numbered III
and upward.
Will you kindly assist me?
Minneapolis, April II.
THE Journal is indebted to Mr.. Cooley,
county surveyor, for the following salts
factory eXplanatiOnl:
L ~ = II oia u ' " ms
which governs the division of government
lands was authorized by congress May 20,
1885. At that time lands in the state of
Ohio were occupied by the early settlers
and a survey was mad necessary. In or
der to establish the system of townships
and sections an initial point was estab-
lished at the junction of the Ohio and
Big Miami rivers. From this initial point
a line was run due north and south called
the first principal meridian, and a line
also run due east and west called the
base line. From this initial point town
ships six miles square were laid off on the
meridian and on the base line and the
system thus built up and extended indifl-
nitely to meet the requirements of the
settlers. The first row Of townships north
OF the base line was designated town l
north, and the first row south was desig-
mated town ! south, each succeeding row
being numbered progressively.
The first tier east or west Of the prin-
cipal meridian was designated range /
east or range l west, and each succeeding
tier was numbered progressively.
AS the country developed these surveys
were extended to meet the demand of the
settlers, but when q demand was created
too far away to be embraced by the sur
Veys already made a second system was
necessary and the initial point established
lished for the second principal meridian
near the confluence of the Little Blue
and Ohio rivers. Whenever the settle
ment Of the country progresses beyond
the reach of any existing survey a new
meridian and base line must be cstab-
l,shcd, and there are now twenty-seven
principal meridians in the United States.
Hennepin county lands are covered part
~ by the fourth meridian surveys, but
mostly by the fifth. The fourth meridian
surveys carried up from the south and
east were originally intended to stop at
the Mississippi river. while the fifth
meridian was intended to cover all
of the lands west Of the river,
but the demands for land entries on
the land now covered by the city Of Min
neapolis and the necessity for establishing
the boundaries OF the old Fort Smelling
reservation made it necessary to carry
the fourth meridian surveys across the
river, owing to the fact that such survey
could be made sooner than by carrying
up those made from the fifth principal
meridian. Townships q. rs and 20 OF
range "a west We're the ones thus carried
across IN advance In 1853. In the follow
ing year the surveys were extended from
the south on the fifth meridian system,
which governs nearly all the lands in
Minnesota west Of the Mississippi river
and a large portion of North and South
Dakota.
The location Of the principal meridian
may be determined by the number of the
range multiplied by six and the location
of the base line by the number of the
township multiplied by the same number.
Thus Minneapolis is in town 90 N, range
"a W., of the fourth principal meridian.
Therefore the initial point from which
these surveys We're made would be ia
miles south and IA miles east, and is the
intersection of the principal meridian, q
due north and south line, and the base
line, due east and west. immediately
west of the city Is town III n, of range q
w, Of the fifth principal meridian. That
initial point would therefore be approxi-
mately 702 miles south and 16 miles east
of the city.
Maps issued by the general land office,
copies of which may be seen at the office
Of the county surveyor, show the location
of all the principal meridians n base
lines.
All government surveys are made .nder
the authority Of the general land office,
and under the immediate supervision of
the surveyors general of the different
states.