The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-05-20
INTERESTING INFORMATION.

INTERESTING INFORMATION.
Origin of the Meridian and Base Line
Used in Surveying.
Minneapolis Journal:
To the Editor of the Journal: I desire
information in regard to the terms used
in describing lands in this country; or,
more particularly in this state and North
Dakota. The usual form is something
6. north; range No. Z, west, from the fifth
principal meridian. l should like to know
where this fifth principal meridian is
and how far apart are these meridian"
lines. Also the township numbers in this
state run from south to north. would
like to know what and where is the base
line that the townships are numbered
from. and is it q straight line. running
east and west, and across all the differ
ent states of the west? BY looking at a
base line from which the townships are
numbered from is not a straight and reg
ular one. for the townships IN Hennepin
county are numbered from rs upwards,
While in the western part of the state, and
straight west Of US they are numbered Ill
and upward.
Will you kindly assist me?
Minneapolis, April II.
1.-THE Journal is indebted to Mr.. Cooley.
county surveyor. for the following salts
factory explanatory:
The system Of rectangular surveying
which governs the division of government
lands was authorized by congress May 20.
1885. At that tine lands in the state of
Ohio were occupied by the early settlers
and a survey was made 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 cast and west called tho
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 indif1-
nitely to meet the requirements of the
settlers. The first row of townships north
OF she base line was designated town /
north. and the first row south was desig-
ns,ted town / south. each succeeding row
being numbered progressively.
h first tier east or west of the prin-
cipal meridian was designated range l
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 a 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 he Little Blue
and Ohio rivers. Whenever the settle
mert of the country progresses beyond
the reach Of any existing survey a new
meridian and base line must be estab-
llshed, and there are now twenty-seyen
principal meridians in the United States.
Hennepin county lands are covered part
ly 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 and now covered by the city of Min
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
up those made from the fifth principal
meridian. Townships q. 2S and 30 of
range "a west were the ones thus carried
across In advance In 1858. In the follow
Ing year the surveys were extended from
the south on the fifth meridian system,
which governs nearly all the lands in
west of the Mississippi river
and a large portion Of North and South
Dakota.
The location of the principal meridian
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.
Minneapolis is in town 20 N, range
"a w, Of the fourth principal meridian.
Therefore the initial point from which
these surveys were made would be ia
miles south and 144 miles east, and is the
intersection Of the principal meridian, a
due north and south line, and the base
line, due east and west. immediately
west Of the city is town 1T N, of range 21
of the fifth principal meridian. That |
initial point would therefore be approxi-
7o2 miles south and 12s miles east
OF the city.
Maps issued by the general land office,
of which may be seen at the office
of the county surveyor, show the location
OF all the principal meridians and base
lines.
All government surveys are made ander
the authority of the general land office.
and under the immediate supervision of
surveyors general Of the different