Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
where a bound has been disturbed, a surveyor is actually exercising judgment about
where the original monument was located. An example of such a notation might be:
DH in SB (found), N44°59′54′′W, 0.36′. This tells the reader that the drill hole in
the bound was found 0.36 feet northwest of the property corner. In other words, the
location of the actual property corner has been adjusted to be at the presumed loca-
tion of the original monument. Another surveyor may not agree with the interpreta-
tion and may choose a different location for the corner.
If a bound is obviously leaning because of some past disturbance, the sur-
veyor should measure the amount of displacement and adjust the property
corner accordingly.
Sometimes, a surveyor may have ties to the original location of a monument. Ties
are simply distances, usually measured with a tape, from the monument to other
permanent objects. For example, ties are often used when laying out streets and
highway monuments and baselines. If a house with a concrete foundation were
located close to the monument, measurements could be made from two corners of
the foundation to the monument. Because a house foundation is relatively perma-
nent, if the bound were to become disturbed, its location could be re-established
by measuring from the foundation.
Some deeds call for a corner to be marked by a
cedar
or
locust post
or a
post made from some other long-lasting wood. Because these woods are quite
durable, depending on the climate and soil conditions, many are in existence
100 years after they were set. Wood posts were sometimes set in a
pile of stones
,
so that if the post were to rot away, the pile of stones would continue to mark the
location.
Piles of stones
were also used without wooden posts (Fig.
11.7
). Sometimes,
long boundary lines were marked at intervals with them. Often they are not piles
at all, but simply a series of stones placed on the ground in the form of a ring,
two or three feet in diameter. Over the years, the stones tend to become covered
by plant growth and debris. Natural processes eventually bury or partially bury
the stones making them difficult to find. In areas where there are many naturally
occurring stones, it can be challenging to tell the difference between a man-made
pile of stones and natural stones. In such cases it helps to have intelligent feet.
Because the stones often rest on other stones beneath them, sometimes standing
and rocking on the stones allow you to feel and hear the loose top stones rolling on
stones below them. The stones make a sort of rumbling sound. If you try this, be
forewarned that bystanders—or worse, your client—may find it a bit strange to see
a surveyor dancing in the woods.
Many old deeds call for trees as property corners. If the deed is very old the
tree may be long gone. Sometimes the stump of a large tree remains. Deeds, on
occasion, will call for a wire fence as a boundary line. Many old wire fences
were made by nailing wire to trees in order to economize on fence posts. It is not
