California Surveyors Forums

Hello, I am working on right of way maps in Township 3 South, Range 2 West,San Bernardino Meridian. In Section 4, I have a disagreement with the location of the Northwest corner of Gov. Lot 13, as shown on the previous right of way map drawn in 1974. I have experience breaking down sections into Gov lots, but I do not consider myself an expert and I have never ran into this situation before.There is a distance of 1.04 chains from the S.E cor. of Section 5 to the S.W. cor. of Section 4. (See PDF) I know the method and the record distance (20 chains) that was previously used to
calculate the distance from the Southeast corner of Section 5 to the N.W. cor of Gov Lot 13 in Section 4. My proration used a different record distance (18.96 chains) involving the same corners.

My mentor once told me "If you disagree with another survey, consider yourself to bein the wrong until proven otherwise". I have brought this problem to the attention of 3 other license surveyors and we are in agreement. If I am wrong please enlighten me.The state needs to acquire
property from Gov. lot 13.

This could make a good problem on the LS exam. The pdf drawing shows the original Government
Plat record distances and areas. The field measurements are the coordinates. Thank you.

Typically, stay within the section to proportion and follow the Manual.

My question is why is the south half of section 4 Lotted? Are these truly Gov't Lots or Lots of a subdivision?

Am I missing something?

The south 1/16 sec. cor. of sec. 4 only, is at midpoint?

Without seeing the original GLO survey plat, it looks like the section line distances are out of limits and therefore the need to lot the subdivisions.

Keith

Without looking at all the history, I too would stay in sec 4 and reset the nw cor per the original, or oldest, msmts.
Sec 5 is a world all it's own connected to sec 4.

The 1910 GLO plat shows Section 4 & 5 as fully lotted and the 1.04 ch offset. Interesting.

The plat also shows 40.00 ch, same as your sketch. The west side of both Lots 12 & 13 are 20.00 ch GLO Record.

Need to read the field notes to verify the directions, but the south "?" on you sketch should be 18.96 ch record.

Thanks Stan and everyone else. I also received advise over the phone. The general rule is to skip the SE cor of Sec 5 and prorate the record 20 chains along the West line of Section 4 from the SW cor of Section 4. This would result in changing my location of the NW cor. of Gov. Lot 13 by 0.12'. I had originally used a record of 18.96 chains from the SE cor. Sec 5 to prorate.
No one has yet agreed to the position and the method used to establish the NW cor Gov Lot 13 per the old right of way map.

The midpoint for the south 1/16, sec. 4 only, will protect the original acreage calculations of the subdivisions. The SE cor. of sec. 5 has nothing to do with the problem.

Keith

Thanks Keith, you're correct. By prorating the distance from the SW cor Sec 4 to the W 1/4 Sec 4 into 20 chains each for both Lot 12 and Lot 13, which the original plat intended, I would be splitting the distance. This is what a friend at the BLM also stated as to the correct procedure.