okiesurveyor

Why is my “80 Acres” really only 79 acres?

2011-09-26T16:16:00.003-05:00

When the original governmentsurveyors began the task of laying out (surveying) the public lands ofOklahoma, one of their instructions was to make each section as close to 640acres as possible.

excerptfrom the BLM manual of Survey Instructions

Chapter 1-21. The basic provisions requirethat the public lands "shall be divided by north and south lines runaccording to the true meridian, and by others crossing them at right angles, soas to form townships six miles square;" that "the townships shall besubdivided into sections, containing as nearly as may be, six hundred and fortyacres each;" and that "the excess or deficiency shall be speciallynoted, and added to or deducted from the western and northern ranges ofsections or half-sections in such townships, according as the error may be inrunning the lines from east to west, or from south to north." The systemof rectangular surveys fits the basic requirements to the curved surface of theglobe.

To obtain 640 acres, they wouldattempt to make the sections 80 chains in length on each side. One (1) chainequals 66 feet so 80 chains equals 5280 feet. A section that is exactly 5280feet square would contain 640 acres.

(5280’x 5280’=27,878,400 squarefeet/43,560=640 acres)

The curvature of the earth didnot allow for the north side of the section to be the same width as the southside of the section, typically resulting in a distance of less than 80 chains.(Click here to read more about Oklahoma Land Descriptions)

Surveying in the late 1800’s in Oklahoma was also not awalk in the park. Distractions such as hostile native Americans, rough terrain,inclimate weather and distance measuring equipment that was somewhat lacking,all led to less than perfect results across various parts of Oklahoma.

The compasses used by early surveyorswere fairly accurate devices and produced some results that would rival modernsurvey methods. The Gunter chain used to measure distances, was not as precise,especially across rough terrain with much elevation differences. Don’t get mewrong, they did a great job with what they had to work with.

Curvature of the earth, less thanperfect measurements in the original surveys, better measurement techniquesused today and corner monuments that have since been replaced, account for manysections that do not (likely never did) contain 640 acres EXACTLY.

Subsequently, the originalsurveyors divided these sections into portions which contained an aliquot partof the original acreage, whatever that might have been.

For example a Quarter Section iscommonly believed to contain 160 acres. Half of that is sometimes referred toin the vernacular as “an 80”. If the original section was, in fact 5280 feetsquare the subsequent “Quarter” section would have been 160 acres but what ifit only really contained 635 acres? The quarter section would then only contain158.75 acres and the resulting “80” would really only contain 79.38 acres.

A lot of deeds were written through the years with theacreage being reported on hypothetical measurements and not actual measurements.So if you have a deed that states “…contains80 acres more or less”, you should not rely on that acreage unless it hasbeen surveyed and confirmed by a Professional Land Surveyor

A Pleasant Change for Law Abiding Gun Owners

2011-07-13T10:41:00.008-05:00

In a day and time when law abiding gun owners are having their rights threatened from all sides comes a breath of fresh air from an OKC business.

Casa De Los Milagros located at 5111 N Classen Blvd in OKC has this sign on their front door.

Cudos to the owners for stating what should be assumed. Unfortunately, it is not the norm and many businesses try to take away our constitutional right to bear arms.

The restaurant, which began as Laredo’s Mexican Restaurant, actually has a pretty interesting background read about it on NewsOK here. I just had lunch there and the food is pretty good as well as being a 2nd Amendment supporter.

I am not an attorney

The Self Defense Act of Oklahoma (SDA) defines certain places as off-limits to concealed carry of a firearm (O.S. Title 21 Section 1277). Some of those places are; schools, sports arenas, places where pari-mutual wagering is engaged, government office buildings, and a few others. The SDA does, however, have a provision that allows a private business owner to prohibit the legal concealed carry of a firearm on their premises if they so choose.

Some, including myself, do not believe that this prohibition by a private business owner carries a criminal punishment if violated. If a business owner discovers that you are legally carrying a concealed weapon and does not wish you to be there, they can ask you to leave. If you do not leave at their request you could be considered trespassing and possibly guilty of violating other statutes.

I am not an attorney

Bald Eagle Release

2011-04-11T13:42:00.007-05:00

On April 9, my wife and I were invited to view the release of a Bald Eagle by WildCare Foundation of Oklahoma at Lake Arcadia in Edmond, OK. Wild Care rehabilitates injured wild animals and release them back into the wild.

The female Bald Eagle was injured when she was struck by an 18-wheeler on the Indian Nation Turnpike in Southeastern Oklahoma. She suffered a a concussion, broken wing, shattered leg and lacerated liver. Wild Care rehabilitated her and nursed her back to health with the expertise of Dr. Joe Carter of Oklahoma Equine Hospital.

Saturday she was to be released back into the wild and we were able to attend and Michelle took some spectacular pictures of the Eagle being released.

The event was surreal. If you have ever been this close to a wild Bald Eagle, you know what I mean. They are beautiful and majestic animals. Congress got this one right when they adopted the Bald Eagle as the national emblem of the United States in 1782.

When she flew over our heads and over the horizon it sent chills down my spine.

Competitive Shooting

2011-03-29T11:54:00.002-05:00

When I was about 12 or 13 years old I went to an organized shooting event (I think it was Boy Scouts) and we shot some clay pigeons and handled some different kinds of long guns. When the day was over the sponsor gave a “Safe Shooter Award” When they announced it was me, I thought to myself, “what did I do?”

I wasn't consciously thinking about “being safe”. I didn't walk around that day nervously reminding myself, “don’t forget to point the gun in a safe direction”, or “keep your finger off the trigger until your ready to shoot”. I just did those things because that was what you do. I guess respect and safety for firearms instilled in me by my dad must have paid off

I still have that trophy somewhere; it’s a tiny little gold guy on a plastic base holding a shotgun (only now the barrel is broken off). That trophy symbolizes what we should all strive for, safety being second nature. Of course we should never get complacent and think that we know it all. That is when accidents happen. Stay diligent and alert but make gun safety second nature.

I don’t know why I thought of that story but I did and there it is! I kind of like it. But it does sort of tie into my original thought about competitive shooting.

A few months ago I started going to an IDPA-type shooting match at Heartland Outdoors in Edmond, OK. If you’re not familiar with International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA), do an internet search or look on YouTube and read up on one of the most popular shooting sports in the country. You can even find some videos from the Heartland matches by searching YouTube for “Heartland Carry Gun” or “Heartland Match” or clicking here

Even though I was raised with guns and have been shooting continually in some form since I was 8 or 9 years old, this organized shooting event has taken my gun handling and safety to another level. I don’t shoot at the matches to win. I do it to better familiarize myself with my gun and situations where you may be forced to use your gun when you don’t have time to think about what comes next. It should be second nature, kind of like my little “safe shooter” award.

If you are looking for a way to be able to shoot more and actually improve your abilities and confidence with a pistol, find a place to shoot in a competitive match. Find a small local match and sign up with no expectations and you will learn.

Do it for yourself.

Guns and Legislation

2011-03-03T17:17:00.003-06:00

Representative Sue Tibbs has introduced HB1796 (passed House committee as of today) that addresses open carry, or at least in the minds of some it does.

There are so many things wrong with this bill; I don’t even know were to being. Let be preface my comments by saying that I am a staunch supporter of the 2^nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, as well as the other 26. How and where you carry is secondary in this discussion. We each have the right to “keep and bear arms”

The first problem I have with this bill is the bill itself. I think passing this off to a vote of the people is shirking the responsibilities of the Legislator. I think she just doesn’t want to make the tough decisions so she is saying “let the people vote” if it fails, you will hear; “well, we did our best” or “the people have spoken”. The problem with letting the people vote on this particular issue is that with all of the MIS-information and negative gun rhetoric being scattered about in the media, it probably won’t pass. If it doesn’t, then the issue will probably be dead for a while since “the people have spoken”. I know that view sounds backwards from my normal "less government" speech, but it isn’t really. If the voters are UN-informed, that is their problem. If they are MIS-informed (by the media) then I have a problem. Even in conservative Oklahoma, I think this bill will fail if put to a vote of the people.

The next problem I have with the bill is the language itself. The bill is simply modifying the original “Self Defense Act” located in Title 21.1290.1 Oklahoma Statutes. The major change several places in the bill is the same:

"a valid ~~concealed~~ handgun license pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act"

Simple, right? Well, not so fast. The State of Oklahoma just went from issuing a license to carry a handgun concealed to a license to carry a handgun, PERIOD! Does that sound like gun registration to anyone else?

In 1996 the “Oklahoma Self Defense Act” which, along with granting us “permission” to carry a gun concealed, also made it unlawful to carry one in the open. That point was lost on most because everyone was focused on the State allowing us to carry concealed. OK, now comes 2011 and the State proposes to “allow” open carry but only for those who have or will have a handgun license.

What do you think the reaction would have been in 1996 if a bill would have been introduced that had the same language that is being proposed by HB1796? What if the original Self Defense Act would have required "a valid handgun license"? I can tell you there would have been uproar like no other. Yet now it is being proposed under the disguise of allowing open carry and suddenly everyone is in love with the idea.

Rep. Tibbs has put the gun owners of Oklahoma in a quandary. If we vote for her version of “Open Carry” we further diminish our rights as gun owners and in essence, agree to another step toward handgun registration. If we vote against it, the anti-gun lobby will use that in their propaganda. I can see the headlines now:

“CONSERVATIVE OKLAHOMA VOTES DOWN GUN CARRY BILL”

State Board of Licensure Consolidation Under Consideration

2011-02-24T11:59:00.011-06:00

It appears that Senator Clark Jolley is very serious about pursuing legislation to consolidate the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors with the Architecture Board and the Construction Industries Board. The Governor has proposed that the consolidation take place under the Department of Labor not the Department of Commerce as Senator Jolley has proposed. As far as I know, no other PROFESSIONS are regulated by the Department of Labor and no one has proposed that any of the other PROFESSIONS be consolidated. The Construction Industries Board regulates trades, not professions. The State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors and the Board of Governors of Architects, Landscape Architects and Interior Designers are non-appropriated agencies that pay 10% of their revenue into the state’s General Revenue Fund. If this legislation passes it will become effective July 1, 2011.

Download SB772 text here

SB929 is also introduced and would create a task force to study the consolidation of certain Boards into one, Including the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Yes, I realize that it would seem SB772 (above) has already decided that it doesn't need studying.

Download SB929 text here

Gorilla Rants (Ron Black, 400lb Gorilla): Higher Ed Gearing Up For Gun Battle

2010-12-14T21:04:00.001-06:00

Gorilla Rants: Higher Ed Gearing Up For Gun Battle: "Late last evening, I received an email from a legislator who has been a very active supporter of 2nd Amendment rights. His email inclu..."

Why do surveyors never agree?

2010-11-18T13:17:00.002-06:00

I get asked this question more than any other when someone finds out that I am a surveyor. Well there isn’t an easy answer but I thought I would try to explain it the best I can.

Surveying is like investigating a crime scene, the more evidence you find the more likely you will arrive at the correct solution. If you don’t gather ANY evidence you are basically guessing the outcome. If you gather evidence for weeks before making your decision you will likely come up with a different solution than someone who investigated for only a few days.

I know, take it easy there CSI-okie! However, the similarities are actually quite common. Evidence that surveyors gather might be historical. Some of it might be mathematical. Some of it might even be biological. But all of it combined, will lead to a more certain solution.

Let’s say that a CSI investigating a crime didn’t have access to a certain eyewitness than another CSI did have access to. The first solution is not going to be as certain because a key piece of evidence was missing. If a key piece of evidence is not available to one surveyor that is available to another, you can almost guarantee a different solution from each of them.

The problem with some of the physical evidence that surveyors have to examine is that it is often quite old and has deteriorated to a point that it cannot be relied upon. Another problem with our evidence is that not all of it is recorded in the public records thus making locating it difficult at best.

Quite often I hear someone say “I am sure my property has been surveyed before”. The problem in Oklahoma is that there is not a requirement to record surveys so even if it had really been surveyed, the only evidence of such a survey is in the prior surveyors office. If one surveyor happens to have such a prior survey available that another surveyor doesn’t they could very likely arrive at two different solutions.

What can you do if you are having your land surveyed and want to avoid such issues? First, always have an open conversation between you, the neighbor and the Land Surveyors prior to the work (investigation) beginning. The neighbor might have some valuable evidence that you or your Land Surveyors might not have access to, such as an old survey or a picture of their grandpa standing next to a big survey marker. This kind of evidence is known as parole evidence and is often overlooked by surveyors but is often as important as finding monuments in the ground.

So, if you hear someone say “Why can’t surveyors ever agree” just remember surveying is not an EXACT science. Although the rules are rigid, the interpretation of the data (evidence) is subjective and two surveyors may interpret that data in two different ways. Much like two attorneys can, and do, interpret a law in two different ways.

Thoreau the Land Surveyor

2010-08-03T14:57:00.003-05:00

Book Review from August 2010 POB Magazine

When is a survey not a survey?

2010-07-12T17:03:00.004-05:00

When it’s a Mortgage Inspection Report! Ask any number of people if their house was surveyed when they bought it and they will all likely say the same thing; “yes I think there is a copy in my closing file somewhere”. Have them go get it and take a closer look and 90-something percent of them will really be a Mortgage Inspection Report. What is a Mortgage Inspection Report, you may ask? Well that question can’t be answered but I can tell you what they aren’t; A SURVEY!

Oklahoma Administrative Code 245:15-13-2 (e): Mortgage Inspection Report, states the following:

“….shall not be designated as or construed as being a Land or Boundary Survey”

Even though this fact is clearly stated on the face of the report, nearly every homeowner who has one of these reports in his file, thinks it’s a survey. Why, you may ask? Because it has a signature and seal of a Licensed Land Surveyor right on the face of it. And, to be perfectly honest with you, it looks like a survey. It has the property shown, it has the house and improvements shown, it has dimensions shown and it even has a legal description of the property. Hell, I’m a Land Surveyor and that sounds like a survey to me!

Even though the OK Administrative Code addresses Mortgage Inspection Reports in the same section as Minimum Standards for Land Surveying, it doesn’t define what they are. I would think this would big problem for the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors who is tasked with enforcing the Statutes and Rules regulating the profession of Land Surveying. How can you regulate something that has not been defined, only “un-defined”? We know what it isn’t; just not what it is.

Elsewhere in the same section of Administrative Code it requires the following language to appear on the face of the report:

“…it is not to be relied upon for the establishment of fence, building or other future improvement lines..”

“The accompanying sketch is a true representation of the conditions that were found…”

I’m no lawyer (remember, I’m a surveyor) but how can you make the above statement if you have not performed a survey of the property? Furthermore, how could you defend your position in court, if needed, when there is such a conflict right on the face of your report? It says it is a true representation, however, not to be relied upon.

Are you confused yet? You should be. If the State Board is going to continue to allow this product to be produced, then there must be some standards defined for them. My argument, however, is that we don’t need them or a separate standard. Just make all surveys and things that look like surveys, meet the same standard.

Go look in the file you made when you bought or refinanced your house and see if you have a Mortgage Inspection Report. Also, take a look at the closing statement and see how much you paid for it. How does it feel to pay for something that you can’t use for anything?

Why Oklahoma is shaped the way it is? Part 2 – The Panhandle

2010-06-23T15:15:00.013-05:00

One of the most unique features of the shape of our State is known as the Panhandle. The Panhandle of Oklahoma has its own history somewhat separate from the rest of the State.

In Part 1 of this series “The South and West Borders” we learned how the western boundary of the main body of Oklahoma was created. Well quite simply, that (western border) line is the eastern border of the Panhandle. It was part of what was then Texas. To learn about the southern boundary of the Panhandle we must talk about the Northern boundary of Texas.

When Texas was admitted to the Union in 1845, its Northern border was established as 36 degrees and 30 minutes north latitude from 100 degrees west longitude to 103 degrees west longitude. However, when the South Line of Kansas was created in by the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 it was established at 37 degrees north latitude thus leaving a one-half degree (30 minutes of latitude) strip of land from the western boundary of the main body of Oklahoma all the way over to the eastern boundary of the State of New Mexico. This area was recognized by the treaties but was not considered part of any of the states. It was first referred to as The Public Land Strip then later was known as No Mans Land and The Neutral Strip.

To learn how the Panhandle’s location was influenced by the slavery issue, read more on the Missouri Compromise of 1820.

Although there were several problems with the surveys which attempted to locate theses lines on the ground, the boundaries of the Public Land Strip were established. But, remember, it is not yet part of Oklahoma.

Cattlemen and settlers started moving into the area and soon it became known simply as Cimarron Territory. The area was not officially recognized by Congress until the Organic Act of 1890 assigned it to the new Oklahoma Territory thus ending the Cimarron Territory. Both of the areas were then admitted to the union in 1907 creating the State of Oklahoma.

Why Oklahoma is shaped the way it is? Part 1 – The South and West borders

2010-04-26T14:41:00.017-05:00

Oklahoma is one of the most uniquely shaped states in the union. Its shape is the result of some of the most important historical treaties and documents in our country’s history.

The first boundaries of our state were established by the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. However those boundaries were not clearly defined until the Adams-Onis treaty of 1819.

ARTICLE 3 of the Adams-Onis treaty reads as follows:
The Boundary Line between the two Countries, West of the Mississippi, shall begin on the Gulf of Mexico, at the mouth of the River Sabine in the Sea, continuing North, along the Western Bank of that River, to the 32d degree of Latitude; thence by a Line due North to the degree of Latitude, where it strikes the Rio Roxo of Nachitoches, or Red-River, then following the course of the Rio-Roxo Westward to the degree of Longitude, 100 West from London and 23 from Washington, then crossing the said Red-River, and running thence by a Line due North to the River Arkansas, thence, following the Course of the Southern bank of the Arkansas to its source in Latitude, 42.

Click here to read the entire text of the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819

The Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819 defined the southern and western borders of the main body of the state as we know it today.

One of the main controversies of this boundary came after Texas joined the Union and it became necessary to define the boundaries. An expedition was commissioned to explore and map the Red River (southern boundary of Oklahoma) as indicated by the original treaty. However, before the expedition reached the 100th meridian they unknowingly diverted onto the North Fork instead of the holding to the main stream of the Red River. This error resulted in the lands now known as Greer County (south and west of the North Fork) to be assumed in Texas until the U.S. Supreme Court settled the issue placing the boundary in its rightful location, thus “returning” Greer County to Oklahoma. Of course, it was never truly in Texas to begin with.

Map courtesy of the Oklahoma Historical Society

What Is Geocaching?

2010-04-22T11:29:00.001-05:00

April 19, 1995

2010-04-16T11:34:00.004-05:00

As we approach the 15th anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building we are all forced unwittingly to remember that terrible day in Oklahoma City history. In fact, using the word anniversary seems inappropriate but I don’t know what other word to use so I will use it with a lower case “a”

I worked for the same Engineering and Surveying firm that I do now. We had our offices on 50th and Pennsylvania near 50 Penn Place, about 4 miles away. That morning at 9:02 I was on the phone with a client and our building shook and the all-glass building rattled like someone had run into it. We all heard it and felt it but didn’t know what it was until a few minutes later in the break room.

I can recall the first image I saw was brought to me from KWTV’s Kelly Ogle, who is also a lifelong Oklahoman. Kelly was in the Channel 9 chopper and flew over the smoke filled rubble and said “it looks like half the building was gone”. It was. Kelly first though it may have been a gas line or some other kind of accident. It wasn’t.

The next few hours were filled with misinformation and speculation as the facts came in sporadically, at best. Some reports of another bomb. Other reports of two or three people they were looking for. None of us knew what was going on but we knew it was bad. Some of us went home for the day. I didn’t have a cell phone back then and my wife bought me one that week.

One night my wife and I took some supplies to the rescue workers and as I drove down 8th Street you could see the remains of the building three blocks south and my gut just wrenched. That is a feeling that I hadn’t felt before or since that time. It was overwhelming, I just wanted to leave. I suppose it was like seeing a dead body, only multiplied by 168.

Three of our friends were killed that day, Luther and LaRue Treanor and their granddaughter, Ashley Eckles, 4.

We have all moved on with our lives but still never forget that moment when we found out what happened on that street in Oklahoma City 15 years ago

The Last Ride

2010-04-05T23:19:00.003-05:00

Today I lost my best friend of 13 years. Joker was a beautiful Australian Shepherd but most of all he was an unconditional friend. He taught me many things but one of the most important was no matter how bad you may have it you always treat your friends the same, with unconditional love. He taught me that holding grudges was a waste of time and energy. If you treat your friends and family the same every time, you will earn their respect.

Joker didn’t get off to a great start in our family because we didn’t know anything about dogs. We quickly learned. If he had been a person he might have given up on us and moved on to another family but he knew we that he could train us, and he did. We soon learned that having a dog wasn’t having something to control, it was someone to share your life and experiences with. After we realized what is was about, Joker seemed to say “I knew you would come around”. After that, he, my wife and I were inseparable.

He loved to chase the horses. I’d bet he ran 50 miles around our round pen while my wife worked her colts. He is probably partly responsible for the quality of cow training our horses received. The only thing he and his sister, Belle, didn’t figure out was that they should both go the same direction around the round pen (ouch). Even the week before we lost him, he was running up and down the pasture fence chasing the horses. He wasn’t able to run quite as long but you couldn’t convince him of that. He knew not to go into the pasture. A few years ago he got too close behind a colt and got kicked in the face and underwent several weeks of recovery (and stitches). That colt was gone shortly after that.

Every single day he would lie in the driveway and wait for me to come home from work. It didn’t matter if it was cold, wet, hot or snowing, he was there waiting and met me at the door of my truck when I opened it. He was there. I came home and he was sitting there covered in snow or soaking wet with rain, waiting on his dad. It didn’t matter to him, he was going to show his friend how much he enjoyed seeing him. That’s a lesson we all should learn.

Joker loved to ride in the truck. He wouldn’t ride in the front though, that was for girls and puppies. He rode in the back with his head hanging over the side and if the wind was too much he would lay up against the cab for a wind break. As soon as he heard the engine slow he was up and his head was over the side. He loved to ride in the truck.

Today he took his last ride; a ride to see his siblings, Belle, Bubba and Miss Kitty.

Joker taught us lessons that we will carry with us through the rest of our life. I will miss him terribly but would not trade the pain of losing him for the joy of having known him and his unconditional love.

See you soon JoJo.

Oklahoma Land Descriptions

2010-03-15T16:31:00.002-05:00

Have you ever wondered what all of those letters and numbers on your deed description mean? Or why most of the roads in Oklahoma are one mile apart? This is the first in a series of articles to familiarize you with the system by which we convey your most valuable commodity, your land.

In the late 1800’s government surveyors were commissioned to lay out the public lands (Oklahoma Territory) into a grid in preparation for sale or grant to the public. These grids were to be 6 miles square and were known as townships. They would be later divided into 36 smaller units, which are our modern day sections of 640 acres each. In most areas they were then divided into even smaller squares or Quarter Sections (160 acres). Iron posts were set at the corners of the townships and stones were placed at all of the section and quarter corners. Some of these stones can still be found today if the area is wooded or otherwise has not been disturbed.

The point of origin of these sections is known as the Initial Point. It is located on the current county line between Murray and Garvin Counties about a mile west of Davis. A large stone monument marked “IP” still stands today in the farmer’s field. The line running east-west from this point is known as the Base Line and a line running north-south from this point is known as the Indian Meridian. All lands were laid out on this grid except for the Panhandle, which was done at a later date and has it’s own Base Line and Meridian.

If you look at the legal description of your property and it reads something like Section 10, T2N-R20W of the Indian Meridian (or I.M. for short) this means that your land is in section number 10 of the township located 2 North of the Base Line and 20 west of the Indian Meridian. In other words, 12 miles (2 townships x 6 miles each) North and 120 miles (20 townships x 6 miles each) West from the initial point. So your land is located in Jackson County near Altus. The numbering of the sections within each township was also specified by the government starting at the northeast corner with Section 1 going west and south in a serpentine manner until you reach Section 36 at the southeast corner of the township.

While surveying these townships, the early surveyors were instructed to go Due North (magnetic). As they went north they would need to correct for the curvature of the earth or eventually all of the lines would converge to one common point (the North Pole). It was established that these corrections would take place every four townships (4 townships x 6 miles each) or 24 miles. These are known as the Standard Parallels or correction lines. The county roads as we know them today were built primarily along these section lines. If you drive north or south along one of these county roads every 24 miles you might come across a small offset or “jog” in the road. This is where the original surveyors corrected their surveys.

In the next article, I will discuss why sections don’t contain exactly 640 acres, or why your “80” only has 79 acres.

The Initial Point

2010-03-15T15:36:00.003-05:00

All land in Oklahoma, with the exception of the Panhandle, is surveyed from the Initial Point located in Murray County. When Ft. Sill was established in 1870, the U.S. cavalry stationed at Ft. Arbuckle was moved there. Since the fort belonged to the U.S. Government, it was a perfect base of operations for the survey crew.

The Initial Point was established in 1870 by Ehud N. Darling and Theodore H. Barrett. Darling was surveying the lands for the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations as described in the Treaty of June 22, 1855. By the treaty of April 28, 1866, these Indians agreed to the survey and subdivision of their land east of the 98th meridian, using the public land survey system of the United States, called the Land Ordinance of 1785 or the Rectangular System.

The 1871 report of the Commissioner of the general Land Office contains the following statement: "The surveyors were instructed to select a suitable initial point in the center of the Chickasaw Nation or in the vicinity of Ft. Arbuckle and perpetuate it by a suitable monument, and from this point to establish a principle meridian and base line to be known by the designation of the Indian Base Line and Meridian."

The point chosen was about one mile of Ft. Arbuckle probably because Ft. Arbuckle was a convenient and well know location. The land was then divided into townships north and south and ranges, east and west of the Initial Point. From this point, they plotted the location of rivers, streams, mountain ranges, wagon roads and trails. Each township and range is six miles, or a total area of 36 square miles. In Oklahoma, there are 29 townships north and south and twenty seven ranges east and west of the Initial Point. In Oklahoma, Sections 16 and 32 were normally reserved for schools.

The official description of the arbitrary point, taken from the surveyor's, field notes is:

"Initial monument at point between two small streams both having a northerly course, making a junction about twenty chains north."Set sandstone 54x18x18, marked on west side I. P., on east side Ind. Mer., and on north side 1870, in a mound of stones six feet in diameter and three feet high, from which flagstaff at Fort Arbuckle bears north seven degrees, thirty-seven minutes west. East end of Messa, bears north 46 degrees, 17 minutes west. East end of Messa bears north 47 degrees, 42 minutes west. East end of Messa bears north 55 degrees, 56 minutes west. Black oak 10 inches in diameter bears north 70 degrees, 11 minutes west 617 links distant. Rock on east side of brook marked thus (111) bears south 14 degrees, 12 minutes east, 1,365 links distant. Cedar eight inches in diameter just left of rock."

ODL and the infamous filing fee

2010-03-15T10:47:00.006-05:00

On February 12, 2010 the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL) approved a rule change to institute a filing fee of $5.00 per Certifed Corner Record (CCR). The proposed rule change must now go before the legislature for approval before it would become official.

I have gone on record as stating that I don't feel that the filing fee is outrageous or even that it is not warranted. I know that this is not the best tiime to be asking for more money, but money to run the Library has to come from somewhere.

As with most people I would like to see an online retreival system implemented by the ODL. I would also wonder if the current fee for receiving CCR's could be increased and subsequently reduce the filing fee somewhat.

I am planning an interview with Jan Davis from the Oklahoma Department of Libraries in the next few days regarding the $5.00 CCR filing fee. Stay tuned for more