The Next Edition of theThe Next Edition of theManual of Surveying InstructionsManual of Surveying Instructions

and the Modern Cadastreand the Modern Cadastre

Presented by:Presented by:Steve Douglas, Chief Cadastral SurveyorSteve Douglas, Chief Cadastral Surveyor

BLM Eastern States Office, Springfield, VABLM Eastern States Office, Springfield, VABob Dahl, Cadastral SurveyorBob Dahl, Cadastral Surveyor

BLM Lands and Realty Group, Washington, D.C.BLM Lands and Realty Group, Washington, D.C.

Arkansas Society of Professional SurveyorsArkansas Society of Professional Surveyors2005 Spring Conference2005 Spring ConferenceLittle Rock, AR – March 25, 2005Little Rock, AR – March 25, 2005

• Cadastre – Cadastral – Cadastral Survey

• What is the Manual of Surveying Instructions?

• Why is the Manual relevant to the PLS in Arkansas?

Agenda

The Public Land Survey SystemThe Public Land Survey System

• The Land Ordinance of May 20, 1785 called for:– Appointing a Geographer and one surveyor from each

state– Begin the surveys on the right bank of the Ohio River

at intersection with the west boundary of PA.– Run due west for seven ranges of townships setting

corners every mile (This line is called the Geographers Line)

– Divide townships into 6 mile squares by running due north-south and others crossing them at right angles

– External township lines only– Run lines according to the true meridian

The Public Land Survey SystemThe Public Land Survey System

• The Act of May 18, 1796 provided for:– Appointment of a Surveyor General– Measurement of section lines with a two-pole chain– Recording of corner descriptions in a Field Book– Numbering of sections with 1 in the NE corner– Preparation of 3 plats and descriptive notes– Every other unsold township to be divided into 9 four-

mile square blocks– First reference to navigable rivers as public highways

The Public Land Survey SystemThe Public Land Survey System

• The Act of May 10, 1800 provided for:– The division of townships into sections and half-

sections– Corners set at one mile intervals and half-mile corners

were to be fixed on E-W lines only– Allowed for the sale of ½ sections (320 acres)– Called for the establishment of local land offices

headed by a Register and Receiver

• The Act of March 26, 1804, provided for:– The sale of quarter sections (160 acres)

The Public Land Survey SystemThe Public Land Survey System

• The Act of February 11, 1805, is very important to all Surveyors:– Original corners control– Boundaries as run and marked cannot be changed– Measurements & quantities returned are held to be

true (basis for proportionate measure)– Aliquot parts of a section defined– Statutory rules for section subdivision defined– Rules defined for the subdivision of fractional

townships and sections

The Public Land Survey SystemThe Public Land Survey System

• The Act of April 24, 1820, provided for:– The sale of ½ quarter sections (80 acres)– N-S line through the quarter section in accordance

with the 1805 Act

• The Act of April 5, 1832, provided for:– The sale quarter-quarter sections (40 acres)– E-W line through the quarter section in accordance

with the 1805 Act

The Public Land Survey SystemThe Public Land Survey System

• General and Special Surveying Instructions– Earliest instructions merely recited the laws

concerning the survey of the public lands– Mansfield Instructions of 1806 expected the surveyors

to be technically knowledgeable about the survey system

– Tiffin Instructions of 1815 were the most detailed early instructions

– Rector Instructions of 1818 for IL, MO and AR are basically similar to Tiffin’s

The Public Land Survey SystemThe Public Land Survey System

• General and Special Surveying Instructions– Prior to 1831 the general technical aspects of the

PLSS was considered to be a function of the Surveyors General

– Each interpreted the survey laws according to their understanding of the intent of those laws

– Some of them did not issue detailed instructions to their Deputy Surveyors

– In 1831, Commissioner circulated a set of surveying instructions to the surveyors general, which was not adopted completely by any of them in preparing instructions

The Public Land Survey SystemThe Public Land Survey System

• First Manual issued to Surveyor General of Oregon in 1851

• In 1855, Oregon Manual made applicable to all districts established in and after 1850– Apparently not made to apply to districts established

before 1850– These districts included Arkansas

• In 1863, Congress made the 1855 Manual part of all public land survey contracts– This finally brought national uniformity to the PLSS

The Public Land Survey SystemThe Public Land Survey System

The Public Land Survey SystemThe Public Land Survey System

• Manuals of Surveying Instructions– 1851 Instructions to the Surveyor General of Oregon– 1855 Instructions to the Surveyors General of Public Lands of

the United States– 1864 Instructions to the Surveyors General, Amendments to the

1855 Manual– 1881 Instructions to the Commissioner of the General Land

Office to the Surveyors General of the United States– 1890 Manual of Surveying Instructions for the Survey of the

Public Lands of the United States and Private Claims

The Public Land Survey SystemThe Public Land Survey System

• Manuals of Surveying Instructions– 1894 Manual of Surveying Instructions for the Survey of the

Public Lands of the United States and Private Claims– 1902 Manual of Surveying Instructions for the Survey of the

Public Lands of the United States and Private Claims– 1930 Manual of Instructions for the Survey of the Public Lands of

the United States– 1947 Manual of Instructions for the Survey of the Public Lands of

the United States– 1973 Manual of Instructions for the Survey of the Public Lands of

the United States (Technical Bulletin 6)

• What is impetus for the next edition?

• Scope of the project – Technical project nested in a web of administration

• What is the process?

• How are we going about it?

• Where are we to date?

Agenda

Bureau of Land ManagementBureau of Land Management

What is theWhat is the

Manual of Instructions for the Manual of Instructions for the Survey of the Public Lands of the Survey of the Public Lands of the

United StatesUnited States? (Manual)? (Manual)

Whom/What is affected?Whom/What is affected?

Why is the ManualWhy is the Manual

Relevant to the PLS in Arkansas?Relevant to the PLS in Arkansas?

ARKANSAS CODEARKANSAS CODE§ 14-15-706. Survey of public land§ 14-15-706. Survey of public land

(a) For an entry of the public lands of the U.S., (a) For an entry of the public lands of the U.S., the county surveyor shall make surveys in the county surveyor shall make surveys in

accordance with the entryaccordance with the entry

(c) It shall be the duty of the county surveyor, (c) It shall be the duty of the county surveyor, when subdividing any section, to make the survey when subdividing any section, to make the survey

conformably to the original surveyconformably to the original survey

017 00 001017 00 0016-308 Boundary Land Surveys6-308 Boundary Land Surveys

All surveys shall meet the “Arkansas All surveys shall meet the “Arkansas Minimum Standards for Property Minimum Standards for Property Surveys and Plats,” latest editionSurveys and Plats,” latest edition

ARKANSAS RULES & REGULATIONSARKANSAS RULES & REGULATIONS

044 00 001 Article 14A5.044 00 001 Article 14A5.The Board may take disciplinary action The Board may take disciplinary action

against any registrant found guilty of against any registrant found guilty of violations of the Arkansas Minimum violations of the Arkansas Minimum

Standards for Property Boundary Surveys Standards for Property Boundary Surveys and Platsand Plats

ARKANSAS RULES & REGULATIONSARKANSAS RULES & REGULATIONS

Section 3.2CSection 3.2CThe current BLM Manual of Surveying The current BLM Manual of Surveying

Instructions shall be used as a guide for Instructions shall be used as a guide for the restoration of lost or obliterated the restoration of lost or obliterated corners and subdivision of sectionscorners and subdivision of sections

Arkansas Minimum Standards for Arkansas Minimum Standards for Property Boundary Surveys and PlatsProperty Boundary Surveys and Plats

Section 3.2E2cSection 3.2E2cAny monument marking location of a Any monument marking location of a sixteenth, quarter, or section corner sixteenth, quarter, or section corner

shall be marked in accordance with the shall be marked in accordance with the current BLM manualcurrent BLM manual

Arkansas Minimum Standards for Arkansas Minimum Standards for Property Boundary Surveys and PlatsProperty Boundary Surveys and Plats

Court of Appeals of ArkansasCourt of Appeals of ArkansasMorrow v. White, 12 Ark. App. 16;Morrow v. White, 12 Ark. App. 16;

670 SW2d 459 (1984)670 SW2d 459 (1984)

GLO surveys and plats give each parcel a GLO surveys and plats give each parcel a specific and identifiable location; lands were specific and identifiable location; lands were disposed by the Federal Government with disposed by the Federal Government with

reference to these surveysreference to these surveys

Court of Appeals of ArkansasCourt of Appeals of ArkansasMorrow v. White, 12 Ark. App. 16;Morrow v. White, 12 Ark. App. 16;

670 SW2d 459 (1984)670 SW2d 459 (1984)

The approved GLO surveys formed the basis for the description of lands when disposed of by the

government and any errors, were merged into the government grants. A patent or other original

conveyance made with reference to a subdivision conveyed those lands which the GLO Plat

showed it to contain.

Court of Appeals of ArkansasCourt of Appeals of ArkansasMorrow v. White, 12 Ark. App. 16;Morrow v. White, 12 Ark. App. 16;

670 SW2d 459 (1984)670 SW2d 459 (1984)

The purpose of subsequent surveys in locating corners and boundaries is not to correct any error

or variance of the original surveyor but is to retrace his steps by use of his field notes and

plats and to locate the corners where he located them.

Court of Appeals of ArkansasCourt of Appeals of ArkansasMorrow v. White, 12 Ark. App. 16;Morrow v. White, 12 Ark. App. 16;

670 SW2d 459 (1984)670 SW2d 459 (1984)

TheThe Manual of Surveying Instructions Manual of Surveying Instructions published in 1973 by the BLM, sets out the published in 1973 by the BLM, sets out the

prescribed method of relocating lost cornersprescribed method of relocating lost corners

Supreme Court of ArkansasSupreme Court of ArkansasTolson v. Southwestern Improvement Association,Tolson v. Southwestern Improvement Association,

97 Ark. 193; 133 SW 603 (1911)97 Ark. 193; 133 SW 603 (1911)

The GLO The GLO Restoration of Lost or Obliterated Restoration of Lost or Obliterated Corners and Subdivision of SectionsCorners and Subdivision of Sections sets sets

out the rule to be observed in the out the rule to be observed in the subdivision of quarter sections into quarter-subdivision of quarter sections into quarter-

quartersquarters

UNITED STATES CODEUNITED STATES CODETitle 43 Public Lands Title 43 Public Lands § 2§ 2

The Secretary of the Interior or such The Secretary of the Interior or such officer as he may designate (BLM) shall officer as he may designate (BLM) shall perform all executive duties appertaining perform all executive duties appertaining

to the surveying and sale of the public to the surveying and sale of the public lands of the United Stateslands of the United States

It is settled law that the United States may survey what it owns and thereby establish and reestablish boundaries, but what the government does in this regard is for its own information and cannot affect the rights of owners on the other side of an existing boundary. United States v. State Investment Co., 264 U.S. 206, 212 (1924), citing Lane v. Darlington, 249 U.S. 331, 333 (1919).

United States Supreme CourtUnited States Supreme Court

The Manual of Surveying Instructions describes The Manual of Surveying Instructions describes how cadastral surveys of the public lands are how cadastral surveys of the public lands are made in conformance to statutory law and its made in conformance to statutory law and its judicial interpretation. (1973 Manual judicial interpretation. (1973 Manual § 1-1.)§ 1-1.)

It is within the province of the Director to determine It is within the province of the Director to determine what are public lands, what lands have been what are public lands, what lands have been

surveyed, what are to be surveyed, what have been surveyed, what are to be surveyed, what have been disposed of, what remains to be disposed of, and disposed of, what remains to be disposed of, and

what are reserved.what are reserved.(1973 Manual (1973 Manual § 1-11.)§ 1-11.)

MANUALMANUAL

By fundamental law, upon the issuance of a patent for land by the Federal government; it is just as if the monuments, survey plat and field

notes, and the laws, regulations and rules governing how to survey the land described in the

patent, are stapled to the face of the patent.

The survey rules are spelled out in the manuals, circulars and instructions issued by the GLO and later by the BLM.

Is there still a need for the Manual?Is there still a need for the Manual?

http://www.blm.gov/cadastral/Manual/nextedition.htmhttp://www.blm.gov/cadastral/Manual/nextedition.htm

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