Dictionary of Land Surveying Terms A to Z

B

• BAL (Land Status Records) - Balance.
• BDY; BDRS (Land Status Records) - Boundary, Boundaries.
• BEN (Land Status Records) - Bentonite.
• BH MER (Land Status Records) - Black Hills Meridian.
• BIA (Land Status Records) - Bureau of Indian Affairs.
• BIFC - Boise Interagency Fire Center.
• BLK (Land Status Records) - Block.
• BLM (Land Status Records) - Bureau of Land Management.
• BLM-M (Land Status Records) - Bureau of Land Management Manual.
• BM (Land Status Records) - Bench Mark.
• BM - Erroneously for Boise Meridian.
• BO - Bearing Object.
• BOISE MER (Land Status Records) - Boise Meridian.
• BR - Bearing rock. An obsolete corner marking for a bearing object used on mineral surveys.
• BR (Land Status Records) - Bureau of Reclamation.
• BSFW (Land Status Records) - Bureau of Sports, Fisheries and Wildlife. Now, 1976, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services,1976.
• BT - Bearing Tree.
• BACK AZIMUTH - See GEODETIC AZIMUTH.
• BACK BEARING - The bearing at the opposite end of a line from the observer as measured from the true meridian at the opposite end of the line. The back bearing on all lines (other than North-South lines) are different from the bearing at the observer’s station. They differ by the amount of convergency of the meridians between the two points.
• BACKSHORE (T.R. No. 4) - That zone of the shore or beach lying between the foreshore and the coastline and acted upon by waves only during severe storms, especially when combined with exceptionally high water. See BEACH, SHORE, FORESHORE, COASTLINE.
• BACKSIGHT - A sight on a previously established survey point. See BACKSIGHT*.
• BANK - The continuous margin along a river or stream where all upland vegetation ceases. See RIGHT BANK, LEFT BANK, BEDS OF NON-NAVIGABLE LAKES AND STREAMS.
• BANKHEAD-JONES LANDS - Under Title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, of July 22, 1937, the Department of Agriculture was authorized to purchase submarginal farm lands in the Great Plains region for purposes of reclamation, conservation, etc. Approximately 2 million acres were acquired and are termed “Bankhead-Jones Lands.” These lands are now under the administration of the Bureau of Land Management, are in the class of Federal lands called “acquired lands” and are not subject to entry or disposal under the general public land laws. See ACQUIRED LANDS.
• BARGAIN AND SALE - In conveyancing, the transferring of property from one to another, upon valuable consideration, by way of sale. A “bargain and sale” deed usually means one which carries no warranty. See DEED, WARRANTY and PATENT.
• BARK SCRIBE - To bark scribe a tree monument or bearing tree is to lightly cut the appropriate marks into the bark of the tree without blazing. In the case of certain smooth and thin barked trees, marks thus made will last as long as the tree remains sound. See BLAZE.
• BASE LANDS - In a lieu selection or exchange, the lands to which the applicant relinquishes his rights as a basis for his selection. See LIEU SELECTION.
• BASELINE - A line fixed by sovereigns along their coasts which is fundamental toward determining the seaward extent of the boundaries. See RULE OF TIDEMARK, STRAIGHT BASELINE.
• BASE LINE - A line which is extended east and west on a parallel of latitude from an initial point, and from which are initiated other lines for the Cadastral Survey of the public lands within the area covered by the principal meridian that runs through the same initial point. See BASE LINE*, BASIS PARALLEL.
• BASE PLAT - A drawing containing only those details essential to the identification of the legal subdivisions shown on it. Under the manuals of surveying instruction preceding that of 1930, the base plat also contained all cultural and topographic features thought to be desirable. The 1930 and 1947 Manuals of Surveying Instructions called for the use of transparent color overlays to show these features when required. Overprints are not needed where such features may be readily shown on the base drawing without risk of obscuring any essential cadastral data. Color overlays have been used with base plats of areas surveyed by photogrammetric methods.
• BASIN - The entire area drained by a main stream and its tributaries.
• BASIS PARALLEL - The Base Line, as termed in early surveys.
• BATTURE - A marine term, used to denote a bottom of sand, stone or rock mixed together and rising towards the surface of the water; but it is sometimes used to signify the island formed when it has risen above the surface of ordinary high water. Batture differs from alluvium in that batture is the addition of soil to the bed of a stream or lake, while alluvium is an addition to the shores. Hence by reason of such fact the ownership thereof is determined largely along a different line. Both “batture” and alluvium are often referred to as “accretions.” Technically however, the term “accretion” refers to the legal result occurring from the effect of the deposit of alluvium and batture.
• BAYOU*
• BEACH (T.R. No. 4) - The zone of unconsolidated material that extends landward from the low water line to the place where there is marked change in material or physiographic form or to the line of permanent vegetation (usually the effective limit of storm waves). The seaward limit of the beach – unless otherwise specified – is the mean low water line. A beach includes foreshore and backshore. (Refer to Figure 1). See SHORE, FORESHORE, BACKSHORE, TIDELANDS.
• BEARING TREE – A marked tree used as a corner accessory; its distance and direction from the corner being recorded. Bearing trees are identified by prescribed marks cut into their trunks; the species and sizes of the trees are also recorded.
• BED – In mining, a stratum in the earth’s crust which has been formed in an approximately horizontal layer. If of rock, it is termed “bedrock.” Also See BEDS OF NONNAVIGABLE LAKES AND STREAMS.
• BEDS OF NONNAVIGABLE LAKES AND STREAMS – The areas within the mean high-water lines of a lake, stream or river which are kept practically bare of vegetation from year to year by the wash of the waters; although parts of them are left dry for months at a time. Title to the beds of nonnavigable bodies of water remains in the United States until the shore lands have passed into private ownership. See PROTRACTION, RIPARIAN BOUNDARIES and PARTITION LINES.
• BLACK HILLS MERIDIAN – The principal meridian governing surveys in the western part of South Dakota, it was established in 1878.
• BLANK LINE – 1) Where bearings and distances are shown, for information purposes only, across areas not then subject to survey. 2) In Manual of Surveying Instructions 1834, “thence north on a blank line; …” appears used as a random line in specimen field notes.
• BLAZE – A mark made upon a tree trunk usually at about breast height. The bark and a small amount of the live wood are removed with an axe or other cutting tool, leaving a flat, smoothed surface which forever brands the tree. On rough-barked tree monuments or bearing trees the appropriate marks are scribed into a smooth, narrow, vertical blaze the lower end of which is about 6 inches above the root crown. The blaze should be just long enough to allow the markings to be made. See OVERGROWTH.
• BLAZED LINE – A sufficient number of trees differing from line trees in that they stand within 50 links of and on either side of the line, rather than being intersected by it, are blazed on two sides quartering toward the line. This is done to make the survey line more conspicuous and readily traced in either direction. The blazes are made opposite each other coinciding in direction with the line where the trees stand very near it. They are made closer to each other, toward the line, the farther they are from the line. R.S. sec. 2395; 43 U.S.C. 751 is the law authorizing the marking of trees along surveyed lines, and its requirements are as positive in this matter as are those requiring the erection of monuments. See LINE TREE.
• BLOCK – A subdivision of a town site.
• BOARD OF LAND APPEALS – Under the direction of a Board Chairman, the board exercises jurisdiction over cases involving appeals from decisions rendered by departmental officials relating to the use and disposition of public lands and their resources and the use and disposition of mineral resources in certain acquired lands and in the submerged lands of the Outer Continental Shelf. Persons adversely affected by a decision of a BLM officer or examiner have the right to appeal to the board. The Board is in the Office of Hearings and Appeals, the office of the Secretary of the Department of the Interior, as provided at 35 F.R. 10010, June 18, 1970 – 43 C.F.R. 1842.2 (Now 43 C.F.R. part 4). Decisions of the Board on such appeals shall be final for the Department.
• BOG – A shallow, low-lying, virtually undrained body of water, where partially decayed vegetation accumulates on the bottom and on the surface to form a mat. Mosses, sedges, grasslike plants and small shrubs eventually take root in the surface mat forming a “boggy” or spongy form of ground. In an advanced stage the water area becomes completely filled and may become what is known as a “peat bog.” See MARSH and SWAMP.
• BOISE MERIDIAN – The principal meridian governing surveys in Idaho; it was established in 1867.
• BONA FIDE – In or with good faith; honestly, openly and sincerely. Without deceit or fraud. Actual and genuine.
• BONA FIDE RIGHTS – Rights, such as in ownership of land, which are real, actual, genuine and worthy of acceptance. Rights acquired in good faith under the law.
• BOUNDARIES, NATIONAL – Boundaries between countries are established by treaties made by the sovereign powers concerned.
• BOUNDARIES - A boundary between two States of the United States may be changed by agreement of the State legislatures, but this agreement must be approved by Congress. The United States Congress cannot change a State boundary without the consent of the State, nor can two States by mutual agreement change their common boundary without the consent of Congress. The consent of Congress to change a boundary need not be granted by a special act but may be inferred from subsequent legislation. Several times Congress has given its consent in advance for adjoining States to fix an indefinite water boundary between them. A boundary between a State and a territory is fixed by joint action of Congress and the State. Boundaries between territories are fixed by congressional action alone. Disputes between States regarding boundaries must be settled by the United States Supreme Court, whose decisions are final. It is a well-established principle, recognized by the courts and by Congress, that a State or national boundary line as marked on the ground and accepted by the parties interested is the legal boundary for all purposes whether or not it is the place designated by statute. Nearly all boundaries of States west of the Mississippi, as well as those of many central and southern States, were surveyed under the direction of the General Land Office. Notes of all such surveys, and plats for most of them, are now on file in the Bureau of Land Management, Dept. of Interior, or in the Cartographic Records Div., National Archives and Records Service, Washington, D.C.
• STATE - A boundary between two States of the United States may be changed by agreement of the State legislatures, but this agreement must be approved by Congress. The United States Congress cannot change a State boundary without the consent of the State, nor can two States by mutual agreement change their common boundary without the consent of Congress. The consent of Congress to change a boundary need not be granted by a special act but may be inferred from subsequent legislation. Several times Congress has given its consent in advance for adjoining States to fix an indefinite water boundary between them. A boundary between a State and a territory is fixed by joint action of Congress and the State. Boundaries between territories are fixed by congressional action alone. Disputes between States regarding boundaries must be settled by the United States Supreme Court, whose decisions are final. It is a well-established principle, recognized by the courts and by Congress, that a State or national boundary line as marked on the ground and accepted by the parties interested is the legal boundary for all purposes whether or not it is the place designated by statute. Nearly all boundaries of States west of the Mississippi, as well as those of many central and southern States, were surveyed under the direction of the General Land Office. Notes of all such surveys, and plats for most of them, are now on file in the Bureau of Land Management, Dept. of Interior, or in the Cartographic Records Div., National Archives and Records Service, Washington, D.C.
• BOUNDARY - A line of demarcation between adjoining parcels of land. The parcels of land may be of the same or of different ownership, but distinguished at some time in the history of their descent by separate legal descriptions. A land boundary may be marked on the ground by material monuments placed primarily for the purpose; by fences, roads, and other service structures along the line – or defined by astronomically described points and lines.
• BOUNDARY LINE - A line along which two areas meet. A boundary line between privately owned parcels of land is usually termed a property line. If a boundary is a line of the United States public land surveys, it is given a particular designation, such as section line or township line.
• BOUNDARY MONUMENT - A material object placed on or near a boundary line to preserve and identify the location of the boundary line on the ground.
• BOUNTY LANDS - Portions of the public domain given or donated as a bounty for services rendered, chiefly for military service. See 43 U.S.C.A., sec. 791.
• BROKEN BOUNDARY - 1) A boundary of the rectangular system which is a series of line segments representing a boundary which is not a straight line. 2) A boundary consisting of straight line segments which is not part of the rectangular system.
• BROKEN BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT - A general term which indicates a distribution of a closing error. Included are: (1) A mathematical adjustment applied to record meander courses which have since become nonriparian; is identical to the compass rule. (2) A mathematical adjustment applied to the record courses of a grant or reservation boundary; it is a rotation and scale change that will retain the original angles and change the lengths of each line segment proportionately according to the record. See GRANT BOUNDARY, IRREGULAR BOUNDARY, NON RIPARIAN BROKEN BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT, ADJUSTMENT*.
• BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, THE - An agency of the Department of the Interior, it was created July 16, 1946, pursuant to Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1946, which consolidated the functions and activities of the General Land Office and the Grazing Service.

C

• (CA) Land Status Records – Communitization Agreement.
• CA – California.
• (CAD) Land Status Records – Cadastral.
• CALIF. – California. See California Land Surveyors.
• (CANC) Land Status Records – Cancellation, Cancelled.
• (CBWR) Land Status Records – Coos Bay Wagon Road.
• (CC) Land Status Records – Cash certificate.
• CC – Closing Corner.
• (CDI) Land Status Records – Control Document Index.
• (CDS) Land Status Records – Coal declaratory statement.
• (CE) Land Status Records – Cash entry.
• (CERT) Land Status Records – Certificate.
• (CFR) Land Status Records - Code of Federal Regulations.
• C & GS – (United States) Coast and Geodetic Survey.
• (CH, CHS) Land Status Records – Chain, Chains.
• (CHE) Land Status Records – Commuted homestead entry.
• (CHG) Land Status Records – Change.
• (CHIC MER) Land Status Records – Chickasaw Meridian.
• (CHOC MER) Land Status Records – Choctaw Meridian.
• (CIM MER) Land Status Records – Cimarron Meridian.
• (CIRC) Land Status Records – Circular.
• (C/L) Land Status Records – Commissioner of Lands.
• (CL) Land Status Records – Classification.
• (CO) Land Status Records – Company.
• CO – Colorado, Colo.
• (C of E) Land Status Records – Corp of Engineers.
• COLO. – Colorado.
• (COMM P) Land Status Records – Community Pit.
• (COMM S) Land Status Records – Communication Site.
• (CONDEMN) Land Status Records – Condemnation.
• (CORP) Land Status Records – Corporation.
• (CPG) Land Status Records – Campground.
• (CRE) Land Status Records – Credit entry.
• (CR MER) Land Status Records – Copper River Meridian.
• (CR PER) Land Status Records – Crossing Permit.
• (C/T) Land Status Records – Color of Title.
• CT – Connecticut.
• (CUR PAT) Land Status Records – Curative patent.
• CWS – Community watershed.
• CADASTRAL ENGINEER – A former title of a Cadastral Surveyor or Land Surveyor in the Bureau of Land Management and the General Land Office.
• CADASTRAL ENGINEERING STAFF OFFICER – Former title of the Chief, Division of Cadastral Surveys.
• CADASTRAL SURVEY – A survey which creates, marks, defines, retraces or reestablishes the boundaries and subdivisions of the public land of the United States.
• CADASTRAL SURVEY APPROVAL AUTHORITY – Prior to becoming an official cadastral survey the field notes must be approved and the plat, field notes and survey must be accepted on behalf of the Director of the Bureau of Land Management by the officer to whom he has delegated this responsibility. See OFFICIAL CADASTRAL SURVEY.
• CADASTRAL SURVEY AUTHORITY – The authority derived from the statutory directive (43 U.S.C. 2) that “The Secretary of the Interior or such officer as he may designate shall perform all executive duties appertaining to the surveying … of the public lands.” Other
• CERTIORARI – A written instruction issued by a higher court to a lower court requiring the records of a trial be submitted for review or inquiry. If such higher court finds no reason to re-examine the records based on arguments submitted by attorneys, the ruling of the court is "Certiorari denied."
• CESSION OF PUBLIC DOMAIN – See ORIGINAL PUBLIC DOMAIN ACQUISITIONS.
• CHAIN – The unit of length prescribed by law for the survey of the public lands of the United States. The chain is equivalent to 66 feet or 4 rods, poles, or perches. 10 square chains equals one acre.
• CHAINING – The operation of measuring a distance on the earth, using a chain or tape. The corresponding operation, in private surveys, is taping.
• CHAINMEN – Those who measure and record the distances in chaining.
• CHAIN OF TITLE – A term applied metaphorically to the series of conveyances, or other forms of alienation, affecting a particular parcel of land, arranged consecutively from the Government or original source of title down to the present holder, each of the instruments included being terms a "link."
• CHANCERY – See EQUITY.
• CHANNEL (T. R. No. 4) – 1) A natural or artificial waterway of perceptible extent which either periodically or continuously contains moving water, or which forms a connecting link between two bodies of water; 2) The part of a body of water deep enough to be used for navigation through an area otherwise too shallow for navigation; 3) A large strait, as the English Channel; 4) The deepest portion of a stream, bay, or strait through which the main volume or current of water flows. See CHANNEL, MAIN; GRADIENT BOUNDARY; THALWEG; RULE OF THALWEG.
• CHANNEL, MAIN – As called for as a boundary between Nations or States, the "main channel" of a navigable stream refers to the deepest and most navigable channel as it existed at the time the boundary was surveyed. In the Red River case of Oklahoma vs. Texas in 1923 (260 US 606, 261 US 340, 265 US 493), which involved a non-navigable river, the Supreme Court of the United States declared by unprecedented action that the Texas-Oklahoma boundary was to be determined by a medial line between gradient lines on each bank. It was decided that "… channel extending from one cut-bank to the other, which carries the water in times of a substantial flow… was the only real channel and therefore the main channel. So its medial line must be what was designated as the boundary." (Oklahoma vs. Texas, 258US574). If the river had been navigable, the "rule of thalweg" would have applied, but that section of the Red River is, in fact, not navigable. See MEDIAL LINE, RULE OF THALWEG, GRADIENT BOUNDARY, RED RIVER CASE.
• CHICKASAW MERIDIAN – The principal meridian which governs surveys in the northern part of Mississippi; it was established in 1833.
• CHIEF, DIVISION OF CADASTRAL SURVEYS – The current title of the BLM officer charged with the survey of the public lands. The title of this officer has changed and evolved over the years since the passage of the Ordinance of May 20, 1785. It has been Geographer of the United States; Surveyor General of the United States; United States Supervisor of Surveys; Chief, Branch of Cadastral Surveys and Cadastral Engineering Staff Officer.
• CHOCKTAW MERIDIAN – the principal meridian governing surveys in the central part of Mississippi; it was established in 1821.
• CHORD – In surveying and geometry; a straight line joining any two points on an arc, curve, circumference, or surface.
• CIMARRON MERIDIAN – The principal meridian which governs surveys in the Oklahoma panhandle; it was established in 1881.
• CLAIMANT – An individual, corporation, association, State or local government, etc., asserting title to, or rights in, public lands.
• CLAIM JUMPING – Illegally taking possession of a mining claim previously staked by and in legal possession of another. Prior to the passage of statutory laws governing mining claims, claim jumping sometimes took the simple form of staking over another person's claim and then holding it by force. See RELOCATION.
• CLASSIFICATION – Designation of public lands as being valuable or suitable for specific purposes, uses, or resources. See LAND, MINERAL, POWER SITE, and SMALL TRACT.
• CLASSIFICATION WITHDRAWAL – A withdrawal of public lands which is made pending examination of the lands to determine their suitability for certain purposes and for classification for those purposes.
• CLOSURE – The process of measurement in a closed figure for a check on horizontal or vertical precision. See CLOSURE*.
• CLOUD ON TITLE – An outstanding claim or encumbrance which, if valid, would affect or impair the title of the owner of a particular estate. A mortgage judgment or tax levy may in some cases constitute a cloud on title.
• COAL DECLARATORY STATEMENT – An affidavit filed by a claimant under now obsolete laws, describing lands known to contain coal deposits. The filing segregated the lands. A Cash Entry patent was issued, giving the surface and the minerals to the patentee.
• COAL ENTRY – A cash entry, under laws now repealed, covering public lands which contain valuable coal deposits or covering such coal deposits only.
• COAL LANDS – Surveyed public lands chiefly valuable for their deposits of coal.
• COAL LICENSE – An authorization to mine coal on the public lands free of charge for local domestic use.
• COAST – The zone of land of indefinite width (perhaps 1 to 3 miles) that extends inland from the shore to the first major change in terrain features. See BEACH, BACKSHORE, FORESHORE, SHORE.
• COASTAL SALT MARSH – A marsh located along or near the sea coast, the surface of which lies below the elevation of mean high water. See SWAMP, SWAMP AND OVERFLOWED LANDS, MARSH, TIDELANDS.
• COASTLINE – Technically, the line that forms the boundary between the coast and the shore and marks the seaward limit of the permanently exposed coast. The U.S.C.&G.S. (now N.O.S.) uses the words "coastline" and "shoreline" as synonymous and defines these as being the mean high water line. In the Submerged Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. 1301(c): "The term 'coast line' means the line of ordinary low water along that portion of the coast which is in direct contact with the open sea and the line marking the seaward limit of inland waters." When using the term "coastline" the user should specify what line is intended. See BEACH, SHORE, SHORE LINE, FORESHORE, BACKSHORE, MEAN HIGH WATER, TIDELANDS, INLAND WATERS.
• CODICIL – A supplement or an addition to a will.
• COLLATERAL EVIDENCE – Additional or auxiliary evidence. Accompanying or acting as secondary evidence. Evidence which supports or reinforces evidence already in hand. See EVIDENCE.
• COLLATERAL EVIDENCE (CADASTRAL SURVEY) – Such things as acts and testimony of interested landowners, competent surveyors, other qualified local authorities or some acceptable record evidence that may be used along with other evidence in identifying the true original position of a corner.
• COLOR OF TITLE – If a claim to a piece of real property is based upon some written instrument, although a defective one, the person is said to have "color of title." A claim which has as its basis that which the law considers prima facie a good title, but which, by reason of some defect not appearing on its face, is not in fact a title. Federal withdrawn land is not subject to the Color-of-Title Act. See COLOR-OF-TITLE ACT, COLOR-OF-TITLE ENTRY, and PRIMA FACIE.
• COLOR-OF-TITLE ACT - The Act of December 22, 1928 (43 U.S.C., sec. 1068), as amended. Under the terms of and provisions of this act, a patent may be issued for a parcel of not more than 160 acres of public lands. The land must have been possessed in good faith by a claimant, his ancestors or grantors for a period of more than 20 years. See ADVERSE POSSESSION, COLOR OF TITLE, COLOR-OF-TITLE ENTRY.
• COLOR-OF-TITLE ENTRY – A cash entry made by an entryman relying upon erroneous evidence of title. The Color-of-Title Act provides for this type of entry. However, land attaching to Federal withdrawn land by accretion becomes withdrawn and is not public land subject to color-of-title applications even when later separated from the withdrawn land by avulsions. See COLOR OF TITLE, ACCRETION, AVULSION, COLOR OF TITLE ACT, and WITHDRAWAL.
• COMMISSIONER OF THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE – The official who was the head of the General Land Office. See GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
• COMMUNITIZATION AGREEMENT – A contractual arrangement which combines separate land holdings for purposes of drilling for oil and gas.
• COMMUNITY WATERSHED – An obsolete term which identified watershed planning areas. An area selected for such study is now simply a "Watershed Area."
• COMMUTED HOMESTEAD ENTRY – For certain classes of homestead entries it was possible to substitute payment of the minimum statutory price for part of another form of "payment" which consisted of residence for a certain number of years and/or other requirements. This substitution of one form of payment for another is called commutation.
• COMPASS SURVEY – A survey, which was executed using the magnetic compass.
• COMPASS RULE – See NON RIPARIAN BROKEN BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT.
• COMPLETION SURVEY – Executed to finish a partially subdivided township or section, or to finish parts of boundaries of townships or sections which are unsurveyed. See EXTENSION SURVEY and COMPLETION*.
• CONDEMNATION – In real property law, the process by which property of a private owner is taken for public use, without his consent, but upon the award of payment of just compensation. It has the nature of a forced sale and the condemner has the position toward the owner of a buyer toward a seller.
• CONFLICT – 1) The overlap of the exterior lines of a claim onto a prior survey or other senior claim. 2) A variance or disagreement between what is written in the field notes and what is represented on the plat. 3) An apparent disagreement or ambiguity between various parts of the field notes. 4) A different representation on one plat compared to hand drafted copies thereof or compared to plats of adjacent surveys. 5) Any factor in the land status which serves as a bar to approval of an application, particularly an application or entry for similar rights on the same land.
• CONFLICTING EVIDENCE – A contradiction or disagreement of the actual ground conditions compared to the record, usually regarding topographic calls or characteristics of corner monumentation. See EVIDENCE.
• CONFLICTING TESTIMONY – A contradiction or ambiguity of facts, evidence, or statements made previously or made by other witnesses. See TESTIMONY.
• CONFLUENCE – Literally, flowing together. The joining of two or more streams of water. Considering two major streams, the precise point of confluence is where the flow direction of water along the thread of the smaller stream reasonably parallels and joins the flow in the larger stream. In field notes the point where the thread of a smaller non-meandered stream crosses the meander line of the larger stream is the confluence.
• CONFORMED ENTRY – Used in independent resurveys to indicate that an entry according to the original survey agrees with the subdivisional lines of the resurvey, or that the entryman will accept the subdivisional lines of the resurvey as properly locating his claim.
• CONNECTED SHEETS – Sometimes called "Connection Sheets," they are diagrams drawn from the official record on a section by section basis, but with peripheral overlap between diagrams. In this way the continuous relationship between irregular land line conditions, particularly mining claims, is shown. These diagrams are not official documents; they are a working index tool of the Bureau of Land Management.
• CONNECTING LINE – 1) A survey line connecting one survey to another. Generally used on the older plats and in mineral surveys. 2) A line calculated from beginning to end of a traverse.
• CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES – The 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia; all of the States which have common boundaries and are not separated by foreign territory or the high seas. The United States, exclusive of Alaska and Hawaii. See CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.
• CONTEST – To make defense to an adverse claim in a court of law; to oppose, resist, or dispute the case made by a plaintiff. To strive to win or hold; to controvert, litigate, challenge; to defend, as a suit or other proceeding.
• CONTIGUOUS LAND – Generally speaking, two parcels of land having a common boundary line. See CORNER CONTIGUITY.
• CONTINENTAL CONGRESS – Either of two assemblies of representatives from American colonies during the Revolutionary period. The first of these was held in 1774 to express grievances against British colonial policy; the second convened in 1775, created the Continental Army, issued the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Articles of Confederation (1778). It operated as the legislative body of the United States for several years.
• CONTINENTAL DIVIDE – The ridge in the Rocky Mountain system which divides the waters of the continent.
• CONTINENTAL SHELF – The part of a continental mass extending from the shore outward beneath the shallow seas to the continental talus where the bottom slopes down rapidly to the ocean depths. See CONTINENTAL SHELF*.
• CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES – Includes the Conterminous United States and the State of Alaska. Hawaii alone of the 50 States is not a part of the continental of North America. See CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES.
• CONTOUR – See CONTOUR*.
• CONTRACT – A binding legal relationship obligating the seller to furnish personal property or nonpersonal services (including construction) and the buyer to pay for them. Contracts include all types of commitments obligating the Government to an expenditure of funds, and are usually in writing.
• CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION – The activities involved in enforcing the terms of the contract, and in carrying out the Government’s responsibilities as stated in the contract.
• CONTRACTING OFFICER – The employee delegated contracting authority who signs a contract in behalf of the Government.
• CONTRACTING OFFICER’S AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE – The employee designated in writing by the Contracting officer to provide contract administrative services.
• CONTRACT SYSTEM – The contracting of the public land surveys. Between 1796 and 1910 the public land surveys were executed by deputy surveyors who had entered into contracts with the Surveyors General for the performance of the field work and preparation of the field notes of the surveys. See DIRECT SYSTEM OF SURVEYS.
• CONTROL DOCUMENT – Any legal document which affects the ownership or use of the public lands and resources. See LAND STATUS RECORDS, PATENT.
• CONTROL DOCUMENT INDEX – A reference file consisting of microphotographic copies of legal documents mounted in aperture tabulating cards arranged by State, meridian and township. See LAND STATUS RECORDS, CONTROL DOCUMENTS, SERIAL REGISTERS.
• CONTROL, GEODETIC – A system of monumented stations having known, precise positions established by geodetic methods. See CONTROL SURVEY CLASSIFICATION*.
• CONTROL LINES – The primary control of the public land surveys of the United States consists of base lines, standard parallels (correction lines), principal meridians and guide meridians. Among field surveyors a control line is a survey line to the nearest identified corner in directions necessary for restoration of a corner. See OUTBOUNDARIES.
• CONTROLLING BOUNDARIES – See OUTBOUNDARIES.
• CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES – The 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia; all of the States which have common boundaries and are not separated by foreign territory or the high seas. The United States, exclusive of Alaska and Hawaii. See CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.
• CONTEST – To make defense to an adverse claim in a court of law; to oppose, resist, or dispute the case made by a plaintiff. To strive to win or hold; to controvert, litigate, challenge; to defend, as a suit or other proceeding.
• CONTIGUOUS LAND – Generally speaking, two parcels of land having a common boundary line. See CORNER CONTIGUITY.
• CONTINENTAL CONGRESS – Either of two assemblies of representatives from American colonies during the Revolutionary period. The first of these was held in 1774 to express grievances against British colonial policy; the second convened in 1775, created the Continental Army, issued the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Articles of Confederation (1778). It operated as the legislative body of the United States for several years.
• CONTINENTAL DIVIDE – The ridge in the Rocky Mountain system which divides the waters of the continent.
• CONTINENTAL SHELF – The part of a continental mass extending from the shore outward beneath the shallow seas to the continental talus where the bottom slopes down rapidly to the ocean depths. See CONTINENTAL SHELF*.
• CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES – Includes the Conterminous United States and the State of Alaska. Hawaii alone of the 50 States is not a part of the continental of North America. See CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES.
• CONFLICT – Disputed; denied; opposed or contested.
• CONTEST – To make defense to an adverse claim in a court of law; to oppose, resist, or dispute the case made by a plaintiff. To strive to win or hold; to controvert, litigate, challenge; to defend, as a suit or other proceeding.
• CONTIGUOUS LAND – Generally speaking, two parcels of land having a common boundary line. See CORNER CONTIGUITY.
• CONTINENTAL CONGRESS – Either of two assemblies of representatives from American colonies during the Revolutionary period. The first of these was held in 1774 to express grievances against British colonial policy; the second convened in 1775, created the Continental Army, issued the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Articles of Confederation (1778). It operated as the legislative body of the United States for several years.
• CONTINENTAL DIVIDE – The ridge in the Rocky Mountain system which divides the waters of the continent.
• CONTINENTAL SHELF – The part of a continental mass extending from the shore outward beneath the shallow seas to the continental talus where the bottom slopes down rapidly to the ocean depths. See CONTINENTAL SHELF*.
• CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES – Includes the Conterminous United States and the State of Alaska. Hawaii alone of the 50 States is not a part of the continental of North America. See CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES.
• CONTOUR – See CONTOUR*.
• CONTRACT – A binding legal relationship obligating the seller to furnish personal property or nonpersonal services (including construction) and the buyer to pay for them. Contracts include all types of commitments obligating the Government to an expenditure of funds, and are usually in writing.
• CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION – The activities involved in enforcing the terms of the contract, and in carrying out the Government’s responsibilities as stated in the contract.
• CONTRACTING OFFICER – The employee delegated contracting authority who signs a contract in behalf of the Government.
• CONTRACTING OFFICER’S AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE – The employee designated in writing by the Contracting officer to provide contract administrative services.
• CONTRACT SYSTEM – The contracting of the public land surveys. Between 1796 and 1910 the public land surveys were executed by deputy surveyors who had entered into contracts with the Surveyors General for the performance of the field work and preparation of the field notes of the surveys. See DIRECT SYSTEM OF SURVEYS.
• CONTROL DOCUMENT – Any legal document which affects the ownership or use of the public lands and resources. See LAND STATUS RECORDS, PATENT.
• CONTROL DOCUMENT INDEX – A reference file consisting of microphotographic copies of legal documents mounted in aperture tabulating cards arranged by State, meridian and township. See LAND STATUS RECORDS, CONTROL DOCUMENTS, SERIAL REGISTERS.
• CONTROL, GEODETIC – A system of monumented stations having known, precise positions established by geodetic methods. See CONTROL SURVEY CLASSIFICATION*.
• CONTROL LINES – The primary control of the public land surveys of the United States consists of base lines, standard parallels (correction lines), principal meridians and guide meridians. Among field surveyors a control line is a survey line to the nearest identified corner in directions necessary for restoration of a corner. See OUTBOUNDARIES.
• CONTROLLING BOUNDARIES – See OUTBOUNDARIES.
• CONTROVERTED – Disputed; denied; opposed or contested.
• CONVEY – The act of deeding or transferring title to another.
• CONVEYANCE – In real property law, a transfer of legal title to land. An instrument, such as a deed, by which interest in real property is created or by which title to real property is transferred from grantor to grantee.
• COORDINATES – A set of numbers used in specifying the location of a point.
• COORDINATE SYSTEM – A mathematically defined method for specifying the locations of points. Distances or angles from suitable references locate the points within the system. See STATE COORDINATE SYSTEMS, STATE PLANE COORDINATES, GEODETIC COORDINATES, UNIVERSAL TRANSVERSAL MERCATOR, GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES, PLANE COORDINATES, SPHERICAL COORDINATES.
• COOS BAY EXCHANGE – See O&C EXCHANGE.
• COOS BAY HOMESTEAD ENTRY – A homestead entry, not exceeding 160 acres, on Coos Bay Wagon Road lands which are agricultural in character.
• COOS BAY WAGON ROAD LANDS – Public lands in western Oregon which were granted to the State of Oregon to aid in the construction of the Coos Bay Military Wagon Road, but which were later forfeited and returned to the Federal Government by reconveyance. See OREGON AND CALIFORNIA REVESTED LANDS ADMINISTRATION.
• COPPER RIVER MERIDIAN – The principal meridian governing surveys in the southeastern part of Alaska; it was adopted in 1905.
• COPPERWELD – A brand-name for a copper coated steel rod with a brass cap which may be authorized for use in monumentation of corners in certain areas where the use of a regulation iron post is not practical.
• CORNER – A point on the surface of the earth, determined by the surveying process, which defines an extremity on a boundary of the public lands. See CLOSING CORNER, CLOSING TOWNSHIP CORNER, DOUBLE CORNER, EXISTENT CORNER, FOUND CORNER, LOST CORNER, MEANDER CORNER, OBLITERATED CORNER, QUARTER-SECTION CORNER, SECTION CORNER, SIXTEENTH-SECTION CORNER, STANDARD CORNER, TOWNSHIP CORNER, WITNESS CORNER. Also see MONUMENT.
• CORNER ACCESSORIES – Nearby physical objects to which corners are referenced for their future identification or restoration. Accessories include bearing trees, mounds, pits, ledges, rocks and other natural features to which distances or directions (or both) from the corner or monument are known. Such accessories are actually a part of the monumentation. See BEARING TREE, BEARING OBJECT, MOUNDS AND PITS and LANDMARK.
• CORNER CONTIGUITY – When parcels of land or mining claims have angle points (corners) in common – though they do not share a common boundary line – they are said to have "corner contiguity."
• CORNER DESCRIPTION – The specific data (both old and new) about a corner monument and its accessories which include marks, positions, and physical characteristics. Corner monument markings – letters, numerals, lines, grooves or notches used to mark corner monuments. The markings usually indicate the location of the corner.
• CORNER MOVE – The computed directions and distances FROM a temporary point TO the true point for a corner as computed from the retracement data. See RANDOM LINE.
• CORNER OF MAXIMUM CONTROL – A section corner of maximum control fixes the position of, or controls, the position of four sections; likewise, a township corner of maximum control, controls four townships. A quarter-section corner of maximum control, controls the subdivision of two sections. See CORNER OF MINIMUM CONTROL.
• CORNER OF MINIMUM CONTROL – A section corner of minimum control fixes the position of, or controls less than four sections; likewise, a township corner of minimum control, controls less than four townships. A quarter-section corner of minimum control fixes the subdivisions of one section only.
• CORPOREAL PROPERTY – Property which may be seen and touched, as distinguished from incorporeal property which exists only in contemplation. A house is corporeal, but annual rent which may be payable for its occupation by another is incorporeal. See INCORPOREAL.
• CORRECTION LINE – See STANDARD PARALLEL.
• CORRECTIVE RESURVEY – A survey made to correct an erroneous omission of original corner evidence discovered after a survey has been approved.
• CORRESPONDING CORNERS – Opposite, like corners of a subdivisional unit which control the subdivision of that unit.
• CORROBORATING EVIDENCE – Evidence supplementary to that already given and tending to strengthen or confirm it. Additional evidence of a different character to the same point. See COLLATERAL EVIDENCE and COLLATERAL EVIDENCE (CADASTRAL SURVEY).
• COUNTRY ROCK – The rock beyond the walls of a lode. The strata between or across which the lode is found.
• COURSE – In surveying; the direction of a line with reference to a meridian; also, the direction of flow of the water in a stream. See BEARING.
• COURTHOUSE-SITE RESERVE – A reservation of public lands in Alaska in territorial days for use as a Territorial Courthouse site.
• COURTS OF CHANCERY – See COURTS OF EQUITY.
• COURTS OF EQUITY – Courts which administer justice according to the system of equity, and according to the rules, principles and procedures of chancery; as distinguished from a court having the jurisdiction, rules, principles and practice of the common law. The terms "chancery" and "equity" and "court of chancery" and "court of equity" are used as synonymous in the United States, probably because the jurisdiction exercised by courts of equity is similar to that of the English chancery courts. In some States, courts called chancery courts possess general equity powers.
• CROSSCUT – Something that cuts across or through. Specifically: a mine working driven horizontally and at right angles to an adit, drift or level.
• CROSSING CLOSING CORNER – A term used to describe a corner set where a township or section line intersects (crosses) the line of a surveyed mineral claim, forest claim or the like. Crossing closing corner monuments are usually not set at these intersections unless such corners are required to provide an interval of monumentation of at least one-half mile. In instances where they may be required for operational or litigation purposes they will be provided for in the Special Instructions.
• CURATIVE PATENT – See PATENT, CURATIVE.
• CURTESY – The right which a husband has in his wife’s estate at her death. The state to which by common law a man is entitled, on the death of his wife, in the lands or tenements of which she is seised in possession in fee-simple or in tail during her coverture, provided they have had lawful issue born alive which might be capable of inheriting the estate. It is a freehold estate for the term of his natural life. See DOWER.
• CUT – In mining, a surface opening in the ground intersecting a vein. See CUT*.

D

• D (Land Status Records) – Director.
• DC – District of Columbia.
• DC (Land Status Records) – Donation claim. See DONATION LAND CLAIM.
• D/C (Land Status Records) – Ditches and/or Canal.
• DDB – Directives Digest Bulletin.
• DE – Delaware. See Delaware Land Surveyors.
• DED (Land Status Records) – Dedication.
• DEF (Land Status Records) – Deficiency.
• DEP – Department (of a traverse).
• DEPT OF AGRI (Land Status Records) – Department of Agriculture.
• DEPT OF INT (Land Status Records) – Department of the Interior.
• DES (Land Status Records) – Designated or Designation.
• DET (Land Status Records) – Determination.
• DI-10 – A brand name of electronic measurement equipment.
• DLC – Donation Land Claim.
• DLE (Land Status Records) – Desert Land Entry.
• DM (Land Status Records) – District Manager.
• DMD – Double meridian distance.
• DOC (Land Status Records) – Document.
• DPD – Double parallel distance.
• DSC – Denver Service Center.
• DANGER ZONE – In regard to the rectangular limits of township boundaries, the "danger zone" is placed at theoretical bearings exceeding 14 minutes of arc from cardinal. In respect to lengths of lines, the "danger zone" occurs when adjustments exceed 33 links per mile, as defined in the Manual of Surveying Instructions.
• DATUM – In ordinary survey usage, a defined reference for survey measurements. The plural form is datums. See GEODETIC DATUM, TIDAL DATUM, NORTH AMERICAN DATUM OF 1927*, MEAN SEA LEVEL, LEVEL DATUM*.
• DECISION – A decision is the reduction to writing of the adjudicative process. A decision orders the disposition of a case in a certain way, and contains a statement of the facts, laws and reasoning which require that disposition.
• DECLINATION – An angle of difference. See ASTRONOMIC DECLINATION, MAGNETIC DECLINATION, VARIATION.
• DECLINATION, ASTRONOMIC – The angular distance of a celestial body north or south of the celestial equator. Astronomic declination on the celestial sphere corresponds with latitude on the earth. It is noted as positive (+) when north and negative (-) when south of the celestial equator.
• DEED – A document which transfers title to real property. In those instances where a complicated metes and bounds description is the only description available, a deed may be used to transfer fee simple interest in public lands. A patent would be issued under normal conditions where a cadastral survey plat shows a description by legal subdivisions. See PATENT, WARRANTY, BARGAIN AND SALE, QUITCLAIM DEED, and DESCRIPTION BY LEGAL SUBDIVISIONS.
• DEFENDANT – The person defending or denying; the party against whom relief or recovery is sought in an action or suit. See PLAINTIFF.
• DEFICIENCY – The amount by which a boundary is less than the nominal amount which is usually 80 chains.
• DEFLECTION ANGLE – The angular difference from a straight line at an angle point in a traverse.
• DE MINIMIS NON CURAT LEX – The law does not care for, or take notice of, very small or trifling matters; the law does not concern itself about trifles. A surveyor's return of 29 inches length for a location monument should be considered a trifling difference. See also RULE OF APPROXIMATION.
• DEBUR – To take exception. To make an objection. To present a demurrer. See DEMURRER.
• DEMEURRER – An answer to a legal action that assumes the truth of the matter alleged by the opposite party. It then sets up the defense that the complaint is insufficient in law to sustain his claim or that there is some other defect constituting a legal reason why the opposing party should not be allowed to proceed further. Also, one who demurs.
• DEPARTURE – A term used in metes and bounds descriptions to signify a parting or departing from a meridian, a line, or a boundary.
• DEPENDENT RESURVEY – A retracement and reestablishment of the lines of the original survey in their true original positions according to the best available evidence of the positions of the original corners. It includes the restoration of lost corners in accordance with procedures described in the Manual of Surveying Instructions. See RESURVEY, INDEPENDENT RESURVEY, RETRACEMENT, and RESTORATION.
• DISTRICT (BLM) – The primary administrative division of a State Director’s geographic area of responsibility. A geographic area composed of at least two (typically three or four) resource areas under the supervision of a District Manager. See DISTRICT MANAGER AND RESOURCE AREA.
• DISTRICT MANAGER (BLM) – The principal Bureau official at the district level. He is directly accountable to the State Director. See STATE DIRECTOR.
• DISTRICT OFFICES (BLM) – The States and cities in which BLM district offices are currently (1973) located are as follows:
  • Alaska – Anchorage and Fairbanks.
  • Arizona – Phoenix and Safford.
  • California – Bakersfield, Folsom, Redding, Riverside, Susanville and Ukiah.
  • Colorado – Canon City, Craig, Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction and Montrose.
  • Idaho – Boise, Burley, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Falls, Salmon and Shoshone.
  • Montana – Billings, Dillon, Lewiston, Malta, Miles City and Missoula.
  • Nevada – Battle Mountain, Carson City, Elko, Ely, Las Vegas and Winnemucca.
  • New Mexico – Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Roswell and Socorro.
  • Oregon – Baker, Burns, Coos Bay, Eugene, Lakeview, Medford, Prineville, Roseburg, Salem and Vale.
  • Utah – Cedar City, Fillmore, Kanab, Monticello, Price, Richfield, St. George, Salt Lake City and Vernal.
  • Washington – Spokane (Administered through Oregon State Office).
  • Wyoming – Casper, Lander, Pinedale, Rawlins, Rock Springs and Worland.
  See SPECIAL OFFICES (BLM), STATE OFFICES (BLM), LAND OFFICES (BLM), DISTRICT (BLM), DISTRICT MANAGER (BLM).
• DITCHES AND/OR CANALS – Used to indicate a reservation to the United States of a right, or an easement for the construction and maintenance of ditches or canals, as stated in a particular patent.
• DIURNAL – Daily. Usually used in reference to a natural phenomenon which occurs only once in a given day.
• DIVEST – To deprive; take away or withdraw. Usually spoken of in reference to depriving or dispossessing one of property, title, or authority.
• DIVIDE – A ridge or area of elevated land between two basins or valleys. See CONTINENTAL DIVIDE, HYDROGRAPHIC DIVIDE, and RIDGE TOP.
• DIVISION LINE BETWEEN A BOG AND AN UPLAND AREA – The line where the area occupied by a shallow, virtually undrained bog area meets mineral soil, which lies above ordinary high water. If upland vegetation is present, the inference will be that it has been an upland site for the period equal to the age of the vegetation. See BOG and UPLANDS.
• DIVISION LINE BETWEEN A MEANDERABLE BODY OF WATER AND A SWAMP – The line where the area occupied by the water for the greater part of each average year meets the area where the types of vegetation occur which may normally be found only within the swamp zone. For example, while certain varieties of trees are found only in upland situation, other varieties and other types of vegetation may be found only within the zone of the swamp. All such vegetation normally ends at the margin of permanent water. See SWAMP.
• DIVISION LINE BETWEEN A SWAMP AND AN UPLAND AREA – The line where an area lying above the ordinary high water elevation meets an area of low, wet land of such character that without the construction of artificial reclamation methods it would be wet and unfit for agriculture. See SWAMP, MARSH, BOG, SALT MARSH, SWAMP AND OVERFLOWED LANDS, and UPLANDS.
• DOCUMENT – 1) An instrument on which is recorded, by means of letters, figures, marks or symbols, information which may be relied upon as the basis, proof or support of something. A deed, agreement, title paper, letter, or other written instrument used to prove a fact. 2) To furnish written evidence. To provide with factual or substantial support for statements made or a hypothesis proposed; especially, to equip with exact references to authoritative supporting information.
• DOMESDAY-BOOK (Sometimes Doomsday-Book) – A record of a survey of English lands made by order of William the Conqueror. It was begun in 1081 and finished in 1086. It is a description of the land, with the names of the owners, and the nature and extent of their holdings. It was, in effect, a cadastral survey.
• DONATION – The voluntary conveyance of private property to public ownership and/or use, without compensation to the owner.
• DONATION ACT OF SEPTEMBER 27, 1850 – Provided for grants of 320 acres to all White American citizens or those who intended to become citizens and who had resided in Oregon Territory and cultivated the land 4 years; wives to have an additional 320 acres. All white male citizens or intended citizens who emigrated there between Dec. 1, 1850 & Dec. 1, 1853, and who met the other requirements, were to have 160 acres or 320 acres, depending on their marital status. See DONATION LAND CLAIM.
• DONATION LAND CLAIM – The land, 320 or 640 acres, that was allocated to an Oregon settler under the Donation Act of September 27, 1850. See DONATION ACT OF SEPTEMBER 27, 1850, ACT OF AUGUST 4, 1842, ACT OF JULY 22, 1854, and DONATION LANDS.
• DONATION LANDS – Lands granted from the public domain to an individual or, as in the case of lands donated or granted to railroads as an incentive for construction, to corporations. See also DONATION.
• DOUBLE CENTERING*.
• DOUBLE CORNER – Normally the two sets of corners along a standard parallel; the standard township, section, and quarter-section corners placed at regular intervals of measurement; additionally, the closing corners established on the line at the points of intersection of the guide meridians, range and section lines of the surveys brought in from the south. In other cases, not fully in conformity with the rectangular plan, two corners, each common to two townships only, instead of one corner of the four townships. Similarly, two corners, each common to two sections; and two quarter-section corners, each referring to one section only. The term is sometimes used incorrectly to denote two lines established on the ground although the field-note record indicates only one line, thus creating a hiatus or overlap.
• DOUBLE MERIDIAN DISTANCE – 1) The sum of the distances from the end points of a line to an arbitrary reference north-south line used for area computations. Sometimes considered as twice the distance from the midpoint of a line, which is mathematically equivalent. 2) The method of computing areas using DMDs or DPDs.
• DOUBLE PARALLEL DISTANCE – The sum of the distances from the end points of a line to an arbitrary east-west line used for checking area computations by the DMD method.
• DOUBLE PROPORTIONATE MEASUREMENT (Also called “4-Way” proportion) – A method of restoring a lost corner of four townships or four interior sections. It gives concordant relation between all parts of the times. The new values given to the several parts, as determined by remeasurement shall bear the same relation to the record lengths as the new measurement of the whole line bears to that record. In cases of distorted lines subject to double proportion, measurements are comparable only when reduced to their equivalent latitudes and departures. See SINGLE PROPORTIONATE MEASUREMENT and PROPORTIONATE MEASUREMENT.
• DOWER – The portion of, or interest in, the real estate of a deceased husband which the law gives to his widow for life. The extent varies with statutory provisions. See CURTESY.
• DRAINAGE ENTRY – An entry, not exceeding 160 acres, on public lands. Under Federal statutory authority, a non-Federal tax, or drainage charge, is levied against such lands to defray the costs of draining swamp and overflowed lands. Also Drainage Homestead Entry.
• DRIFT – In mining, an underground passage driven horizontally along the course of a mineralized vein or approximately so. See SHAFT, TUNNEL, ADIT, CROSSCUT, DRIFT*.
• DUE – Directly or exactly; in a cardinal direction with the usual precision of that survey.

E

• E (Land Status Records) – East.
• EC STATION – 1) Extended control station*. 2) Electronic control station.
• EDM – Electronic Distance Measurement.
• EDP – Electronic Data Processing.
• EFF (Land Status Records) – Effective.
• E.G. – An abbreviation of "exampli gratia," which means: For the sake of an example.
• EHE (Land Status Records) – Enlarged homestead entry.
• ELIM (Land Status Records) – Elimination.
• ENLGMT (Land Status Records) – Enlargement.
• EO (Land Status Records ) – Executive Order.
• ES (Land Status Records) – Exchange survey.
• ESLO – Eastern States Land Office. The Eastern States Land Office is in Silver Springs, Maryland. (Now designated Eastern States Office, ESO).
• ESMT (Land Status Records) – Easement.
• ET AL – An abbreviation of et alii, "and others," or et alius, "and another."
• ETC. – The common abbreviation for "et cetera." And others; and other things; and others of like character; and others of like kind; and the rest; and so on; and so forth.
• ET CON. – An abbreviation meaning "and husband."
• ET SEQ. – An abbreviation for et sequentes or et sequentia, "and the following." A reference to "p. 3 et seq." means "page number 3 and the following pages." It is also abbreviated "et sqq.," in some works, when the reference is to more than one following page.
• ET UX. – An abbreviation for et uxor, "and his wife."
• EXCL (Land Status Records) – Excluding, excluded.
• EXP (Land Status Records) – Expire(d).
• EX REL – (See word listing below).
• EXT (Land Status Records) – Extended, extension, extend.
• EASEMENT – An interest or right in land owned by another that entitles its holder to a specific limited use; such as laying a sewer, crossing over property or putting up power lines.
• EGRESS – A right to go upon the land of another. Often used interchangeably with the word "access." See ACCESS, INGRESS, ENGRESS and REGRESS.
• ELDER SURVEY – See SURVEY, ELDER.
• ELECTRONIC CONTROL SURVEY – A survey, using theodolites and electronic equipment, whereby a control network is established and monumented to facilitate the placement of the rectangular survey grid. See ELECTRONIC DISTANCE MEASUREMENT*.
• ELLICOTT’S LINE – The meridian northward from the point of beginning of the first United States cadastral survey – a point established on August 20, 1785, on the north bank of the Ohio River – was named for Andrew Ellicott, and is known as Ellicott’s Line. It is also the Ohio-Pennsylvania boundary line. Florida as determined by the treaty dated Oct. 27, 1795. This boundary along the 31 parallel of north latitude is called Ellicott’s Line of Demarcation.
• ELONGATED SECTION – A section which exceeds 85 chains in either length or width as originally surveyed and platted.
• EMINENT DOMAIN – The right of governmental agencies to take private property for public use.
• ENABLING ACT – In reference to admission of new States into the Union, it is an act passed by Congress empowering the people of a territory to frame a constitution and lay down certain requirements that must be met prerequisite to statehood.
• ENCROACHMENT – An unlawful and adverse intrusion within the boundary of a property, such as cultivation of the soil, enclosure by fence, the construction of an improvement, extension of a tunnel, underground operation or comparable act.
• ENCUMBRANCE – Any right to or interest in land which makes it subject to a charge or liability. Encumbrances include mortgages, judgment liens, attachments, leases, deed restrictions, unpaid taxes, inchoate rights of dower and so forth. See INCHOATE.
• END LINE – In mining law, the end lines of a claim, as platted or laid down on the ground, are those which mark its boundaries on the shorter dimension, where it crosses the vein. If the claim as a whole crosses the vein, instead of following its course, the end lines are still the boundaries of the shorter dimension, even though they are along the course of the vein. See SIDE LINE.
• ENLARGED HOMESTEAD ENTRY – A homestead entry, not exceeding 320 acres, initiated under the act of Feb. 19, 1909 (35 Stat. 639), or the act of June 17, 1910 (36 stat. 531, 43 U.S.C. sec. 218), which provide for the homesteading of nonirrigable agricultural lands in the West.
• ENTRY – An application to acquire title to public lands. See ORIGINAL ENTRY, FINAL ENTRY, CASH ENTRY, and COMMUTED HOMESTEAD ENTRY.
• ENTRY ALLOWED – An application to acquire title to public lands which has been approved, either as an original entry or a final entry. See ORIGINAL ENTRY and FINAL ENTRY.
• ENTRYMAN – One who makes an entry of land under the public land laws of the United States.
• ENTRY UNPERFECTED – An original entry which has been allowed, but under which the entryman has not met all the requirements of the law and/or regulations to permit him to make final entry for patent to the land. See FINAL ENTRY.
• EPHEMERIS – Any tabular statement of the assigned places of a celestial body for regular intervals. The current Ephemeris of the Sun, Polaris and Other Selected Stars with Companion Data and Tables, which has been published annually in advance since 1910 as a supplement to the various Manuals of Surveying Instructions, is available through the U.S. Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.
• EQUATION – The relationship between two stationing values for the same point in route surveying such as 123 + 45.6 back = 124 + 00 ahead.
• EQUITABLE – 1) Just; conformable to the principles of right and justice. Just, fair and right in consideration of the facts and circumstances of an individual case. 2) Existing, available or sustainable only in equity or by the rules and principles of equity. See EQUITY.
• EQUITY – A system of law originating in the English chancery and comprising a settled and formal body of legal and procedural rules and doctrines that supplement, aid or override common and statute law. Rules of equity are designed to protect rights and enforce duties as created and defined by law. In another legal meaning, "equity" is the remaining interest belonging to one who has pledged or mortgaged his property, or the surplus of value which may remain after the property has been sold to satisfy liens. The amount of value of a property above the total liens or charges. See COURTS OF EQUITY.
• EROSION – In riparian law, the washing away of land by the sea or a river’s flow. Usually considered as an imperceptible action, the rate of erosion may be quite rapid in total effect and may be distinguished from avulsion by the absence of identifiable upland between former and new channels. See RIPARIAN LAW.
• ERRONEOUS LOCATION – Where it is evident that lands have been occupied in good faith but boundaries as occupied are clearly in disagreement with the demonstrated position of the legal subdivision called for in the description, it is regarded as a case of "erroneous location." See AMENDED ENTRY.
• ERRONEOUSLY OMITTED AREAS – See OMITTED LANDS.
• ERRONEOUS MEANDERS – Error or mistake in position rather than in procedure. See MEANDERS.
• ESCHEAT – In English feudal law, the reversion of lands to the lord of the fee in consequence of a want of an individual competent to inherit. In modern law, the State is deemed to occupy the place and hold the rights of the feudal lord. Real property may be claimed by the State where there is no will and/or no competent inheritors can be found. Also termed "escheated property" or "escheatage." See INTESTATE.
• ESCROW – The state or condition of a deed which is conditionally held by a third person, or the possession and retention of a deed by a third person pending performance of a condition. While in the possession of the third person, and subject to condition, it is called an "escrow."
• ESTATE – The interest which anyone has in lands or in any other property. "Estate: is used in conveyances in connection with the words "right," "title" and "interest." It is, in a great degree, synonymous with all of them. See CONVEYANCE, REAL ESTATE, PROPERTY, REAL PROPERTY and PERSONAL PROPERTY.
• ESTOPPEL – The stopping of a person from asserting a claim by reason of his own previous representations which refute his new claim. The new claim may in fact be true, however, he may be prevented from exerting that claim by "estoppel." See RES JUDICATA.
• EVIDENCE – Testimony, physical objects, marks, traces of former objects or relationship between any of these which may furnish proof or part of a proof of a corner location or line location. See COLLATERAL EVIDENCE.
• EVIDENCING OF TITLE – The submission of proof of title to a tract of land as shown by an abstract of the recorded patent and deeds of transfer, inheritance, court decree, or other means of establishing the title.
• EXCEPTION – In deeds or conveyances, a clause used by the grantor to retain some part of the former estate by excluding it from the deed or grant. "Except" means "not including."
• EXCHANGE – A transaction whereby the Federal Government receives land in exchange for other land and/or timber. See PRIVATE EXCHANGE, STATE EXCHANGE and TAYLOR ACT EXCHANGE.
• EXCHANGE SURVEY – A Cadastral Survey of lands to be exchanged.
• EXISTENT CORNER – A corner whose position can be identified by verifying the evidence of the monument, or its accessories, by reference to the description that is contained in the field notes, or where the point can be located by an acceptable supplemental survey record, some physical evidence or testimony.
• EX OFFICIO – From office; powers exercised by an official not specifically conferred on him but necessarily implied in his office.
• EXPERT WITNESS – A witness is a person who testifies as to what he has observed by sight, sound etc. An "expert witness" may testify additionally as to matters of opinion on subjects within fields for which he is qualified. Thus, a cadastral surveyor may interpret the meanings of the symbols, letters and numbers on a plat but he may say nothing to add to or subtract from the official record, which speaks for itself by definition. See EVIDENCE, TESTIMONY, QUALIFIED (as a witness).
• EX REL – Ex Relatione; Upon relation or information. Legal proceedings which are instituted by the Attorney General (or other proper person) in the name and behalf of the State, but on the information and at the instigation of an individual who has a private interest in the matter, are said to be taken "on the relation" (ex relatione) of such person, who is called the "relator." Such cause is usually entitled thus: "State ex rel. Doe v. Roe."
• EXTENSION SURVEY – Executed to add to an existing survey. An "extension survey" does not, however, complete a survey of boundaries of townships or sections or the subdivision of a township or a section, it only adds to an existing partial survey. See COMPLETION SURVEY.
• EXTINGUISHMENT – To render legally nonexistent; to destroy or render void; to nullify; to void, as by payment, treaty, setoff, or limitation of actions, merger of an interest in a great one, etc. Extinguishment is distinguished from the mere transfer, passing, or suspension of a right or obligation.
• EXTRALATERAL RIGHTS – In mining, the right to mine ore downward along a lode or vein beyond the side lines of a mining location (claim). The right is limited to claims which contain the apex of the vein at or very near the surface, which are oriented with the lode line substantially along the vein and which have the end lines substantially parallel. The right does not extend beyond planes passing vertically through the end lines. Extralateral rights of claims filed before May 10, 1872, were determined according to the previous law of 1866 and by miner’s local rules and they were not dependent upon parallel end lines. Various States have modified the Federal requirements. See INTRALIMITAL RIGHTS.

F

• FOLLOWING THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE ORIGINAL SURVEYOR – Retracement of survey lines using field and survey record evidence to determine the direction and distances measured by the surveyor who created the boundary.
• FORESHORE – 1) According to riparian law, the strip of land between the high and low water marks that is alternately covered and uncovered by the flow of the tide. 2) The part of the shore, lying between the crest of the seaward berm and the ordinary low water mark, that is ordinarily traversed by the uprush and backrush of the waves as the tides rise and fall.
• FORESIGHT – A sight on a new survey point made in connection with its determination. Also, a distant object intersected by a straight survey line used for checking alignment.
• FOREWORD AZIMUTH – See GEODETIC AZIMUTH.
• FOUND CORNER – An existent corner of the public land surveys which has been recovered by field investigation.
• FOURTH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN – The part of this principal meridian which was adopted in 1815 governs surveys in part of Illinois. It was extended and the portion which was adopted in 1831 governs surveys in Wisconsin and part of Minnesota.
• FRACTIONAL SECTION – A section which, in its original form, contained one or more subdivisions of less than forty (40) acres due to irregular exterior boundaries, or due to the encroachment of a meandered body of water or other land which could not properly be surveyed or disposed of as an aliquot part of that section.
• FRACTIONAL TOWNSHIP – A township containing less than 36 normal sections, usually because of invasion by a segregated body of water, or by other land which cannot properly be surveyed as part of that township or by closing the public-land surveys on State boundaries or other limiting lines. Half ranges and half townships are fractional townships by definition.
• FRAGMENTARY SURVEYS – Surveys required to identify parts of townships and sections not completed in original surveys. This may include partially surveyed sections, omitted public land islands, and other lands of substantial value and extent that were not included in the original surveys.
• FREE AND CLEAR – The title to property is said to be "free and clear" when it is not encumbered by any lien.
• FRONTING – Usually signifies abutting, adjoining, or bordering on, depending on the context. Land abutting on a highway, river, seashore, or the like. The land extending along a road, street, river, canal, or ocean.
• F. SUPP . – Federal Supplement.
• FUP (Land Status Records) – Free use permit.
• F&WS (Land Status Records) – Fish and Wildlife Service.
• FX (Land Status Records) – Forest Exchange.
• FAIRBANKS MERIDIAN – The principal meridian governing surveys in east-central Alaska; it was adopted in 1910.
• FALLING – The distance by which a random line falls to the right or left of a corner on which the true line is to close.
• FEDERAL LAND – All classes of land owned by the Federal Government.
• FEDERAL POWER PROJECT RESERVATION – A reservation of public lands for use in connection with a power development project under the jurisdiction of the Federal Power Commission.
• FEDERAL PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS – The regulations issued by the General Services Administration implementing the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act.
• FEDERAL PROPERTY AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ACT OF 1949 – This law, as amended, sets forth the basic contracting procedures and principles which all civilian agencies must follow.
• FEE – The true meaning of the word "fee" is the same as that of "feud" or "fief," and in its original sense it is distinguished from "allodium." In modern English tenures, "fee" means an estate of inheritance clear of any condition, limitation, or restriction to particular heirs, but descendable to the heirs in general.
• FEE SIMPLE – The estate which a man has where lands are owned by him and his heirs absolutely, with unconditional power of disposition during his life, and descending to his heirs and legal representatives upon his death intestate.
• FEE TAIL – An estate limited to one class of heirs.
• FIELD EXAMINATION – An on-the-ground investigation of certain public lands in regard to valuation, land use, application for entry, mineralization, etc.
• FIELD EXAMINATION (Prior to 1910) – A method of checking public land survey field work under the contract system.
• FIELD EXAMINER (Prior to 1910) – A surveyor who was employed by the Government to inspect the accuracy and authenticity of contract surveyors’ work.
• FIELD NOTES – The official written record of the survey, certified by the field surveyor and approved by proper authority.
• FIELD RETURNS – In cadastral surveying usage, the field notes, reports and plats submitted for acceptance or approval.
• FIELD TABLETS – Notebooks in which the initial information is recorded in the field, and from which the Field Notes are transcribed.
• FIFTH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN – The principal meridian governing surveys in Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota. It was adopted in 1815.
• FINAL CERTIFICATE – A document which evidences that an entryman is entitled to a patent provided that no irregularities are found in connection with his entry.
• FINAL ENTRY – Where an application to acquire title to public lands has been filed in the proper manner and all the requirements of law and the governing regulations have already been complied with, it is a final entry.
• FINAL RETURNS – In cadastral surveying usage, the field returns are the field notes, reports and plats submitted for acceptance or approval.
• FIRST FORM RECLAMATION WITHDRAWAL – A reclamation withdrawal which embraces public lands that are or may be needed in connection with the construction and maintenance of a reclamation project.
• FIRST PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN – Sometimes called "Ludlow’s Meridian." The line surveyed north from the mouth of the Great Miami River; it is also the line between Ohio and Indiana. It was adopted in 1819 and governs surveys in parts of both Ohio and Indiana.
• FIVE ACRE TRACT ACT – See SMALL TRACT ACT.
• FIVE PERCENT RULE – New area amounts are not usually shown on plats of dependent resurveys.
• FIXED BOUNDARY – An unchangeable boundary created by operation of law.
• FLAGMAN – A member of a survey party who gives sights to or takes line from the instrument man and flags distant points along the survey line.
• FLORIDA PURCHASE – The second addition of territory originally claimed by a European power to the territory of the United States.
• FOLLOWING THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE ORIGINAL SURVEYOR – Retracement of survey lines using field and survey record evidence to determine the direction and distances measured by the surveyor who created the boundary.
• FORESHORE – 1) According to riparian law, the strip of land between the high and low water marks that is alternately covered and uncovered by the flow of the tide. 2) The part of the shore, lying between the crest of the seaward berm and the ordinary low water mark, that is ordinarily traversed by the uprush and backrush of the waves as the tides rise and fall.
• FORESIGHT – A sight on a new survey point made in connection with its determination. Also, a distant object intersected by a straight survey line used for checking alignment.
• FOREWORD AZIMUTH – See GEODETIC AZIMUTH.
• FOUND CORNER – An existent corner of the public land surveys which has been recovered by field investigation.
• FOURTH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN – The part of this principal meridian which was adopted in 1815 governs surveys in part of Illinois. It was extended and the portion which was adopted in 1831 governs surveys in Wisconsin and part of Minnesota.
• FRACTIONAL SECTION – A section which, in its original form, contained one or more subdivisions of less than forty (40) acres due to irregular exterior boundaries, or due to the encroachment of a meandered body of water or other land which could not properly be surveyed or disposed of as an aliquot part of that section.
• FRACTIONAL TOWNSHIP – A township containing less than 36 normal sections, usually because of invasion by a segregated body of water, or by other land which cannot properly be surveyed as part of that township or by closing the public-land surveys on State boundaries or other limiting lines. Half ranges and half townships are fractional townships by definition.
• FRAGMENTARY SURVEYS – Surveys required to identify parts of townships and sections not completed in original surveys. This may include partially surveyed sections, omitted public land islands, and other lands of substantial value and extent that were not included in the original surveys.
• FREE AND CLEAR – The title to property is said to be "free and clear" when it is not encumbered by any lien.
• FRONTING – Usually signifies abutting, adjoining, or bordering on, depending on the context. Land abutting on a highway, river, seashore, or the like. The land extending along a road, street, river, canal, or ocean.

G

• GA – Georgia. See Georgia Land Surveyors
• GD (Land Status Records) – Gold.
• GEO (Land Status Records) – Geothermal.
• GEOL STR (Land Status Records) – Geologic structure.
• GLO (Land Status Records) – General Land Office.
• GR DIST (Land Status Records) – Grazing District.
• GR LIC (Land Status Records) – Grazing license.
• GR LSE (Land Status Records) – Grazing lease.
• GR PER (Land Status Records) – Grazing permit.
• GSR MER (Land Status Records) – Gila and Salt River Meridian.
• GADSDEN PURCHASE – A purchase from Mexico in 1853 to settle a question as to the limits of the Mexican Cession of 1848.
• GADSDEN TREATY – The December 30, 1853, treaty with Mexico, under the terms of which the United States acquired territory now in the States of Arizona and New Mexico.
• GENERAL LAND OFFICE – The agency which was formerly responsible for the execution of the public-land laws relating to cadastral surveys, land disposals, and to various other activities with respect to the administration and management of the public lands.
• GEODETIC AZIMUTH – The horizontal angle at station A measured from a north south plane (perpendicular to the reference ellipsoid) clockwise to an ellipsoidal normal section passing through station B.
• GEODETIC CONTROL – A system of monumented stations having known, precise positions established by geodetic methods.
• GEODETIC COORDINATES – Quantities which define a horizontal position on an ellipsoid of reference with respect to a geodetic datum.
• GEODETIC DATUM – A reference for geodetic survey measurements consisting of fixed latitude, longitude and azimuth values associated with a defined station as well as two constants for an ellipsoid of reference.
• GEODETIC POSITION – A position of a point on the surface of the earth expressed in terms of geodetic latitude and geodetic longitude.
• GEODETIC SURVEY – A precise survey of considerable extent which takes into account the shape of the earth.
• GEOGRAPHER OF THE UNITED STATES – The only man to hold this title was Thomas Hutchins. He was appointed to the position under the terms of the Ordinance of May 20, 1785.
• GEOGRAPHER’S LINE, THE – The first line surveyed under the rectangular system.
• GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES (U.S.C. & G.S. Sp. PUB. 242) – An inclusive term, used to designate both geodetic coordinates and astronomic coordinates.
• GEOGRAPHIC MIDDLE OF A RIVER – See MEDIUM FILUM ACQUAE.
• GEOGRAPHIC POSITION – The coordinates of a point on the surface of the earth expressed in terms of latitude and longitude, either geodetic or astronomic.
• GEOID – The figure of the earth considered as a mean sea-level surface extended continuously through the continents.
• GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS (GLO) – The first Geological Surveys of the public lands were initiated in 1844 by the General Land Office, in Michigan.
• GILA AND SALT RIVER MERIDIAN – The principal meridian governing surveys in nearly all of Arizona; it was adopted in 1865.
• GORE – A hiatus. See HIATUS and GORE*.
• GOVERNING BOUNDARIES – Usually the south and east boundaries of a township, but may be termed the satisfactorily surveyed lines on which subdivisions are to be based.
• GOVERNING SECTION LINE – A township subdivision line ran as the controlling boundary to rectify a defective township exterior.
• GOVERNMENT CONTEST – See CONTEST.
• GOVERNMENT LOT – See LOT.
• GRADIENT – Rate of rise or fall, as "5% gradient," meaning a 5-foot vertical rise in a 100-foot horizontal distance.
• GRADIENT BOUNDARY – A boundary determined by the position of flowing water along a bank.
• GRADUAL AND IMPERCEPTIBLE – Describes changes in riparian lands that bring them within the scope of the doctrine of accretion and erosion.
• GRANT – Lands, title to which has been confirmed or conferred to the United States for a particular reason or purpose.
• GRANT BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT – A mathematical distribution of the closing error which consists of a uniform rotation and scale change of the record courses to conform to the retracement value between the controlling corners.
• GRANTEE – A person, firm or corporation to whom land, easements or other habiliments thereof are conveyed or granted.
• GRANT IN PLACE – A grant in connection with which the Congress specifically states, or implies, the legal description of the public lands which are granted.
• GRANT IN PRAESENTI – See IN PRAESENTI.
• GRANTOR – A person, firm or corporation granting or conveying land, easements or other habiliments thereof.
• GRANT, QUANTITY – See QUANTITY GRANT.
• GRAZING SERVICE – The agency formerly responsible for the administration of grazing on public lands which had been designated as grazing district lands.
• GREAT CIRCLE – See GREAT CIRCLE*.
• GREENWICH MERIDIAN – The Prime Meridian. The meridian which passes through the original site of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England was adopted in 1884 by a conference of nations as the initial or zero of longitudes.
• GRID AZIMUTH – The angle in the plane of projection between a straight line and the central meridian (y-axis) of a plane-rectangular coordinate system.
• GRID BEARING – The smaller angle in the plane of projection between a line and a north-south grid line.
• GRID LENGTH – The distance between two points as obtained by inverse computation from the plane-rectangular coordinates of the points.
• GROIN – A shore protective structure, narrow in width, usually built perpendicular to the shore for purposes of trapping littoral drift, or to protect the shore from erosion.
• GROOVES – Elongated depressions scored into the face of a stone monument where the faces of the stone are turned to the cardinal.
• GROUP NUMBER – A filing and record-keeping system whereby a particular cadastral survey project is identified, i.e., Group 123, Wyoming.
• GUARANTEE OF TITLE – A certification which insures that the title exists in fact as described.
• GUIDE LINE – An obsolete term for random line.
• GUIDE MERIDIAN – An auxiliary governing line projected north along an astronomical meridian.

H

• HB – Handbook. If in a citation, it means "House Bill."
• HDQ S – Headquarters Site.
• HDS – Homestead declaratory statement.
• HE – Homestead entry.
• HES – Homestead entry survey.
• HI – Hawaii.
• HI (Land Status Records) – Historical Index.
• HUM MER – Humboldt Meridian.
• HUNTS MER – Huntsville Meridian.
• HWY – Highway.
• HACK – A horizontal notch cut well into a tree at about breast height.
• HALF – A fractional part of a regular section subdivision determined according to equally divided linear measurements without consideration of the areas of the halves.
• HALF-MILE POSTS – In early survey practice, in parts of Alabama and Florida, so-called "half-mile posts" were established.
• HALF RANGE NUMBERS – In the instances where the distance between the regular position for township boundaries is so great that the application of normal rules would result in sections elongated in excess of 120 chains, half-range (or half-township) numbers may be created.
• HALF SECTION – See SECTION, HALF.
• HALF-TIDE LEVEL – See MEAN TIDE LEVEL.
• HALF-TOWNSHIP NUMBERS – In the rare cases where the distance between the regular position for township boundaries is so great that the application of normal rules would result in sections elongated in excess of 120 chains, half-township (or half-range) numbers may be created.
• HARMONIOUSLY RELATED – Conditions existing during the corner restoration process when a corner point under consideration reasonably conforms in position to that indicated by evidence at other corners of the survey, considering both the record and the survey conditions.
• HAWAII ANNEXATION – The Republic of Hawaii was formally annexed to the United States by the voluntary action of its citizens and a joint resolution of Congress approved July 7, 1898.
• HEADING – In mining, a preliminary passageway driven for exploratory purposes or to facilitate future work.
• HEADQUARTERS ENTRY – A cash entry of 5 acres or less of public lands in Alaska which are used as a headquarters for a productive industry.
• HEADQUARTERS SITE – Five acres or less of public lands in Alaska which are used as, and are subject to entry as, headquarters for a productive industry.
• HEARING – Opportunity for testimony and presentation of evidence at proceedings ordered and held pursuant to U.S.D.I. Hearing Procedures (43 C.F.R. 1850).
• HEAVE – In mining, the horizontal distance between the parts of a vein that have been separated by a fault, measured along the strike of the fault.
• HEAVY BEARING – A survey slang term for a bearing which departs markedly from cardinal.
• HECTARE – A metric unit of area equal to 100 ares or 2.471 acres.
• HEREDITAMENT – Property subject to inheritance.
• HIATUS – An area between two surveys, the record of which describes them as having one or more common boundary lines with no omission.
• HIGH WATER – 1) The maximum height or stage reached by rising water. 2) (NOS) The maximum height reached by a rising tide.
• HIGH WATER LINE (NOS) – The intersection of the land with the water surface at an elevation of high water.
• HIGH WATER MARK – 1) The line which the water impresses on the soil by covering it for sufficient periods to deprive it of upland vegetation. 2) (NOS) A line or mark left upon tide flats, beach, or alongshore objects indicating the elevation of the intrusion of high water.
• HIGHWAY ABANDONMENT – Non-use of public roads, usually defined by statute law in the various states.
• HISTORICAL INDEX – A chronological summary of all actions which affect, have affected, or will affect the title to, disposition of, or use status of lands and resources within a township.
• HISTORIC COAST LINE – The coast line position at the date of statehood from which seaward distances may be measured to determine territorial waters of some States.
• HOME-SITE ENTRY – The terms of the Act of May 14, 1898, provided for each entry of 5 acres or less of public lands in Alaska used for residence purposes.
• HOMESTEAD ENTRY – An entry under the United States land laws for the purpose of acquiring title to a portion of the public domain under the homestead laws.
• HOMESTEAD ENTRY, ORIGINAL – An original entry under the homestead laws, also, the first homestead entry which was made by any individual.
• HOMESTEAD ENTRY SURVEY – A metes and bounds of lands entered under the Act of June 11, 1906 (34 Stat 233), as amended.
• HOMESTEAD SETTLEMENT, ALASKA – Settlement, for homestead purposes, of unsurveyed or surveyed public land in Alaska according to the provisions of the Act of May 14, 1898.
• HOVERSIGHT – [Description missing.]
• HUMBOLDT MERIDIAN – The principal meridian governing surveys in northwestern California; it was adopted in 1853.
• HUNTSVILLE MERIDIAN – The principal meridian governing surveys in northern Alabama and a small part of Mississippi; it was adopted in 1807.
• HYDROGRAPHIC DIVIDE – Ridge or elevated land area which separates the direction of flow of streams and rivers.

I

• IA – Iowa.
• IA (Land Status Records) – Indian Allotment.
• IAS – Indian Allotment Survey.
• IBID. – An abbreviation for "ibidem," a Latin term meaning "in the same place," "in the same book," etc.
• IBLA – Interior Board of Land Appeals.
• IC (Land Status Records) – Interim Conveyance.
• ID. – Abbreviation for "idem," a Latin term meaning "the same."
• ID – Idaho.
• ID (Land Status Records) – Interior Decisions.
• IDEN (Land Status Records) – Identify, Identification.
• IND MER (Land Status Records) – Indian Meridian.
• IND RES (Land Status Records) – Indian Reservation.
• IND TR (Land Status Records) – Indian Trust.
• INTPR (Land Status Records) – Interpretation.
• IPS – Iron Pipe Size. Also plural for Iron Post.
• IS (Land Status Records) – Indemnity selection.
• IT (Land Status Records) – Isolated tract.
• IMPERCEPTIBLE – See Gradual & Imperceptible.
• INCHOATE – Imperfect; partial; unfinished. Begun but not completed.
• INCHOATE TITLE – The beginning of a title or one not yet perfected into a legal title.
• INCORPOREAL PROPERTY – Property which cannot be seen or touched.
• INCREMENT BORER – A tool used to cut a plug from a tree to determine its age.
• INDEMNITY LANDS – Alternate lands granted to states under the public land laws.
• INDIAN PATENT – A patent which is issued to an Indian.
• INDIAN POWER RESERVE – A power-site reserve within an Indian reservation.
• INDIAN PUEBLO – An Indian reservation for the Pueblo Indians in New Mexico.
• INDIAN PUEBLO ENTRY – A claim by a non-Indian for a patent to land within an Indian pueblo.
• INDIAN RESERVATION – Lands reserved for the use of native Indians and, in Alaska, for Aleuts and Eskimos.
• INDIAN RESERVATION EXCHANGE – An exchange whereby the Federal Government receives title to lands within an Indian reservation.
• INDIAN TRUST PATENT – An Indian patent issued with the condition that title to the land remains in trust for the patentee.
• INDICATED CORNER – A corner of the public land surveys whose location cannot be verified by the criteria necessary to class it as a found or existent corner.
• INDIRECT MEASUREMENT – Determination of a distance using a method that employs both direct measurement and calculation.
• INDIVIDUAL LIEU SELECTION, RAILROAD – An individual selection of lands to satisfy lieu lands for railroad grants.
• IN FEE – Ownership in land. See FEE SIMPLE.
• INFORMATIVE TRAVERSE – A survey to obtain topographic data or define the present river bank.
• INFRA – Below. Under. Refers to matter in a later part of the publication.
• INGRESS – The right to enter a tract of land.
• INGRESS, EGRESS AND REGRESS – The right of a lessee to enter, go upon, and return from the lands in question.
• INITIAL MONUMENT – A physical structure marking the location of an initial point in the rectangular system of surveys.
• INITIAL POINT – A point established under the rectangular system of surveys to initiate the cadastral survey.
• INITIAL POINT, PUBLIC LAND SURVEYS WITHOUT – There are eight public-land surveys, seven in Ohio and one in Indiana, which have no initial point as origin for township and range numbers. They are: The Ohio River Survey, started in 1785, in which townships are numbered North from the Ohio River and ranges are numbered West from the west boundary of Pennsylvania; The U.S. Military Survey, started in 1797, in which townships are numbered North from the south boundary of the military grant and ranges are numbered West from the west boundary of the Seven Ranges; The West of the Great Miami, started in 1798, in which townships are numbered North from the Great Miami River and the ranges are numbered East from the Ohio-Indiana boundary; The Ohio River Base (Indiana), started in 1799, in which the townships are numbered North from the Ohio River and the ranges are numbered from the Ohio-Indiana boundary and its projection south; The Scioto River Base, started in 1799, in which the townships are numbered North from the Scioto River and the ranges are numbered West from the west boundary of Pennsylvania; The Muskingum River Survey, started in 1800, in which the townships are numbered 1 and 2 and the range in number 10; The Between the Miamis, north of Symmes Purchase, started in 1802, in which the townships are numbered EAST from the Great Miami River and the ranges are numbered NORTH from the Ohio River (as a continuation of the numbering of Symmes Purchase) and the Twelve-Mile-Square Reserve, started in 1805, in which the townships are numbered 1,2,3 and 4 and there is no range number.
• INLAND WATERS – Such waters as canals, lakes, rivers, watercourses, inlets and bays, exclusive of the open sea, though the water in question may open or empty into the ocean.
• IN PRAESENTI – At the present time. The Swamp Lands Act of 1850 is an example of a grant taking effect in praesenti, that is, on the date of the passage of the act.
• INSTRUMENT – An angle measuring device such as a compass, transit or theodolite. See INSTRUMENT, LEGAL.
• INSTRUMENT, LEGAL – A written document. A formal or legal document in writing, such as a contract, deed, lease, will, bond or other writing of a formal or solemn character, such as a document given as a means of affording evidence. See DOCUMENT.
• INTEREST – As applied to lands, "interest" means any direct or indirect ownership in whole or in part of the lands and resources of the lands. It includes any participation in the earnings therefrom, or the right to occupy or use the property or to take any benefits therefrom based upon lease or rental agreements, or upon any formal or informal contract with a person who has such an interest. It includes membership in a firm, or ownership of stock or other securities in a corporation which has such an interest.
• INTERIOR ANGLE*.
• INTERIOR BOARD OF LAND APPEALS – See BOARD OF LAND APPEALS.
• INTERIOR DECISIONS – Decisions of the Department of the Interior. Prior to 1932 these decisions were called "Land Decisions" and included volumes 1 thru 52. Since 1932 they have been published and referred to as "Interior Decisions," and are cited thus: 60 I.D. 85. See LAND DECISIONS and BOARD OF LAND APPEALS.
• INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT GRANT – A grant made to aid in the construction of roads, canals, railroads, or for other public improvements.
• INTERPRETATION OF PLAT – Deductions which are based on symbols, bearings, areas and dates of approval shown on plats and which are used to determine the probable intention when information is missing or ambiguous, or when data shown on various plats needs clarification. See PROTECT THE PLAT.
• INTERROGATORIES – A set or series of questions drawn up in writing for the purpose of being propounded to a party in equity, a garnishee, or a witness whose testimony is taken on deposition. In taking evidence on depositions, the interrogatories are usually prepared and settled by counsel, and reduced to writing prior to the examination. See DEPOSITION.
• INTERSECTION – 1) The method of establishing the legal center of section and the centers of the various quarter sections. 2) The point at which a survey line passes through an object, such as a tree. 3) The point of crossing of two or more survey lines with each other, usually a junior line crossing a senior line. 4) The legal point of closing where a junior line closes on a senior (fixed) line. 5) The confluence of two or more streams of water. 6) The cutting or crossing in any combination of straight lines, curves, or semitangents to curves. 7) Area where two streets or roads intersect, generally including the space enclosed by the right-of-way lines as extended plus any transition curved boundaries. See LINE TREE, JUNIOR LINE, SENIOR LINE, INTERSECTION* AND CONFLUENCE*.
• INTESTATE – Without making a will. A person is said to die intestate when he dies without leaving a valid will to testify what his wishes were with respect to the disposal of his property after his death. The word is also used to signify the person himself, as "the intestate’s property."
• INTRALIMITAL RIGHTS – In mining, rights extending downward within the limits of the claim to center of the earth. All surface rights and everything within the limits of his intralimital rights, except the extralateral rights attached to other veins apexing in another’s claim, belong to the owner of the claim. There are no rights to explore in another’s land or to approach the vein from any location other than the vein itself. If veins intersect, all the ore within the intersection belongs to the senior claimant, but a right of way through the intersection is assured. See EXTRALATERAL RIGHTS.
• INURE – To take effect; to result. Provide service to the use or benefit of a person.
• INVESTIGATIVE SURVEY – A preliminary survey made to determine the physical condition of existing Cadastral Survey evidence.
• IPSO FACTO – By the mere fact itself.
• IPSO JURE – By the law itself; by the mere operation of the law.
• IRON POST – The iron post adopted by BLM for monumenting the surveys of the public lands evolved after passage of the 1908 act which provided for the purchase of the 1908 act which provided for the purchase of metal monuments to be used for public-land survey corners wherever practicable. Specifications for the brass-capped survey marker call for zinc-coated pipe cut to 30-inch lengths. One end of the pipe is split and the two halves are spread to form flanges. The dimension from the top of the pipe to the top of the brass cap is from ¼ to ½ inch. The measurement from tip to tip of the flanges is specified at 4½ inches. The measurement from the foot of the flange to the top of the marker is 28 inches, more or less. The inside diameter of the pipe is 2 inches. The weight is approximately 9 pounds. The words "U.S. DEPT. OF THE INTERIOR BUR. OF LAND MANAGEMENT – UNLAWFUL TO DISTRUB – CADASTRAL SURVEY" and (at least for the next several years), the numerals "19," are cast into the brass cap.
• IRREGULAR – As applied to units of the rectangular system, exceeding the rectangular limits.
• IRREGULAR BOUNDARY – Township or section lines not originally established as straight lines or which a retracement reveals as not having been surveyed as a straight line. See IRREGULAR BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT.
• IRREGULAR BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT – A modified form of single proportionate measurement used in restoring some lost corners. Sometimes considered as a Broken Boundary Adjustment. See IRREGULAR BOUNDARY, BROKEN BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT and ADJUSTMENT*.
• IRREGULAR SECTION – A section having two or more adjacent boundaries, as returned on the original survey, that are not within 0° 21’ of cardinal or exceed 25 links from 40 chains in measurement.
• ISLAND – A body of land extending above and completely surrounded by water at ordinary high water. See ORDINARY HIGH WATER and ISLAND*.
• ISOLATED TRACT – A parcel of vacant public lands, not exceeding *1,520 acres, which is surrounded by appropriated lands.

J

• JURIS (Land Status Records) – Jurisdiction.
• JACOB’S STAFF – A single staff or pole used for mounting a surveyor’s compass or other instrument. Used instead of a tripod, a Jacob’s staff is fitted with a ball-and-socket joint at its upper end, by means of which the instrument is adjusted to a level position; the foot is fitted with a metal shoe which facilitates pressing the staff firmly into the ground. Many of the early land surveys in this country were made with surveyor’s compasses mounted upon Jacob’s staffs.
• JAIL-SITE RESERVE – A reservation of public lands in Alaska, not exceeding 4,000 square feet originally for use as a Territorial Jail Site.
• JOINDER OF ACTIONS – This expression signifies the uniting of two or more demands or rights of action in one action or lawsuit.
• JUDGMENT – In law an official formal decision given by a court, in another meaning, an obligation (as a debt) created by the decree of the court.
• JUNIOR CORNER – A corner which is part of a survey occurring at a date subsequent to a prior (senior) survey.
• JUNIOR LINE – Survey lines created at different times have different standings. The "junior" line would be the line created subsequent to an earlier line. See JUNIOR RIGHTS.
• JUNIOR RIGHTS – Subordinate to the senior rights. The later patent issued usually has the subordinate right in a situation where a later survey is in conflict with an earlier survey. The first patent issued usually has the superior (senior) right and the second patent usually has the subordinate (junior) right, regardless of the dates of the original surveys.
• JUNIOR SURVEY – A survey made subsequent to an earlier survey. See SENIOR SURVEY.

• S (Land Status Records) – South.
• SAH (Land Status Records) – Soldier’s Additional Homestead.
• SB MER (Land Status Records) – San Bernardino Meridian.
• SC – South Carolina.
• SCS (Land Status Records) – Subsistence Camp Site.
• SCS (Land Status Records ) – United States Soil Conservation Service.
• SD (Land Status Records) – State Director.
• SD – South Dakota.
• S. DAK. – South Dakota.
• SDO (Land Status Records) – State Director’s Order.
• SDS (Land Status Records) – Soldier’s declaratory statement.
• SDW (Land Status Records) – Stock Driveway.
• SDW WDL (Land Status Records) – Stock driveway withdrawal.
• SE (Land Status Records) – Southeast.
• SEC (Land Status Records) – Section.
• SEC OF AGRI (Land Status Records) – Secretary of Agriculture.
• SEC OF THE INT (Land Status Records) – Secretary of the Interior.
• SEGR (Land Status Records) – Segregate or Segregated.
• SEL (Land Status Records) – Selection or Selected.
• SEW MER (Land Status Records) – Seward Meridian.
• SG (Land Status Records) – State Grant.
• SHC (Land Status Records) – Small Holding Claim.
• SI (Land Status Records) – Silver.
• SIM (Land Status Records) – Simultaneous.
• SL MER (Land Status Records) – Salt lake meridian.
• SLUP (Land Status Records) – Special Land Use Permit.
• S&M (Land Status Records) – Soil and moisture.
• SMC – Special Meander Corner.
• SO – State Office.
• SO (Land Status Records) – Secretary’s Order.
• SOD (Land Status Records) – Sodium.
• SPEC PER (Land Status Records) – Special permit.
• SR (Land Status Records) – Serial Register.
• SRHE (Land Status Records) – Stockraising Homestead Entry.
• SS (Land Status Records) – State Selection.
• SSE (Land Status Records) – Subsurface Estate.
• ST (Land Status Records) – Small Tract.
• STA (Land Status Records) – Station.
• STAT. – Statutes. Used in citing a reference to the United States Statutes at large...
• ST CL (Land Status Records) – Small tract classification.
• ST HEL MER (Land Status Records) – St. Helena Meridian.
• ST LSE (Land Status Records) – Small tract lease.
• STS (Land Status Records ) – Small tract sale.
• ST. STEP MER (Land Status Records) – St. Stephens Meridian.
• SUBDIV UND (Land Status Records) – Subdivisions undefined.
• SUBJ (Land Status Records) – Subject.
• SUL (Land Status Records) – Sulphur.
• SUPPL (Land Status Records) – Supplemental.
• SUR (Land Status Records) – Survey or Surveyed.
• SUS (Land Status Records) – Suspended.
• SW (Land Status Records) – Southwest.
• SX (Land Status Records) – State Exchange.
• SALT LAKE MERIDIAN – The principal meridian governing surveys in most of Utah...
• SALT MARSH – An area of low lying, wet ground containing a high proportion...
• SCALE FACTOR*.
• SCHOOL LAND DEFICIENCY OR LOSS – Land included in a State school-land grant...
• SCHOOL-LAND INDEMNITY SELECTION – A lieu selection made by a State to compensate...
• SCHOOL LAND PATENT – A patent which is issued to a State to give it additional...
• SCHOOL LANDS – Sometimes referred to as “school sections” they are the lands...
• SCREE SLOPE – A steep slope formed of rocky material with a marked tendency...
• SCRIBE – A hand tool used by surveyors to inscribe the prescribed markings on bearing trees.
• SCRIP – A certificate which allows the owner to make a selection of a specified...
• SEAL – In law, a particular sign, made to attest in the most formal manner...
• SECANT – 1) A line that cuts a geometric curve or surface at two or more points...
• SECANT METHOD – A method for laying off a parallel of latitude in Public Lands surveying.
• SECOND FORM RECLAMATION WITHDRAWAL – A reclamation withdrawal which embraces public lands...
• SECOND PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN – The principal meridian which governs surveys in most of Indiana...
• SECTION – The unit of subdivision of a township with boundaries conforming to the...
• SECTIONAL CORRECTION LINE – A latitudinal section line run to rectify a defective latitudinal...
• SECTIONAL GUIDE MERIDIAN – A meridional section line run to rectify a defective meridional...
• SECTION CORNER – A corner at the extremity of a section boundary.
• SECTION, HALF – Any two quarter sections within a section which have a common boundary...
• SECTION, QUARTER – One of the aliquot parts of a section. Normally it is a quadrangle...
• SECTION, QUARTER-QUARTER – One of the alquot parts of a quarter section. Normally it is a...
• SEGREGATION SURVEY – Definition by running survey lines on the ground which separate...
• SELECTION – In general, an application to acquire title to public lands which is...
• SEMITANGENT – The distance from the point of curvature or point of tangency...
• SENIOR CORNER – A point established and monumented by an approved prior survey.
• SENIOR LINE – Survey lines created at different times have different standings...
• SENIOR RIGHTS – The rights which take precedence. The first patent issued usually...
• SENIOR SURVEY – The oldest of two or more surveys which fixed the position of the line...
• SERIAL REGISTERS – Serial registers were instituted in 1908 as a digest of land case records...
• SETTLEMENT CLAIM – A claim to a right to make a homestead entry. Such claims are based...
• SEVEN RANGES, THE – The first cadastral survey of the public lands of the United States...
• SEWARD MERIDIAN – The principal meridian governing surveys in southwestern Alaska...
• SHAFT – In mining, an opening made at the surface and extending downward into the earth vertically...
• SHORE – The land which is covered and uncovered by the rise and fall of the normal tide...
• SHORELINE, OCEAN (T.R. No. 4) – The intersection of a specified plane of water with the shore or beach...
• SHORE LINE, RIVER – The shore line is the line which is washed by the water wherever it covers...
• SHORE, OCEAN – “This is the most important of the four zones, and extends from the low water...
• SHORE SPACE LIMITATION – The limitation of 160 rods or 80 rods of shore space along navigable waters...
• SHORE-SPACE RESERVE, ALASKA – A reservation of public lands along navigable and certain other waters...
• SIC – Thus. Intentionally so written. Used after a word or passage to indicate that it is meant...
• SIDE LINE – Applied to a strip of land such as a lot or other tract, it defines the boundaries of that tract...
• SIGHT TREE – Same as Line Tree, or on older surveys, Station Tree.
• SINGLE PROPORTIONATE MEASUREMENT – A method of proportioning measurement in the restoration...
• SITE – A parcel of ground set apart for a specific use. The word itself does not necessarily imply...
• SIXTEENTH-SECTION CORNER – Also termed “quarter-quarter section corner.”
• SIXTH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN – The last of the principal meridians to be named an ordinal number...
• SKEW MERCATOR – See OBLIQUE MERCATOR.
• SLOPE CHAINED – In some of the older surveys the chaining (measuring) was done on the slope...
• SLOPE CHAINING – The process of direct measurement of an inclined distance and vertical angle...
• SMALLEST LEGAL SUBDIVISION – A quarter-quarter section or one lot.
• SMALL-HOLDING CLAIM ENTRY – An entry in connection with which the entryman and his predecessors...
• SMALL TRACT – A parcel of public lands of 5 acres or less which has been found chiefly valuable...
• SMALL TRACT ACT – The Act of June 1, 1938 (52 Stat. 609; 43 U.S.C. 682 a-c), as amended...
• SMALL-TRACT CLASSIFICATION – Classification of public lands as being chiefly valuable...
• SNOW BLAZE – In regions subject to heavy snowfall it is desirable survey practices to make...
• SOLAR ATTACHMENT – An auxiliary device mounted on a surveyor’s instrument which mechanically...
• SOLAR LINE – A line run along an astronomic bearing with a solar attachment. See TACK LINE.
• SOLDIERS’ ADDITIONAL HOMESTEAD ENTRY – A selection based on rights of Civil War veterans...
• SPECIAL DEPOSIT SURVEY – A survey authorized by law, executed by BLM personnel but at no cost...
• SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS – The written statement containing the detailed specifications for every...
• SPECIAL LAND USE PERMIT – A permit which authorizes the use of public lands for purposes not...
• SPECIAL MEANDER CORNER – A corner established at: 1) The intersection of a surveyed...
• SPECIAL SURVEY – A cadastral survey that involves unusual application of, or departure from...
• SPECIAL SURVEYS, ALASKA – Metes and bounds surveys of areas settled upon or applied for under...
• SPHERICAL COORDINATES - Pairs of angular values such as latitude and longitude or right ascension...
• SPHEROID – In general, any figure differing but little from a sphere. In geodesy, a mathematical...
• SQUATTER’S RIGHTS – An asserted right to occupy public lands by virtue of occupancy.
• STANDARD – In cadastral survey slang, an ordinary steel pocket tape marked in chains or feet...
• STANDARD CORNER – A senior corner on a standard parallel or base line.
• STANDARD FIELD TABLES AND TRIGONOMETRIC FORMULAS – A supplement to the Manual of...
• STANDARD PARALLEL – Also called “correction line.” A line extended east or west from the...
• STANDARD PARALLEL, AUXILIARY – Where standard parallels have been placed at intervals...
• STAPLE CROP – A chief commodity or production of a place. A crop used, needed or enjoyed by many...
• STARE DECISIS – To abide by, or adhere to, decided cases. It is under the policy of “stare decisis”...
• STATE COORDINATE SYSTEMS – The plane-rectangular coordinate systems established by the...
• STATE DIRECTOR (BLM) – The principal Bureau official at the State level. He is directly accountable...
• STATE EXCHANGE – An exchange between the Federal Government and a State. See EXCHANGE, PRIVATE...
• STATE GRANTS – Grants of public lands were made to States for schools and other public purposes...
• STATEHOOD – The Thirteen Original States organized the Federal Union under the name of “The United...
• STATE PLANE COORDINATE SYSTEMS – The plane-rectangular coordinate systems established...
• STATE SELECTION – An application to acquire title submitted by a state. See STATE SELECTION SURVEY.
• STATE SELECTION LANDS, ALASKA – The enabling act admitting Alaska as a State provides that...
• STATE SELECTION SURVEY – The survey providing limited monumentation of the township boundaries...
• STATUTES AT LARGE – See UNITED STATES STATUTES AT LARGE.
• ST. HELENA MERIDIAN – The principal meridian governing surveys in the southeastern part of Louisiana...
• STICK – A measurement term used in some field notes and deeds in the early 1800’s, a stick is 1/4 chain...
• STOCKRAISING HOMESTEAD ENTRY
• STONE BOUND
• STOPE
• STRADDLE STAKES
• STRAIGHT BASE LINE
• STREET
• STREET LINE
• STRIKE
• STRONG BEARING
• ST. STEPHENS MERIDIAN
• SUBDIVISION
• SUBDIVISION-OF-SECTION SURVEY
• SUBDIVISION, SMALLEST LEGAL
• SUBJECT TO SURVEY
• SUBMERGED LANDS ACT
• SUPPLEMENTAL MASTER TITLE PLAT
• SUPPLEMENTAL PATENT
• SUPPLEMENTAL PLAT
• SUPRA
• SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
• SURFACE RIGHTS
• SURVEY
• SURVEYING INSTRUCTIONS
• SURVEYING, LAND
• SURVEYOR GENERAL
• SUSPENDED APPLICATION OR ENTRY
• SUSPENDED SURVEY
• SWAMP
• SWAMP AND OVERFLOWED LANDS
• SWAMP-LAND GRANT
• SWAMP LANDS ACT OF 1850
• SWAMP LANDS ACT OF 1860