Boundaries and Landmarks: A Practical Manual (1912)

Boundaries and Landmarks: A Practical Manual (1912)

Alfred Cornell Mulford (1891 - 1957) was the author of the 1912 publication "Boundaries and Landmarks: A Practical Manual".

"Boundaries and Landmarks" explains and endeavors to familiarize the surveyor with the types of old boundaries and landmarks commonly found in Eastern United States. This work shows how to meet the conditions that might arise in country surveying, such as the relocation of old boundaries, the significance attached to natural landmarks, their position, and what relation they bear to the land surveyed. The meaning meant to be conveyed by certain kinds of old landmarks is carefully explained and the question of old deeds and how they are to be construed is taken up. Methods of actual measurement and surveying instruments are not discussed in this book, which devotes itself entirely to the question of locating boundaries.

Mulford writes:

"This manual is intended to familiarize the surveyor with the different types of old boundaries that exist throughout the country. A great deal has been written on this general subject, especially in reference to the public lands of the West. Very little, however, is being done on the conveyances of the Eastern States, and it is my hope to furnish something which may prove useful to those who are likely to meet with cases of this sort. No attempt is made to describe how the lines should be measured; the intent is rather to furnish suggestions as to the method of locating the line to be measured â€” in short, finding it. It is far more important to have faulty measurements on the place where the line truly exists, than an accurate measurement where the line does not exist at all."

The account of the different kinds of landmarks the surveyor may have to look for in tracing old boundaries, of the descriptions in deeds and of the errors that may be expected contains much that is entertaining, while the author writes plain English that every one can understand.

Mulford writes:

"The vocation of the civil engineer has always been invested with a dignity of its own. But it seems to me that of late years, in paying him the honor which is his just due, we are apt to fix a little too wide a gap between him and his humbler brother, the surveyor. We give engineering the chief attention in our technical schools, but surveying we are wont to relegate to the freshman class. Yet the profession of the surveyor deals with one of the oldest and most fundamental facts of human societyâ€” the possession and inheritance of land. Fire, flood and earthquake wipe out the greatest works of the engineer, but the land continueth forever.

"Curiously enough the surveyor is isolated in his calling, and therein lies his responsibility and his temptations. The lawyer comes nearest to understanding the work, yet of the actual details of a survey most lawyers are woefully ignorant. The business man who can judge to a hair the fulfillment of a contract has no eye for the shortened line or the shifted landmark."

CONTENTS.

I. The Work And Training Of The Surveyor
II. The Description Of Property. Simple Deeds Without Dimensions
III. The Relative Legal Value Of Evidences Of Boundary
IV. Landmarks. Stakes And Stones
V. Landmarks (continued). Marked Timber. Ditches And Balks
VI. Landmarks (concluded). Fences And Walls
VII. Deeds With Complete Descriptions
VIII. Sources Of Error In Descriptions
IX. The Relations Of The Surveyor And The Lawyer
X. House Lots
XI. House Lots (concluded)
XII. Highway Records
XIII. Re-running Old Highway Records
XIV. Laying Out New Roads
XV. Responsibilities Of The Surveyor
Country USA
Author Alfred Cornell Mulford
Binding Kindle Edition
Format Kindle eBook
IsAdultProduct
NumberOfPages 102
PublicationDate 2016-10-08
ReleaseDate 2016-10-08

Country	USA
Author	Alfred Cornell Mulford
Binding	Kindle Edition
Format	Kindle eBook
IsAdultProduct
NumberOfPages	102
PublicationDate	2016-10-08
ReleaseDate	2016-10-08