The government survey was begun by establishing certain north and south lines known as principal meridians.  There are twenty-four of these, the first being the meridian that separates Indiana from Ohio, while the last runs through the state of Oregon.  At intervals of six miles east and west of the principal meridians were established other meridians called range lines.  A parallel of latitude was then chosen as a base line, and at intervals of six miles north and south of the base line were established township lines.  These township lines with the range lines divide the country into areas six miles square called townships.  A township may thus be located with reference to its nearest base line and principal meridian (see diagram I).

Since meridians converge as we go north (look at a globe), the townships are not exactly square, and become slightly smaller toward the north.  To correct this, certain parallels north and south of the base line were chosen as correction lines, from which the survey began again as from the original base line.

Each township is divided into sections one mile square, and therefore containing 640 acres each.  These sections are numbered in each township from 1 to 36 as indicated in diagram iii.  Each section is further subdivided into halves and quarters, which are designated as in diagram iv.

This government survey has been made only in the “public lands” (see below, p. 197).  It is still being carried on by the General Land Office of the Department of the Interior.  In 1917 more than 10,000,000 acres, or nearly 16,000 square miles, were surveyed.  In that year there still remained unsurveyed more than 900,000 square miles of public land, 590,000 of which were in Alaska and 320,000 in the United States proper.  In the original thirteen states along the Atlantic seaboard a similar survey has been made, but either by private enterprise or under the authority of the state or county governments.  Massachusetts has recently spent a large sum of money in a new survey of the state for the purpose of verifying and correcting doubtful boundaries.

Has your father a deed to the land you live on?  If so, ask him to show it to you and explain it.  How is the land described?

At the first convenient time, make a visit to the office of the recorder of deeds in your county, and ask to have some of the records shown and explained to you, preferably the record of the property you occupy.  Where is the office of the recorder? (A visit of this sort should be in company with the teacher or parent.  A class excursion for this and other purposes may well be arranged for.)

What is a mortgage?  An abstract of title? (Consult parents.)

Is the Torrens System in use in your state?

Is your state a “public land state”?