The Oregon September/October 2024 A publication of the Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon
Editorials From the PLSO Chair, by Scott Freshwaters, PLS, PLSO Chair of the Board 2 From the PLSO Office, by Aimee McAuliffe, PLSO Executive Secretary 4 Featured Articles A Narrative About Narratives, by Renee Clough, PLS, PE, AICP 6 Some Geometry Problems, by Dr. Richard L. Elgin, PS, PE 8 May 2024 OIT Alumni Workshop Recap, by Jason Foose, PLS 94582 15 Columns The Lost Surveyor, by Pat Gaylord, PLS 10 Surveyors in the News, by Pat Gaylord, PLS 13 Member Spotlight, by Vanessa Salvia 16 On the Cover Brian Vires of SF Land Services took this photo while performing a topographic survey at Trillium Lake in Mt. Hood National Forest. The Oregon Surveyor is a publication of the Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon (PLSO). It is provided as a medium for the expression of individual opinions concerning topics relating to the Land Surveying profession. Address changes & business All notifications for changes of address, membership inquiries, and PLSO business correspondence should be directed to Aimee McAuliffe, PO Box 230548, Tigard, OR 97281; 503-303-1472; execdirector@plso.org. Editorial matters & contributions of material The Oregon Surveyor welcomes your articles, comments, and photos for publication. PLSO assumes no responsibility for statements expressed in this publication. Editorial matters should be directed to Vanessa Salvia, vsalvia@gmail.com. Advertising policy Advertising content and materials are subject to approval of the PLSO Board and Big Red M. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising that simulates copy; material must be clearly marked as “Advertisement.” For advertising, contact: Ronnie Jacko, ronnie@bigredm.com; 503-445-2234 A publication of the Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon Executive Secretary Aimee McAuliffe PO Box 230548 Tigard, OR 97281 503-303-1472 Toll-free: 844-284-5496 execdirector@plso.org www.plso.org Published by Big Red M www.bigredm.com Advertising Ronnie Jacko, ronnie@bigredm.com Design Hope Sudol © 2024 Big Red M Editor Vanessa Salvia Publications Committee Tim Kent, Interim Chair Pat Gaylord Contents Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon @ORLandSurveyors The Oregon Vol. 47, No. 5 September/October 2024
2 The Oregon Surveyor | Vol. 47, No. 5 From the PLSO Chair M ost, if not all of us have been told something by someone we trusted only later to find that what was told is not the truth. I am not talking about malicious lies and propaganda, but instead more like an “urban legend” along with perhaps some delusional thinking. Some examples are the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, George Washington chopping down a cherry tree, and the frog in the proverbial pot. Let’s consider the last two mentioned. In the summer 2024 edition of Trend & Tradition Magazine, the magazine of Colonial Williamsburg, is an article titled “George Washington and the Cherry Tree” by Paul Aron who found that the story was written by Mason Locke Weems in the 5th edition of Weem’s book originally published as Life and Memorable Actions of George Washington. Weem’s first book was issued in 1800, one year after George Washington's death. The fifth edition was titled The Life of George Washington the Great, published in 1806, in which the cherry tree story first appeared. Weems claimed he had heard the story from an unnamed and distant relative of the family who had spent much time with the Washingtons. As soon as the 5th edition hit the shelves, there was much skepticism about the tale. Also, three prominent 19th century George Washington biographers made no mention of the cherry tree story. Moving forward to 1922, biographer William Roscoe Thayer wrote, “Only those who willfully prefer to deceive themselves need waste time over an imaginary Father of His Country amusing himself with a fictitious cherry tree and hatchet.” The parable of the frog in the pot is the one where the water is gradually heated while the frog is happy and content until it reaches the critical temperature, and then it is too late. The frog croaks. Pun intended! All the while that the pot was heating up, the frog could have left at any time but didn’t. This myth is told as a warning to stay away from harmful things that could destroy a person and sound plausible. That is, until the television series MythBusters proved it wrong. Shifting gears but in a similar vein, let’s consider the image of Mount Rushmore National Memorial labeled as “Three Surveyors and some other guy.” That “other guy” who never surveyed professionally did get some surveying experience along with his son Kermit while Scott Freshwaters, PLS Chair of the Board Myths and Truths Be careful out there and if you must be a myth buster do it with grace and professionalism.
3 Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org co-leading with Marshal Candido Mariano da Silva Rondon, aka Marshal Rondon, on the Roosevelt-Rondon Scientific Expedition of 1914 to map the Rio da Duvida (River of Doubt) and document previously unknown flora and fauna. The Rio da Duvida is now named the Rio Teodoro (Roosevelt River). Sometimes we will be a “myth buster” in our daily work. Recently I had a call from a lady who was sure that the corners marked by a local survey firm and the line of lath between them were wrong. So, I agreed to check them. The reason the line was staked was because the adjoining owner had trimmed some branches of my client’s tree while my client was in Spain. The adjoining owner had hired another survey firm to stake the line. Long story short, I was able to verify the accuracy of what the firm had done. My client, while being disappointed, did write a check and said, “At least now I know where the line is.” Oh . . . the branches in question did overhang the adjoiner’s property. However, they had been cut back to the trunk which is entirely on my client’s property. So, be careful out there and if you must be a myth buster do it with grace and professionalism. From the PLSO Chair How to Send Us Your Work Please email the editor Vanessa Salvia with submissions: vsalvia@gmail.com. Your submission should be in .doc format. Please send images separately (not embedded in the document) and at the highest file size available (MB size range versus KB size range—larger sizes are encouraged). Please include the author’s name and email address or phone number for contact.
4 The Oregon Surveyor | Vol. 47, No. 5 From the PLSO Office A s we begin a new membership year together, it’s always a good time for reflecting on what we got done the previous year and renewing the Board’s commitment to the association’s goals and values. Achieving the goals of a member-driven organization involves more than just setting objectives; it requires a collaborative spirit. Not everyone is going to agree with the decisions made by the Board of Directors on the role PLSO should be playing in the profession, and not everyone on the Board always agrees on every decision. Collaboration is not always easy. It takes work and a balance of empathy, open communication, and strategic negotiation. Recognizing and respecting diverse perspectives is crucial, as each person’s agenda often stems from unique experiences and objectives. Successful collaboration within PLSO hinges on finding common ground and making sure proposed activities align with the mission statement of our organization. Asking questions like: 1. Is This a Legislative or Educational Program? The founders of PLSO made legislation and education the first bullet point in the mission statement. Both play a pivotal role in promoting and advancing the profession. Providing opportunities for members to stay up to date on technological changes, protecting licensure at the state level, or lobbying for inclusion in public policy and infrastructure planning are all different goals that answer the mission statement. 2. Does it Work to Improve the Status of Land Surveyors in the State? This could mean a lot of things. Fostering strong advocacy and outreach programs to educate the future workforce, public, and policymakers about the profession’s value can help build recognition and support. This can also mean how public perception is handled. When discussing activities or suggesting prizes for contests it is important to consider if it increases public visibility in a positive light. This becomes difficult because “positive” is a relative idea. A good example of this is the recent discussion at the Board and member level about a CO2-powered pellet revolver being a member prize for the Youth Outreach Contest. While no doubt there are various opinions about the Second Amendment within our membership, Oregon law does not classify a pellet gun as a firearm, though it is illegal to shoot them within city limits. So, the question becomes, is this something that could cause a misunderstanding if mentioned to a teacher or Aimee McAuliffe, PLSO Exec. Secretary Reflecting on Progress and Embracing Collaboration Strategies for advancing our association’s goals Achieving the goals of a member-driven organization involves more than just setting objectives; it requires a collaborative spirit. By collaborating on initiatives and sharing resources, we can broaden our impact.
5 Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org From the PLSO Office other members of the public? Would it bring negative attention to the association? Many members felt that it was not in the best interest of the association to connect any sort of gun to youth outreach and implored the Executive Committee to redress the Board. You may remember that the decision was reversed. It was not a unanimous vote. (The prize for promoting the profession to youth is now a $400 cash prize, and you may learn more at www.plso.org/ outreachcontest.) One week after this vote a student approached a middle school in Wisconsin with a pellet gun and was shot and killed by police after he aimed it at them because it looked like a standard firearm. There is no easy answer. The Board is made up of people who must do whatever they think is best for public perception. Another, more positive, way to elevate the status of land surveyors is to form partnerships. Forming partnerships with other organizations, businesses, or community groups enhances our image in many ways and increases our ability to achieve goals. By collaborating on initiatives and sharing resources, we can broaden our impact. One such example involves a cross-profession partnership that our Executive Committee, Pioneer Chapter President, NSPS Liaison and Marketing Taskforce participate in with American Council of Engineering Companies of Oregon (ACEC) and American Institute of Architects Oregon (AIA). The group met in June at David Evans & Associates to discuss intersecting goals and possible ways to collaborate. The next meeting is scheduled for October. Our second exciting partnership focuses on elevating the status of land surveyors within the Pacific Northwest region and involves a multi-state partnership with Land Surveyors Association of Washington (LSAW) and Idaho Society of Professional Land Surveyors (ISPLS). To be a good partner to Washington and Idaho, and make sure we are addressing the goals of our own state, the Board appointed a PNW Marketing Task Force to identify clear strategic goals. From that Task Force, Chair-Elect Dan Nelson and I take those goals to the Multi-state Task Force (Washinton and Idaho are organized in a similar fashion). At those meetings, we work together to bring new ideas to the table and create an actionable plan together. Our first step on this project is working with Aaron King, who created our last video (https://vimeo. com/plso), on creating a regional narrative, which will be sponsored by Frontier Precision. The goals of the partnership accumulate to making land surveying recognizable as a first-rate career choice and necessary service to the public. King is currently traveling throughout our three states, filming scenery footage. I look forward to sharing more information with all of you as more details are solidified. 3. Does it Help Promote High Standards of Conduct? Talk to any land surveyor and they’ll mention working for the protection of the public on more than one occasion. For those who aren’t aware, PLSO adopted a Code of Ethics on October 23, 1999 (www. plso.org/about). Other ways we strive to promote high standards of conduct always connect back to providing continuing education and advocating for licensure. The Emerging Leader Program, chaired by Jeremy Sherer and introduced at last year’s conference, has been a new way for new members to hone their leadership abilities as they advance in their career and hopefully take on volunteer leadership positions within PLSO. All these programs—offering continued professional development, advocating for supportive legislation, serving as a proponent for high standards—all play into our ability to attract and cultivate new talent, and increase our impact on society. Together, these efforts help to elevate the role of land surveyors, ensure their expertise is recognized and valued, and drive the profession forward in an ever-evolving landscape. www.bigredm.com Advertise to Support Your Association! Contact us today! Ronnie Jacko | 503-445-2234 | ronnie@bigredm.com
6 The Oregon Surveyor | Vol. 47, No. 5 Featured Article By Renee Clough, PLS, PE, AICP W hy do we include a narrative on our surveys? If you answered, “Because ORS 209.250(2) makes me,” then I’d say that you’re not wrong. I’d also argue though that you’re not right. The narrative is among the most important things on the map. When I write a narrative, I want everyone who comes after me to understand why I made the decisions I made. “Why” is the most important thing to convey in a narrative. What you did is nearly always evident on the map. Why you did it is often much less apparent, yet much more important, to a following surveyor. Last year, I surveyed a property that had a boundary in common with a recent filed survey. From the map it appeared he had established the common boundary by offsetting and extending a line between two found monuments. The narrative confirmed the geometry but didn’t explain why he chose to extend the line to approximately three times its length. In this case he was kind enough, and the project still fresh enough in his memory, to explain to me that he felt comfortable with the extension because it coordinated with another found monument near the end of the extension. Based on this additional understanding of his why, I accepted and held his location for the common boundary. Without that understanding, I doubt I would have felt comfortable accepting his solution. A Narrative About Narratives
7 Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org Featured Article A narrative isn’t a recipe for how to make the same solution, it’s a conversation about the things you saw, considered and thought followed by a discussion of how those things influenced you. To this end, I believe a well-written narrative will include your justifications, ambiguities found, any considerations given to occupation, boundary law principles held, and other solutions considered but not selected. By these general topics I mean: • Justifications can include things like another found monument being used as confirmation of a long extension or not holding an original monument which nearly matches record because of a comment by a neighbor that he put the monument back after building the fence. • Ambiguities aren’t always as evident to the next surveyor—perhaps the deed makes a call to a fir tree, and you had to make a judgment regarding which fir tree but 20 years from now there may be no fir trees at all. • Occupational evidence can change or disappear over time. Old fences are often used as confirmation of a particular boundary solution, or even sometimes as a monument; however, if it’s gone and the next surveyor doesn’t know you used it as evidence, it will be hard for them to respect your solution. • Boundary law principles can include subjects like accretion/erosion, priority of calls or junior/senior rights. It can also include decisions made based on case law, such as if you choose between two possible solutions for a section corner based on the Dykes v. Arnold precedent. • Acknowledging other possible solutions and explaining why they were not selected makes your narrative more persuasive. Even if you’ve done a stellar job with all the points above, your boundary still runs the risk of being perceived as slap-dash if you don’t acknowledge possible alternatives. Another surveyor isn’t likely to have the same evidence as you and is guaranteed to not have the same thought process as you, with the result that they’re likely to question your work if they don’t understand why (there’s that word again) you didn’t select the solution which seems to them to be terrific. Also, how you write a narrative can be just as important as what you write. Use clear, concise and descriptive language with proper punctuation as opposed to run-on sentences. This article you’re reading now is easier to digest because it is broken into paragraphs, short sentences, and bullet points. Formatting like this helps you process the information in a more digestible way. Narratives are infinitely easier to understand if they’re broken into segments based on subject matter, preferably with a heading for each segment. Most of my narratives discuss each boundary of the property in a separate segment—“Northerly Boundary,” “1st Ave Right-of-Way.” For my more complicated boundaries though, I’ll add more sections to discuss background items—“Ambiguities in Vesting Deed,” “Conflicts Between Survey x and Survey y.” A well-written narrative head off the issues Justice Cooley was concerned about when he said, “If all the lines were now subject to correction on new surveys, the confusion of lines and titles that would follow would cause consternation in many communities. Indeed, the mischiefs that must follow would be simply incalculable, and the visitation of the surveyor might well be set down as a great public calamity.” If another surveyor can’t understand why you were right and you don’t offer an explanation, they can just as easily conclude that you made a mistake or overlooked something. If a question could potentially have multiple answers, that increases everyone’s liability, decreases the public’s faith in our profession and fails to meet the charge in OAR 820-020-0015(1) to hold paramount “the safety, health, property, and welfare of the public.” We all know how tough it can be to look back at someone else’s surveying work and puzzle to figure out why they did what they did, if there is no explanation provided. We can’t reach back in time and ask, and future surveyors won’t be able to reach back in time and ask us. So, to help them know why we made the choices we made, since none of us is psychic, include good narratives so that we can follow in each other’s footsteps. A narrative isn’t a recipe for how to make the same solution, it’s a conversation about the things you saw, considered and thought followed by a discussion of how those things influenced you.
8 The Oregon Surveyor | Vol. 47, No. 5 Featured Article SOME GEOMETRY PROBLEMS Dr. Richard L. Elgin, PS, PE Geometry problems are fundamental to surveying. They involve all aspects of the usual surveying calculation problem such as getting the “picture” of the problem in mind or sketched (somewhat to scale), understanding what is known and what is required, then applying algebra and trigonometry to reach a solution, then considering if the answer seems reasonable. Frequently, the solution requires unit conversions and an awareness of significant digits. Practicing solving geometry problems seems mundane today, but they are fundamental and should remain an important part of high school mathematics curricula. (IMO: If high schools taught more algebra, trigonometry, and geometry and less AP calculus, college students entering surveying and engineering programs would be much better served!) So, here are some geometry problems to challenge those entering or beginning the surveying profession. Handwritten solutions are provided herein. Dr. Richard L. Elgin, PS, PE is a surveying practitioner, educator, researcher, collector, and author. He authored the books “The U.S. Public Land Survey System for Missouri,” “Riparian Boundaries for Missouri,” and “Shoulda Played the Flute” (a memoir of his year flying helicopters in Vietnam). He co-authored the Lietz/ Sokkia ephemeris and co-developed the “ASTRO” celestial observation software products. He can be reached at elgin1682@gmail.com. 1. For the figure, compute its area to the nearest 0.01 square foot. Consider the dimensions given to be exact. Lines EF and AG are parallel and the same length. At C, line CE is tangent to the semicircle centered at D, with radius 15.00 feet. Angle FGA is exactly 90°. X is the radius point for circle sector FH. The radius is 15.37 feet. At H, line HG is tangent to the circle centered at X. 2. For the figure, compute its area to the nearest 0.01 square foot. Consider the dimensions given to be exact. Lines GA and ED are tangent to the circle centered at F. 3. For the figure, derive an equation for its area as a function of R and θ. That is: Area = f(R,θ). At X, the line is tangent to the circle. Reduce the equation to its simplest form. [To check your solution/equation, let θ be exactly 45° and R be exactly 100 feet. If your equation does not result in the area being 43,777.09 square feet, your derived equation is wrong.] Editor’s Note: Turn page 9 upside down to see solutions.
9 Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org Featured Article Give a Problem a Try Here:
By Pat Gaylord, PLS Lost The surveyor
11 continues This issue marks the first anniversary of my dad’s passing. Fred Gaylord, PLS 929, was my mentor, fishing and hunting partner, and of course, Dad. Several surveyors who attended his memorial encouraged me to publish the eulogy I shared that day. I was reluctant at first, but now seems an appropriate time. I have paraphrased to fit the space available. Fred was born and raised in Eagle Creek, Oregon, with his brother Roy (PLS 1815) and sister Barb. After leaving Eagle Creek, he attended OTI (now OIT) in Klamath Falls and earned a degree in highway engineering. He traveled much of the West while working as a surveyor for the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bonneville Power Administration. I think his favorite work was for the USGS. He spent several years field checking quadrangle mapping by hiking specified transects and checking obscured areas. This included many exciting adventures with ex-Vietnam helicopter pilots transiting to and from the job site each day. Accessing the Mogollon Rim of Arizona by horseback, he spent several very cold nights sleeping between two campfires to stay warm and collecting gear spread far and wide by obstinate horses. My parents met through mutual friends on a blind date while Dad was working for the USGS. During their courtship, my dad went through many rolls of dimes in the payphone at the local restaurant. Eventually the waitress began delivering his coffee straight to the phone booth. Mom and Dad were married June 11, 1966. Honoring Fred Gaylord, PLS 929 After Dad left BPA, my parents settled in Gaston, Oregon, where Dad worked for Washington County for a short time. They then spent the next 30 years in the Milwaukie area and moved to the Oregon Coast in 1997. As his mobility diminished, he loved spending days driving the Oregon Coast or simply watching the many types of wildlife that passed by their windows. He was a lot of things through the years —a surveyor, scuba diver, scout leader, photographer, cook, hunter, fisherman, golfer, volunteer, husband, father, and grandfather. He loved history, was a voracious reader, and loved talking with people. Fred had strong beliefs rooted in honesty and integrity and believed that people just needed to pull themselves up with their bootstraps and get over it. No matter what “it” was. For me, those last bits are really his legacy which I carry with me. I think my sons Mitch and Steve learned this from him as well. Fred loved high school wrestling and attended all my high school matches Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org The Lost Surveyor Photo by Tim Kent at the last PLSO Conference all three attended. Left to right are Pat, Roy, and Fred Gaylord.
continued 12 and then volunteered at the state wrestling tournament for 25 years after I graduated. Dad often had a far-fetched story for every situation. Often it was just believable enough that if you weren’t really paying attention you might fall for it, ever so briefly. Dad killed his biggest bull elk, a 6x7, while surveying on the Oregon Coast just outside of the city limits of Bay City about 1975. The full head and shoulder mount hung in our living room in Milwaukie for many years. Eventually the “story” of the elk expanded to include it getting stuck in the wall while running through the forest when the house was being built. They cut off the back half and built the house around him. Many young eyes opened wide in amazement at that one! Early in my life, my dad taught me everything he could about the outdoors. In the last few weeks of his life, he and I talked about many of those lessons, but the one that stood out to both of us was my first elk season when I was about 12 years old. Through a turn of events, we ended up separated and I was “lost” for many hours. Drawing from the many lessons he taught me I hiked nearly six miles, found my way to a road, hitchhiked for the first time (twice), visited with my first state police officer who left me on the side of the road (Dad was mad about that one), and we found each other just as darkness set in. As we recounted this trip, he told me, “I knew you were never lost, just temporarily misplaced. You knew what you needed to do.” He could be very matter of fact about life decisions, like when I needed to move out and pull up my own bootstraps. After a couple return trips from college, first finding my bed covered in things, then gone and moved to the garage, then the wall of the bedroom gone, I received a call one fall day saying, “Hey, there’s a good trailer for sale up here in Portland. I think you should look at it and buy it, so you have a place to live.” As his mobility diminished, the area around Dad’s chair became a thing of wonder. Somewhere between MacGyver and Inspector Gadget, he had everything he needed to solve any problem that arose. If I was fixing a plumbing problem, he could pull out a pipe wrench. Need a length of rope? Here’s 50 feet. Zip ties, map books, flashlights, dog treats, you name it, he had it within arm’s reach and plenty of advice to go with it. Fred Gaylord working for BPA, December 1968, with his beloved dog, Patches. Fred Gaylord surveying with APL1 robot on the Oregon Coast about 1994. Dad’s honesty, integrity, and “can do” attitude are what carried him and my mom through many years of his surveying career and their business. The loyalty and respect of his clients and his friends in the surveying community spoke to those three things he valued most. His very first client in 1970 attended his memorial. I think in a slightly romanticized way every property surveyor has a bit of immortality. The first time you set a corner, file a survey, or prepare a legal description, you’ve left a mark for others to follow and one for which you will be judged (good or bad) by your peers quite literally for the rest of time. Dad filed well over 500 surveys and plats in his lifetime in multiple counties throughout Oregon. His footsteps will be followed, his decisions judged, and he will be remembered forevermore because of it. As a public land corner restoration surveyor, a fellow surveyor in Clackamas County has reviewed a large body of my dad’s work. In that spirit, I would like to share a portion of an email I received from him. “I did not know your dad well, other than retracing his surveys on numerous occasions. His obituary mentioned that he had surveyed much of Clackamas County. That, he certainly did. When doing PLC histories, I am always amazed at how often your dad’s surveys come up. As you well know, we have relied upon his surveys to reestablish and to verify many corners throughout Clackamas County. I personally appreciate the integrity, thoroughness, and reliability of his surveys. It is quite apparent that he would refuse to cut corners or take short cuts, where others before him did. Instead, he would put much more work into his surveys, just to make sure he got it right. I am quite certain that many times he did extra work without compensation, just because of his high professional standards, to do it right the first time, regardless of costs. I consider your father to be a survey legend, that others and I should strive to follow. He will be greatly missed by all who know him and by all in the surveying community. Please take comfort in knowing that your father’s legend is well documented, and continues, each time someone retraces one of his surveys.” Dad would be extremely proud of that. As he told me just days before he died, “It was quite a life.” Good job Dad, it was. I consider your father to be a survey legend, that others and I should strive to follow. The Oregon Surveyor | Vol. 47, No. 5 The Lost Surveyor
13 Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org By Pat Gaylord, PLS Surveyors in the News Tuesday, July 6, 195 THE CAPITAL' JOITWAL, Salem, Oregon Page K SECTION III PRESTON'S MAP OF 1851, EARLIEST TERRITORIAL SURVEY Old Documents Add to DataAbout Survey Base county. Later the river the channel of the Rickreall near Eola and Brown's island, or what remains of it, is now in Marion county. Also shown on Preston's map are iiie liuir.lcU of Santiam and Syracuse, ferry landings on oppo lom nceuoies nearly twice as much "Burt's" improved solar compass. Contract price for these surveys ranged from $10 to $24 a mile tor a crew of eight men: two chain-metwo axemen and four assistants. ' Preston s map ol the Willamette valley is dated October 21, 1852. It is the earliest official survey of the region known to exist. Sa- - miles west of the meridian post. H thnn nhanrtnneH the Westward line toward the Pacific as impractical. Considerable local attraction was found to exist thrjughout the country, so much so thai the magnetic needle could not be depended upon in making surveys. This deficiency necessitated the use of black area on this map of 102 Cincinnati, later years ago as doca to become Eola. Then Cincinnati was ,on Rickreall creek and the stream debouched into Willamette near the western boundary nf what is now West Salem. The Willamette in those times flowed to the south of Brown's island, then in site sides of the Santiam river in the 1850s. Both of these pioneer villages disappeared decaues ago due to floods and channel changes in the Santiam river. By BEN MAXWELL A recent Capital Juuruai tui about establishment of base and meridian lines for Oregon territory by John B. Preston, surveyor general, June 4, 1H31, has been further amplified by documents supplied by A. D. Graham, Marion County surveyor. Miss Loretta Fisher, daughter of Hugh G. Fisher, late county surveyor, has deposited maps of territorial Oregon surveyed by Preston and correspondence 7 latiiw to bit early surveys with Phone 155 No. liberty Surveyor Graham. In a letter addressed to ! periors, October 20. 1851, Preston states that little was known about the topoeraphy of the Northwest between the Pacific ocean and the summit of the Cascades. He con tinues to say that after exploring the country north of the Columbia he determined to commence his It's Fix-Up Time at Wards f?( : FpFip 4lp!vji-- i - J ' "' survey of the meridian at the "upper mouth" of the Willamette and the base line miles south in order to avoid the Columbia river. Preston contracted with William KB.'. I ' " - t'Vf I Ives to survey the base lines and Willamette meridian north of the j. ' i 7TlM base line. A contract for survey ing south of the base line to the Umpciua country was awarded to James E. Freeman. West of Tuality plains the coun try became so exceedingly rough and heavily forested mat tves was i Ll able to carry his survey but 37 c nit sm. When John B. Preston became surveyor general for Oregon territory be authorized this survey of the valley established upon base and meridian lines fixed June 4, 1851. Then Ecla was Cincinnati and the vanished hamlet of Sanliim and Syracuse were ferry landings on opposite banks of the Santiam river. ' Sun Invest wt . i izwri7riami T For Insect Pests AnU. Rotchea, Btdburs or Mo.Kjul toea around tha houaa Fltiui nn PANDIT VISITS QUEEN KOUSE- - PAINT 1 SOVIET GENERAL DEAD MOSCOW OP) The Soviet army newspaper Red Star Tuesday an ml., s; ''"'tt In Washington By UNITED PRESS Nine persons lost their lives in accidents in Washington over the Fourth of July weekend but traffic accidents, usually the top killer, -- !lHWai.w' LONDON OB Mrs. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, president of the U.N. General Assembly, was re s or aoa uei on planta or birds. For Rk1 K;ultt QII II AII Sef Ftnt-Acti- DUIIAUI1 nounced the death of Triform Iv-- anovich Shevaldin, a ceived Tuesday by Queen Eliza beth II at Buckingham Palace. retired lieutenant general. M Drug, Qrwry Stares end Pet Sjyi accounted or but three of the deaths. h'ive persons drowned and one man was killed in a Mount Baker akiine mishap to account for the TRIM AND SHUTTER PAINT 219 Quart Gallon 7.55 Give your home a touch of color contrast with Wards Super Trim and Shutter Paint. Made of finest ingredients. Resists weather and fading stays bright and glossy. Choose from many beautiful colors. WARDS SUPPER HOUSE PAINT 499 5.09 Gal. In 5's Gal. Protects end beeufifies.your home for years. finest quality micronized pigments give smooth finish, extra-hig- h resistance to sun and weather. White and beautiful cplors. rest of the nine deaths. Airman 2.C. Ezra D. 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In a letter addressed to superiors, October 20, 1851, Preston states that little was known about the topography of the Northwest between the Pacific ocean and the summit of the Cascades. He continues to say that after exploring the country north of the Columbia he determined to commence his survey of the meridian at the “upper mouth” of the Willamette and the base line 7 ¾ miles south in order to avoid the Columbia river. Preston contracted with William Ives to survey the base lines and Willamette meridian north of the base line. A contract for surveying south of the base line to the Umpqua country was awarded to James E. Freeman. West of Tuality plains the country became so exceedingly rough and heavily forested that Ives was able to carry his survey but 37 miles west of the meridian post. He then abandoned the westward line toward the Pacific as impractical. Considerable local attraction was found to exist throughout the country, so much so that the magnetic needle could not be depended upon in making surveys. This deficiency necessitated the use of “Burt‘s” improved solar compass. Contract price for these surveys ranged from $10 to $24 continues Transcription for the caption for the upper left image in the news article: When John B. Preston became surveyor general for Oregon territory be authorized this survey of the valley established upon base and meridian lines fixed June 4, 1851. Then Eola was Cincinnati and the vanished hamlet of Santiam and Syracuse were ferry landings on opposite banks of the Santiam river.
14 The Oregon Surveyor | Vol. 47, No. 5 continued Renew your membership at plso.org to keep receiving The Oregon Surveyor and other member benefits. The 2023–2024 Membership Year Started July 1! plso.org a mile for a crew of eight men: two chainmen two axemen and four assistants. Preston’s map of the Willamette valley is dated October 21, 1852. It is the earliest official survey of the region known to exist. Salem occupies nearly twice as much black area on this map of 102 years ago as does Cincinnati, later to become Eola. Then Cincinnati was, on Rickreall creek and the stream debouched into Willamette near the western boundary of what is now West Salem. The Willamette in those times flowed to the south of Brown's island, then in Polk County. Later the river ursuped the channel of the Rickreall near Eola and Brown's island, or what remains of it, is now in Marion county. Also shown on Preston's map are the hamlets of Santiam and Syracuse, ferry landings on opposite sides of the Santiam river in the 1850s. Both of these pioneer villages disappeared decades ago due to floods and channel changes in the Santiam river. Surveyors in the News continued Advertise to Support Your Association! Contact us today! Ronnie Jacko | 503-445-2234 | ronnie@bigredm.com
15 Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org May 2024 Oregon Institute of Technology Alumni Workshop Recap B rian Portwood and the OIT team put together a wonderful presentation at the Oregon Institute of Technology Alumni Land Surveying Workshop in May. The featured speaker was the great Robert Dahl. The event was well attended and another Oregon surveying hero, Gary Nyhus, came out of the woods for the doings. Bob and Gary go back a long way in Lincoln County surveying history. I could not pass up the opportunity to snap a pic of these two living legends in the same room. Bob gave a wonderful presentation and kindly autographed two copies of the 2009 Manual which will be in the 2025 Annual conference silent auction. — Jason Foose, PLS 94582 Featured Article Robert Dahl signing books. Robert Dahl (left) and Gary Nyhus.
16 Header The Oregon Surveyor | Vol. 47, No. 5 Member Spotlight By Vanessa Salvia Joe Young’s path to becoming a land surveyor has been anything but typical. While growing up in Klamath Falls, Young was an athlete who wrestled, played football, and participated in track and field. Like many high school graduates, he initially had ambitions of playing college sports. However, after seeing friends return from college without much of an education to show for it, Young realized he needed to prioritize academics alongside athletics. Coming from a military family, Young was also considering joining the armed forces but wasn’t sure which branch to pursue or how to balance it with college. After high school, he took a year off to work at a local lumber mill and saved money while weighing his options. When the mill announced major layoffs, which included Young, it accelerated his decision-making process. “I had applied to Oregon Institute of Technology locally,” he explains. “They have a lot of respect in the engineering and surveying communities, with 100% job placement and salaries well above average. So, I was starting to lean towards college but still didn’t know how I would pay for it. And I still wanted to chase a military career somehow.” When he learned about an opportunity that would allow him to serve in the military while pursuing his degree, his decision was made. “Right here in Klamath Falls, we have an Air National Guard unit where you can be a reservist,” he says. “After technical training, you get the GI Bill which can pay for your education.” This perfect alignment of circumstances led Young to join the Air Force as a reservist and enroll at OIT. Joe Young, PLS 173RD Civil Engineer Squadron, Kingsley Field ANGB However, Young still hadn’t decided on a major. There are no other engineers or surveyors in his family, and in fact he is one of the first kids in his immediate family to attend college. His grandfather ran a successful excavation company, which helped lead Young to an interest in construction. “I enjoyed art and mapping from an early age, sketching and drawing out imaginary This photo was taken in 2004 with a disposable camera, near Del Loma in Northern California, while Joe was scribing bearing trees of new monuments set based off the re-surveys the year prior. Suspected fraudulent field notes from the late 1800s were confirmed as fake. Second year, but first-time unsupervised field crew chief, he says, so there may or may not be a few BTs in this remote area that were scribed vertically and not horizontally. maps,“ Young recalls. “I also liked the idea of creating something that would still be here 100 years from now and be able to look back and say I had a part in building that.” While he had considered engineering, he knew he wanted to work outdoors and not be tied to a computer all day. While browsing the course catalog, a pivotal moment occurred.
17 Header Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org Member Spotlight A 2024 training conducted with members of the 173 Civil Engineers explained how to operate a Robotic Total Station to quickly gather topographic details and locate aircraft pieces for accident reconstruction in the case of a catastrophic aircraft mishap or crash. “When they showed a picture of the land surveyor, he was standing outside next to a total station with a big old smile on his face,” he recalls. “And the civil engineer was sitting behind a computer with an engineer scale. I said, ‘that‘s it, I'm going to be a land surveyor, not a civil engineer.’” This decision launched Young into a field he previously knew little about. “Even in high school, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you what a land surveyor was or did,” he admits. After graduating from OIT in 2005, Young’s surveying career took off in multiple directions. He spent two years with the Bureau of Land Management as a student, conducting cadastral surveys in Northern California. “We marched all over Northern California looking to survey monuments that were allegedly set by the infamous Benson Syndicate, and in reality, probably never existed, but we had to still do the full in-depth investigations,” he says. Following graduation, Young joined a local engineering and surveying firm in Klamath Falls. “That’s when Oregon was really booming,” he remembers. “We did everything, every facet of surveying. It was a great place to be an LSIT and gain a ton of experience and be armed to pass the PLS (In California).” However, the economic downturn in 2009 forced Young to step away from land surveying temporarily. He transitioned to full-time orders with the Air National Guard, where he started as a jet engine mechanic before commissioning as an aircraft maintenance officer. Later, Young’s earlier decision-making came full circle when he had the opportunity to return to OIT and earn a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. “It‘s kind of funny,” he reflects. “In the beginning of life, I was like, ‘No way I want to be continues
18 Header The Oregon Surveyor | Vol. 47, No. 5 Member Spotlight continued This photo of a truck used at Klamath County Fairgrounds Tuff Truck competitions was taken from 2003 or 2004 with a disposable camera. At the time, PLSO (thanks to Sue Newsletter) sponsored Joe’s purchase of a 5-point racing harness and neck brace and endorsed the PLSO logo on the side of the truck. That year, Joe got a first-place finish (and a last place from a head-on crash into race obstacles but he did not break his neck in the process so was still a winner!). an engineer.’ And then almost 20 years later, I went back as an adult and got my engineering degree to round things out.” This additional education enabled Young to become a civil engineer officer in the Air Force. Today, he serves as the Base Civil Engineer for Kingsley Field, a role he compares to a federal Air Force version of a public works director. “My squadron is in charge of all facilities operations and upkeep, construction of new infrastructure, contingency training, emergency management, fire emergency services, and the sustainment and repair budget of all the facilities to keep an Air Force installation open for business,” Young explains. While his current position doesn‘t directly involve land surveying, Young‘s passion for the profession has never wavered. “Ever since I started surveying and even when I put it on the back burner for a while to do military service, I knew that someday I was going to return to being a land surveyor. That’s where my passion is, that‘s where my heart is.” With military retirement on the horizon, Young is taking steps to re-enter the surveying profession. He plans to apply for Oregon licensure within the next year and recently rejoined the PLSO as an active member. “I want to refresh all the skills and restart the professional development to get back on track,” he says. “So, when military retirement comes, I can rejoin the surveying ranks.” Ever since I started surveying and even when I put it on the back burner for a while to do military service, I knew that someday I was going to return to being a land surveyor. That's where my passion is, that's where my heart is.
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