PLSO The Oregon Surveyor Nov/Dec 2018

12 The Oregon Surveyor | Vol. 41, No. 6 Featured Article A Lucky Discovery Well there I was, working on a typical boundary job for a client in Beaverton earlier this year. As I’m sitting inside a thick bush digging for surveyor’s gold, the neighbor of my client comes up and says, “Hey, I’ve got something inside you might appreciate—come have a lookwhen you’re done with your work.” I assumed he had an old transit or something like that, but I was excited to see what it was none the less. I finished up, went over and rang his doorbell. He answered the door and then held up what appeared to be a short, weathered juniper post mounted on a lacquered stand. I could see the scrib- ing on the front of it: “106M”. He asks me, “You probably have an idea what this is, don’t you?” I knew it was likely a GLO corner and guessed correctly. As I was trying to think of what “106M” might stand for, he says, “It’s a State line marker from the South- east corner of Oregon.” Naturally, I was very impressed. This well-preserved monument had to be very old. And to stumble across it on a seemingly normal work day—awesome! Watt Family Donation Duane Watt was the neighbor’s name, I later found out. Duane told me about how his father had worked on a GLO crew in the 1930’s and had acquired the post during one of his surveys. He men- tioned that he had tried to contact the BLM about donating the post to a muse- um, but to no success. I was advised that if I had any surveyor friends that wanted to see it, I could send them over anytime. A couple of months went by and I start- ed to wonder if I shouldn’t help figure out a good home for the post. I decided that the best place for it would be in the care of the PLSO. Ultimately, I thought it could be put on display yearly at the conference for everyone to see and also be used to generate donations for the scholarship fund. Having come to this conclusion, I wrote Duane a kindly word- ed letter to explain my proposal, which also included the publishing of this arti- cle in the Oregon Surveyor . Duane and his family are excited to do- nate it to group that will truly appreciate it’s history! History of the Monument In 1867, surveyor and astronomer Dan- iel G. Major was contracted to survey and establish the boundary line between Oregon and Idaho. The following is his written summary of the lands surveyed, which was submitted to Joseph Wilson, Commissioner of the GLO: “Sir: I have the honor to submit the follow- ing report on the establishment, survey and marking of the Oregon and Idaho boundary line, included between the mouth of the Owyhee River and the 42nd parallel of latitude. The intersection of the boundary with the 42nd parallel being the point of most importance on this line, the larger portion of the astro- nomical observations was made at the 3rd station, for its determination. The next important series was made near the initial point. Running South on the boundary line, the first ten miles follows up the valley, crossing and re-crossing Snake River. It then ascends to rolling ridges and at 17 miles enters elevated basin on top of the Owyhee Mountains, passing through excellent grazing lands and crossing many quartz ledges, some of which gave evidence of rich ore, princi- pally silver. Near 31st mile post it makes an abrupt descent and traverses a bar- ren valley covered with gravel and quartz: When the Snake Indians become less hostile this region will prove a prosper- ous mining district. Timber and water are scarce in the immediate vicinity. At 47th mile the boundary enters Camp Lyons, placing most of the buildings in Oregon. Thence South over good grazing country at 59th mile cross Jordan River; the val- ley through which it flows contains some excellent land a considerable portion of which is under cultivation. Continuing South the line passes between paral- lel ridges and crossing high divide at 76 miles pass Camp Winthrop a mile East and then over a rocky and sparsely tim- bered country. The district between the The 106M Monument I decided that the best place for it would be in the care of the PLSO. By Andrew Miller, PLS, Lead Senior Surveyor – ODOT, Owner – Miller Land Surveying