PART ONE E.T. ABBOTT WAS A CIVIL ENGINEER AND SURVEYOR OFFICING OUT OF MINNEAPOLIS. HE WAS ACTIVE IN RAILROAD

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1 PART ONE INTRO E.T. ABBOTT WAS A CIVIL ENGINEER AND SURVEYOR OFFICING OUT OF MINNEAPOLIS. HE WAS ACTIVE IN RAILROAD ENGINEERING AND LAYOUT, MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING IN MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN AND SURVEYING. HIS SURVEY RECORDS ARE HELD BY EGAN, FIELD & NOWAK. MR. ABBOTT WAS REQUESTED BY THE MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO WRITE OUT HIS OLD TIME RECOLLECTIONS OF MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL FROM 1871 TO PARTS OF HIS RECOLLECTIONS OF 1929 ARE ALSO INCLUDED. THIS PAPER WAS TYPED BY CORINA BLOCH. THE VISUAL AIDS WERE PREAPARED AND ARE PRESENTED BY PETER DUGAN. FROM THE RECORDS OF EGAN, FIELD & NOWAK, THE MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THEIR CATALOG NO. P.2071, HERE ARE EXCERPTS FROM THOSE WRITINGS WHICH SHOW MR. ABBOTT LIVING LIFE HIGH, WIDE AND HANDSOME. 1

2 E.T. ABBOTT I WAS BORN AT HUDSON, OHIO ON AUGUST 29, IN A FEW MONTHS I WILL BE 90 YEARS OLD. THREE GENTS BESIDE MYSELF FITTED OUT A TEAM AND CAMPING OUTFIT NEAR OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN AND DROVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY HEADED FOR THE RED RIVER OF THE NORTH TO BEGIN LIFE AGAIN. ON AUGUST 11, 1871, WE ARRIVED AT ST. PAUL GOING INTO CAMP ON DAYTON S BLUFF. THERE WERE TWO HOTELS IN ST. PAUL. THE MERCHANTS AT THE CORNER OF THIRD AND JACKSON STREETS WHICH WAS THE BUSINESS AND POLITICAL HEADQUARTERS OF THE STATE. THE SWELL HOTEL BEING THE METROPOLITAN ON THE SITE NOW OCCUPIED BY THE MINNESOTA CLUB. ST. PAUL HAD A SMALL STREET CAR SYSTEM OPERATED IN SUMMER AND ALLOWED TO FREEZE UP IN WINTER USING HORSE DRAWN SLEIGHS AS SUBSTITUTES IN WINTER. I KNOW THE ABOVE TO BE SO IN THE WINTER OF ON AUGUST 11, 1871, ST. PAUL WAS THE WHOLE THING AS VERSUS MINNEAPOLIS. IT HAD BANKS, WHOLESALE BUSINESS, 2

3 ETC. AND MUCH MORE POP THAN MINNEAPOLIS. IT WAS ALSO THE TERMINUS OF THE ST. PAUL AND DULUTH R.R. AND THE ST. PAUL AND SIOUX CITY R.R., NEITHER OF THE ABOVE IN MINNEAPOLIS AT ALL. ALSO THE TERMINUS OF THE ST. PAUL AND PACIFIC (NOW GREAT NORTHERN.) HILL GRIGGS AND CO. (JAMES J. HILL), DEALERS IN COAL, WOOD, ETC, WERE IN ST. PAUL. ST. PAUL WAS THE HEAD OF NAVIGATION ON THE RIVER. I HAVE SEEN THE STEAMERS THREE DEEP AT THE ST. PAUL DOCK, ALIVE WITH PASSENGERS AND FREIGHT IN 1871, 1872 & THE NEXT DAY AFTER ARRIVING IN ST. PAUL, AUGUST 12, 1871, I WALKED OVER TO MINNEAPOLIS. THE TOWN LOOKED GOOD TO ME. I HADN T BEEN IN MINNEAPOLIS A FEW HOURS UNTIL I STRUCK A JOB AT $60 PER MONTH IN AN ABSTRACT OFFICE, WITH THE RESULT THAT I HAVE MADE MY LEGAL RESIDENCE IN MINNEAPOLIS FROM THAT DAY TO THIS. INCIDENTALLY, I HAD BEEN COUNTY SURVEYOR IN IOWA FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND ALSO HAD EXPERIENCE IN THE ABSTRACT BUSINESS IN IOWA. 3

4 AT MY ADVENT IN MINNEAPOLIS, AND THE SAME PRACTICALLY IN ST. PAUL, THERE WAS NOTHING BUT DIRT STREET, NO PAVEMENT, ALL PLANK SIDEWALKS, NO PERMANENT CURBS, NO BICYCLES, NO TELEPHONES AND NO AUTOS. THERE WAS A SMALL GAS PLANT AND I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST USERS, AT A PRICE OF ABOUT $4.50 PER THOUSAND FEET. ALL THE BUSINESS CENTER OF MINNEAPOLIS WAS IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY BETWEEN WASHINGTON AVENUE AND THE RIVER. DESHON HAD A LIVERY STABLE ON NICOLLET AVE., A SHORT DISTANCE FROM WASHINGTON AVENUE TOWARD THE RIVER AND EDDY AND SON HAD ANOTHER LIVERY STABLE ON NICOLLET BETWEEN WASHINGTON AVENUE AND THIRD STREET. AS TO THE HOTELS, THE NICOLLET WAS THE ONLY ONE OF ANY IMPORTANCE. AFTER THE SLUMP OF 1873, MINNEAPOLIS STARTED TO BOOM. FROM 1871 TO 1877, I HAD VARIOUS OCCUPATIONS. AMONG OTHERS WAS CASHIER IN A BANK IN WAUSAU, WISCONSIN FOR A 4

5 FEW MONTHS. ABOUT A YEAR AT ST. PAUL, AN EMPLOYEE IN AN ABSTRACT OFFICE. THE PANIC OF 1873 LASTING A COUPLE OF YEARS, SOUP KITCHENS ON WASHINGTON AVENUE, ETC. IN 1875, I WAS ASSISTANT ENGINEER ON THE SOUTHERN MINNESOTA R.R. AT LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN WORKING ON THE RIGHT-OF-WAY MAPS, ETC. IN 1877, I BECAME ASSISTANT ENGINEER TO ANDREW RINKER IN MINNEAPOLIS AT $60 A MONTH AND I WAS MIGHTY GLAD TO GET IT. IN MY EMPLOYMENT AS ASSISTANT CITY ENGINEER, I WAS PERMITTED TO DO PRIVATE WORK, SURVEYING LOTS, ETC. THE TIME CONSUMED ON SUCH WAS DEDUCTED FROM PAY BY THE CITY. THIS ARRANGEMENT LASTED UNTIL THE SPRING OF IN THE SPRING OF 1881 I WAS A LOCATING ENGINEER FOR THE OMAHA R.R. IN THE SPRING OF 1882 I WENT WITH THE CANADA PACIFIC UNTIL 1883 WHEN I RESIGNED. I WAS WELL TREATED BUT I D RATHER LIVE IN THE U.S. THAN WITH THE CANADIANS. THEIR WAYS ARE NOT MY WAYS. 5

6 I CAME BACK TO MINNEAPOLIS AND OPENED AN OFFICE FOR GENERAL ENGINEERING AND SURVEYING WORK. IN 1883 I MADE PLANS AND ESTIMATED COSTS FOR CITY WATER WORKS AT MENOMINIE, WISCONSIN. IN 1886 I WAS MADE SPECIAL ENGINEER FOR THE MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. LOUIS R.R. AND SENT ON A TRIP TO CHICAGO, KANSAS CITY, OMAHA AND INDIANAPOLIS TO GET EVIDENCE REGARDING STREET GRADES, OVERHEAD BRIDGES, ETC. FOR A CONTROVERSY WITH THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. IN 1886 I HAD CHARGE OF GRADING DOWN LOWRY BLUFF. MISTERS, WOODS AND LOVEJOY TOOK OUT 270,000 CUBIC YARDS OF EARTH AND PLACED IT ON THE FLAT ACROSS FROM CENTRAL PARK. THE BLUFF WAS LOWERED 50 FEET. IN 1888 I HAD A CONTRACT FOR A SEWER SYSTEM AT CHIPPEWA FALLS, WISCONSIN. INCIDENTALLY, IN MY CONTRACT WORK, I ALWAYS HAD PARTNERS. BUT I WAS ALWAYS IN FULL CHARGE. THE SEWER AND WATER WERE TO BE PLACED IN ROCK AND I HAD TO DYNAMITE THE TRENCH. MUD, WATER, ROCK, TIMBER SHEATING AND BRACING WOULD GO UP 50 FEET IN THE AIR. 6

7 THE SITE OF CHIPPEWA FALLS WAS ORIGINALLY FOREST. AT THE CENTER OF A STREET CROSSING WAS A BIG PINE STUMP. I PUT ONE DYNAMITE CARTRIDGE UNDER IT AND IT DIDN T EXPLODE. THEREFORE, I PUT TWO MORE CARTRIDGES UNDER IT AND THEY ALL WENT OFF WITH RESULTS. ON ONE OF THE CORNERS, A JEWISH GENTLEMAN HAD A TWO STORY WOODEN BUILDING. HE LIVED UPSTAIRS WITH A DELICATESSEN ON THE GROUND FLOOR AND A STAND ON THE SIDEWALK WITH FRUIT, CANDY, ETC. MY SAID STUMP STRUCK THIS BUILDING BETWEEN WINDOWS ON THE SECOND FLOOR. THEN IT CAME DOWN WRECKING HIS SIDEWALK STAND AND ALSO THE SIDEWALK. IT ALSO TOOK OFF THE WIRES FROM THE TELEGRAPH AND PHONE POLES. I ADMIT I WAS SCARED BUT IMMEDIATELY WENT OVER THERE. THE JEWISH GENTLEMAN CAME RUNNING OUT OF HIS STORE, PROMPTLY SAYING, THAT WON T DO! I WAS SO DELIGHTED TO KNOW THAT NO ONE WAS HURT, I CARED NOTHING ABOUT THE DAMAGE COSTS. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD THE GENTLEMAN TO MAKE OUT ALL VERSUS ME FOR YOUR DAMAGE AND BE SURE IT S ENOUGH TO 7

8 PUT YOU IN THE SAME SHAPE OR BETTER THAN YOUR PROPERTY WAS PRIOR TO THE BLAST. THIS, THE GENT DID. A FULL PIECE OF FOOLSCAP, NUMBER OF ORANGES, LEMONS, BANANAS, ETC. I LOOKED AT IT AND THE AMOUNT WAS ABOUT $15, AS I REMEMBER IT. I GAVE HIM A CHECK AND REPAIRED THE SIDEWALK TO THE ENTIRE SATISFACTION OF THE GENTLEMAN WHO WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO INFORM HIS NEIGHBORS WHAT A SQUARE FELLOW I WAS BY TREATING THE MATTER THE WAY I DID. FROM 1888 ON, I DID WORK IN THE OFFICE AS CIVIL ENGINEER AND MECHANICAL ENGINEER IN MINNEAPOLIS. ON FEBRUARY 27, 1891, WHILE I STILL HAD CHARGE OF THE ST. LOUIS PARK WORK, I WAS EATING BREAKFAST AT THE SHERMAN HOUSE IN CHICAGO, WHERE I HAD SOME BUSINESS. IN THE MORNING PAPER WERE STARING HEADLINES LUMBER EXCHANGE AT MINNEAPOLIS ENTIRELY DESTROYED BY FIRE. AT THE INSISTANCE OF THE HEAD OF THE ST. LOUIS PARK PROJECT, I HAD REMOVED MY OFFICE INTO SAID LUMBER EXCHANGE. I SAID TO MYSELF, SAID I, THAT S A GOOD APPETIZER FOR BREAKFAST! I WIRED MY HEAD MAN TO WIRE ME PARTICULARS OF THE FIRE TO 8

9 WHICH HE REPLIED IN A LACONIC TELEGRAM, NO PARTICULARS, TOTAL LOSS! I IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO MINNEAPOLIS. THE RESULT BY THAT FIRE WAS I HAD JUST WHAT I STOOD IN AND THAT WAS ALL. ALL MY INSTRUMENTS OF EVERY KIND, WHICH $3,000 WOULD NOT REPLACE, ALL MY VALUABLE ENGINEERING DATA WHICH I HAD BEEN ACCUMULATING FOR MANY YEARS, RESULTS OF SURVEYS I HAD MADE, ETC. ALL WENT UP IN SMOKE. MY COMPETITORS IN BUSINESS ALL CALLED ON ME OFFERING TO SUPPLY ME WITH MEN, INSTRUMENTS, ETC. TO THE EXTENT OF THEIR ABILITY. INCIDENTALLY, WE ALL EXCHANGED DATA AND NOTES WITH EACH OTHER. I HAD $1,000 INSURANCE. THE INSURANCE AGENT VOLUNTARILY CALLED ON ME WITH A CHECK FOR $1,000. THE PRESIDENT OF THE MINNEAPOLIS TRUST CO., SAMUEL HILL, SON-IN-LAW OF JAMES J. HILL, SAW ME PASSING AND INVITED ME IN SAYING, HOW ABOUT IT ABBOTT, IN THE CASE OF THE FIRE. I SAID, I HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO DO BUSINESS WITH BUT MY HEALTH! HE SAID TO ME, SIT DOWN AT THAT DESK, 9

10 WHICH I DID. HE THEN DREW DOWN A BANK NOTE SAYING, MAKE OUT A NOTE FOR WHAT YOU WANT TO PUT YOU ON YOUR FEET AGAIN AND THE CASHIER WILL CASH IT. I DIDN T SIGN ANY NOTE BUT GOT UP WITH TEARS IN MY EYES. ONLY SAYING, I DON T PROPOSE TO BE PUT OUT OF BUSINESS BY ANY SUCH LITTLE THING AS A FIRE! I HAD PREVIOUSLY SENT TO KEUFFEL AND ESSER, IN NEW YORK, A COUPLE OF TRANSITS FOR REPAIR. THEY EXPRESSED THEM BACK TO ME IN A FEW DAYS BEFORE I LEFT FOR CHICAGO AND THEY BURNED UP WITH THE REST. I ORDERED A NEW TRANSIT FROM K & E AND THEY SHIPPED THE NEW TRANSIT AND WAIVED THE REPAIRS ON THE BURNT ONES. THEY ALSO WAIVED THEIR STANDARD CASH ON DELIVERY REQUIREMENT. I SENT THEM A CHECK FOR $180 AND ALL MY THANKS FOR THEIR COURTESY. I, OF COURSE, HAD NOTIFIED THE ST. LOUIS PARK INTEREST THAT ALL THE DATA REGARDING THEIR PLATTING, WAS BURNED UP. I WAS MET BY REPLY, WELL, WHAT OF IT. PUT ON MORE MEN AND GET IT AGAIN. IF YOU WANT MONEY I WILL SEE YOU GET A 10

11 CHECK, ETC. BY THE WAY I WAS TREATED I CONCLUDED THAT A FIRE WAS NOT SUCH A BAD THING AFTER ALL. THE ORIGINAL CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS THE ORIGINAL PLAT OF MINNEAPOLIS WAS LAID OUT BY GOVERNOR W. R. MARSHALL (I KNEW THIS GENT) AS SURVEYOR. THERE WERE MANY SIGNERS TO SAID ORIGINAL PLAT AND SAME WAS ORIGINALLY A PART OF THE FORT SNELLING MILITARY RESERVATION. SAID PLAT APPROXIMATELY COVERED THE TERRITORY FROM THE RIVER BACK TO ABOUT SEVENTH STREET AND APPROXIMATELY FROM CEDAR AVENUE TO BASSETT S CREEK. APPROXIMATELY ALL LOTS CONTAINED A FULL QUARTER ACRE BEING 66 X 165 FEET WITH STREETS GENERALLY 80 FEET IN WIDTH, EXCEPT FOR WASHINGTON AVENUE BEING 100 FEET WIDE AND HENNEPIN AVENUE BEING 66 FEET WIDE AND 100 FEET WIDE. SAID HENNEPIN AVENUE BEING WHAT WAS KNOWN AS THE TERRITORITAL ROAD AND EXTENDED FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER NORTHWESTERLY THROUGH MINNEAPOLIS FOR A GREAT MANY MILES. INCIDENTALLY, THIS ROAD WAS LOCATED BEFORE 11

12 THE U.S. GOVERNMENT SURVEY WAS MADE. LOT CORNERS WERE INDICATED BY SURVEYOR MARSHALL TO BE WOODEN STAKES. IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES, UNDER CITY ENGINEER CORSON AND ANDREW RINKER, CITY ENGINEERS AND MYSELF, WHAT MIGHT BE CALLED A RESURVEY, WAS MADE AND A FEW IRON MONUMENTS WERE SET AT GOVERNING POINTS AND AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF CENTER LINES OF PRINCIPAL STREETS AND AVENUES. WE NOW TAKE LEAVE OF MR. ABBOTT S RECOLLECTIONS OF 1871 TO 1937 AND REVIEW PARTS OF HIS REPORT OF 1927 ON THE MINNEAPOLIS CITY RESURVEYS. PRIOR TO THE ABOVE TIME A FEW HAP-HAZARD SURVEYS HAD BEEN MADE WITH PRACTICALLY NOTHING TO GO FROM. AS BUILDING REALLY BEGAN ABOUT THE ABOVE TIME, IT WAS SEEN THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME DATA FROM WHICH TO CARRY OUT PERMANENT WORK. THEREFORE, A RESURVEY WAS MADE ESTABLISHING CENTER LINES OF THE STREETS IN THE TERRITORY BOUNDED BY SIXTH AVENUE NORTH, CEDAR AVENUE, THE RIVER AND SEVENTH STREET. 12

13 IRON MONUMENTS WERE PLANTED AT A FEW INTERSECTIONS AS BASE LINES. THIS RESURVEY EXTENDED OVER A PERIOD OF SOME THREE OR FOUR YEARS AND WAS MADE WITH GREAT ACCURACY. AS AN INCIDENT: THE ORIGINAL MEASUREMENTS WERE MADE WITH AN ENGLISH CHESTERMAN TAPE WHICH WAS NOT U.S. STANDARD. THE WRITER SENT A NEW PAINE STEEL TAPE, 66 FEET LONG, TO THE WAR DEPARTMENT AT WASHINGTON TO BE TESTED AND IT WAS RETURNED WITH A CERTIFICATE THAT AT A TEMPERATURE OF 62 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, THE TAPE WAS EXACTLY 66 FEET LONG. BY ORDER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, I PLANTED TWO STONE MONUMENTS ON THE SIDEWALK LINE ON NICOLLET AVENUE IN FRONT OF THE OLD CITY HALL WITH BRASS CAP TO PRESERVE THE ABOVE STANDARD LENGTH. BY THE NATURE OF THINGS, ALL OF THE ABOVE MONUMENTS, BY CONSTRUCTION OF SEWERS AND OTHER PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS, ETC., HAVE ALL BEEN DESTROYED AND THE ONLY THING LEFT AT THE DATE (BARRING NOTES THAT A FEW SURVEYORS HAVE OF LOCATION OF PERMANENT BUILDINGS 13

14 MADE BEFORE SAID DESTRUCTION) OF THIS IS THE PERMANENT CURBS AS SET BY THE CITY. I MADE THE ORIGINAL CITY ATLAS IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES (THE ATLAS OF 1887 COMPILED BY E.T. ABBOTT AND C.F. CHAPMAN), LONG SINCE OUT OF PRINT, WHICH IS THE ONLY ONE THAT SHOWS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HENNEPIN AND NICOLLET AVENUES CORRECTLY. ALL OF THE PRESENT ATLASES ARE WRONG AS THEY ALL SHOW THE INTERSECTION OF THE STREETS NORTH AND SOUTH OF HENNEPIN BEING IN THE CENTER OF HENNEPIN. WHEREAS THIS INTERSECTION IS ON THE WEST SIDE OF HENNEPIN AVENUE; AND WASHINGTON AVENUE EAST OF NICOLLET IS 100 FEET WIDE, WHILE WEST OF HENNEPIN IS 102 AND 98/100 FEET WIDE, THIRD STREET, ETC. EAST OF HENNEPIN IS 80 FEET WIDE WHILE WEST OF HENNEPIN IT IS 82 AND 45/100 FEET WIDE, SAME WITH FOURTH AND FIFTH STREETS. BY THIS ERROR IN PLATTING, NONE OF THE PRESENT ATLASES SHOW ACCURATELY WHERE THE GOVERNMENT LINES CROSS THE LOTS AND BLOCKS. 14

15 INCIDENTALLY, THE BLOCKS IN THE RESURVEY EAST OF NICOLLET ARE EXACTLY AT RIGHT ANGLES. WHILE WEST OF HENNEPIN AVENUE, ORIGINALLY PLATTED BY SURVEYORS OTHER THAN MARSHALL, THINGS ARE IN A BAD MESS. SOME OF THE BLOCKS RUNNING OVER RECORDED DISTANCES 4 TO 5 FEET. FIRST STREET NORTH, WEST OF HENNEPIN, INTERSECTS OKAY WITH FIRST STREET EAST OF HENNEPIN. BUT THE BLOCKS ON HENNEPIN SOUTHERLY OF WASHINGTON AVENUE HAVE A FRONTAGE OF 340 FEET. THE BLOCKS ON HENNEPIN AVENUE FROM FIRST STREET WERE PLATTED WITH A FRONTAGE OF 330 FEET (WITHOUT GOING INTO DETAILS.) THERE IS A 10 FOOT OFFSET IN FIRST STREET OF TEN FEET AT BASSETT S CREEK AND ABOUT A 20 FOOT OFFSET IN WASHINGTON AVENUE AT SAID CREEK. YOU CAN SEE IT RIDING UP ON WASHINGTON AVENUE ON STREET CARS. EXACTLY THE GROUND STATUS IN THIS MESS WAS COVERED BY THE RESURVEY. AND SO ENDS MR. ABBOTT S REPORT OF 1927, BRINGING US BACK TO HIS RECOLLECTIONS OF

16 ON MY ADVENT IN MINNEAPOLIS, 1871, THE ONLY WHAT MIGHT BE CALLED PERMANENT BUILDINGS WERE ALL BETWEEN SECOND STREET AND THE RIVER: PENCE OPERA HOUSE AND STORE BUILDINGS, ETC., BARRING THE NICOLLET HOUSE AND HODGE OPERA HOUSE AT THE CORNER OF WASHINGTON AND HENNEPIN. AT THE INTERSECTION OF NICOLLET AND HENNEPIN THE SMALL TRIANGLE WAS CALLED THE GOOSE PASTURE, A LITTLE PARK. IT WAS AFTERWARDS BUILT ON AS CITY HALL AND ALSO OCCUPIED BY THE MINNEAPOLIS TRIBUNE. AN AMUSING INCIDENT IN MY CAREER IN A RE-SURVEY MATTER. I MADE A SURVEY FOR A FIRM OF LARGE WOODEN MANUFACTURING CO. OF A BUILDING ABOUT 50 X 150 FEET. AFTER THE BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED A SUIT WAS COMMENCED VERSUS MY EMPLOYERS IN EJECTMENT SAYING THAT THE SURVEY WAS WRONG. IT WAS TRIED IN HENNEPIN COUNTY WITHOUT A JURY BEFORE JUDGE YOUNG. AFTER THE PLAINTIFFS RESTED TESTIMONY OF THEIR SURVEYORS, I WAS THE ONLY DEFENSE WITNESS AND IT WAS UP TO ME TO SHOW THAT MY 16

17 SURVEY WAS RIGHT. WITH THE PLAT BEFORE ME, I WAS EXPLAINING TO JUDGE YOUNG MY DEFENSE, NOT ONLY THAT BUT I WAS UNDOUBTEDLY ARGUING THE CASE AND I SAID, NOW, YOUR HONOR, IF THIS SURVEY ISN T RIGHT, THERE ISN T A BUILDING IN MINNEAPOLIS THAT STANDS RIGHT. ATTORNEY SHAW FOR THE PLAINTIFFS TOOK ME BY THE COLLAR SAYING, SHUT UP WHEN I TELL YOU TO! I SAID, I LL SHUT UP WHEN THE COURT TELLS ME TO. MY ATTORNEY, MCNAIR SAID, GO ON, ABBOTT. THEN ATTORNEY SHAW SAID, IF THIS WITNESS IS PERMITTED TO KEEP THIS UP I WILL WITHDRAW FROM THE CASE AND GO TO THE SUPREME COURT, RIGHT HERE! WITHOUT GOING INTO FURTHER DETAIL, I WON THE CASE. ALL OF THIS WAS DONE PRACTICALLY BEFORE THERE WAS ANY WHAT MIGHT BE CALLED PERMANENT BUILDINGS BUT MOSTLY WOODED RESIDENCES AND FOR BUSINESS NOTHING OVER TWO STORIES HIGH. ON MY ADVENT IN MINNEAPOLIS 1871, THE EAST SIDE OF THE RIVER WAS A TOWN OR CITY WITH OFFICERS, ETC AND MINNEAPOLIS ON THE WEST SIDE ANOTHER CITY. THE NEXT YEAR 17

18 (I THINK IT WAS 1872) ALL CONSOLIDATED AND MADE ONE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. THE FIRST SETTLEMENT WAS ST. ANTHONY, BEFORE THERE WAS ANY MINNEAPOLIS, IT WAS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE RIVER. MR. EASTMAN PAID ME SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR ENGINEERING WORK I DID FOR HIM, THE LAST ON NICOLLET ISLAND. I PLATTED EASTMAN S SECOND ADDITION TO MINNEAPOLIS. THE PLAT WAS DULY EXECUTED AND PROPERLY SIGNED BY EASTMAN, MERRIAM AND WILDER AND ALL READY FOR FILING IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS IN HENNEPIN COUNTY. I DON T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED, BUT I WAS IN ATTORNEY HUBACHER S OFFICE AND MR. EASTMAN WAS ALSO THERE. MR. EASTMAN SAYS TO ME, NOW THIS PLAT IS READY FOR RECORD, BUT I WANT A 12 FOOT ALLEY PUT IN THERE POINTING TO THE SAME ON THE PLAT. I SAID, I CAN T DO THAT, THE PLAT IS SIGNED AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY YOUR PARTNERS. I WILL BE COMMITTING A PENITENTARY OFFENSE. MR. EASTMAN SAYS, YOU KNOW I HAVE ALL TO SAY ABOUT THIS. I DECLINED TO DO WHAT HE WANTED. HE TOOK THE PLAT AND ASKED MY 18

19 FRIEND HUBACHER ABOUT IT. HUBACHER PROMPTLY SAID, WELL, IT WOULD BY THE WORST KIND OF FORGERY ON ABBOTT S PART. MR. EASTMAN SAYING, WHAT AM I TO DO? ONE OF MY PARTNERS IS IN EUROPE AND THE OTHER ONE DRUNK? I FINALLY SAID, NOW MR. EASTMAN, GIVE ME A WRITTEN ORDER AND I WILL PUT IN THAT ALLEY. IF I HAVE TO GO OVER THE ROAD, I WILL HAVE YOU FOR COMPANY. I GOT THE ORDER OK AND PUT IN THE ALLEY. I WAS THE ENGINEER FOR THE MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. LOUIS RAILROAD IN ELIMINATING THE GRADE CROSSINGS AT ABOUT THIRD AVENUE NORTH IN THE CITY OF MINHNEAPOLIS. THE R.R. WAS ACQUIRING ADDITIONAL RIGHT-OF-WAY. THERE WAS A BIG EMPTY BUILDING, WOODEN, ONE STORY, THAT HAD TO BE TORN DOWN ON SAID ADDITIONAL RIGHT-OF-WAY. AT LAST THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT NOTIFIED ME OK THAT I COULD DO IT. TAKING UP THE MATTER WITH MR. TRUESDALE, THE R.R. GENERAL MANAGER, I ASKED, WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT IT? THE BUILDING WAS ABOUT 150 FEET LONG BY 40 FEET WIDE. I SAID, THE GRADING CONTRACTOR WILL WRECK SAME AND CART OFF THE REMAINS FOR $125. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WOULD BE 19

20 CHEAPER THAN WE CAN ORGANIZE A CREW OF MEN. MR. TRUESDALE AGREED WITH ME AND GAVE ME ORDERS TO LET THE SAME TO THE CONTRACTOR. AS I WAS GOING DOWN STAIRS, I HAPPENED TO THINK OF A RATHER SIMILAR INSTANCE OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING IN NEW YORK. I ALSO KNEW THAT THERE WERE MANY SMALL RESIDENTS ADJACENT TO SAID BUILDING. SO WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING TO THE GENERAL MANAGER, I HAD PRINTED LARGE CARDS SAYING ANY ONE TAKING THIS BUILDING OR PART OF IT DOWN, CAN HAVE IT. I SENT A RODMAN UP THERE TO TACK THE CARDS ON SAID BUILDING AND ALSO TO CALL ON RESIDENTS, MOSTLY ITALIAN AND OTHER FOREIGNERS, AND I GUESS SOME SQUATTERS. I WARNED THE RODMAN TO TAKE NO MONEY FROM ANYBODY AND TO GIVE NO ONE SPECIAL PRIVILIGES. IT WAS A GOOD MAN I SENT. AS SOON AS RESIDENTS FOUND THEY COULD HAVE SAID BUILDING, WOW, THEY WERE ON HAND WITH AXES, SAWS AND WHAT NOT. THERE WERE MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN. SERVICES STARTED ABOUT NOON AND SAID BUILDING BEGAN TO 20

21 DISAPPEAR. THERE WAS A GOOD NATURED CROWD OF OBSERVERS AND TWO POLICEMEN TO SETTLE CONTROVERSIES BETWEEN DIFFERENT CLAIMANTS. I STROLLED DOWN INCOGNITO IN THE P.M. AND CASUALLY ASKED A POLICEMAN, WHO WAS DOING IT? THE OFFICER SAID, I WISH I KNEW. I WOULD LOCK HIM UP. THEN THE TELEPHONE AT MY GENERAL OFFICE GOT BUSY WITH A PHONE CALL FROM TRUESDALE ASKING, WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON THERE? I CALLED ON MR. TRUESDALE AND WE HAD A GOOD LAUGH BY SAYING, WELL, WE HAVE GOT PRACTICALLY RID OF THAT BUILDING WITHOUT COSTING THE R.R. A CENT. THEY ARE STILL WORKING AT IT AND WILL PROBABLY BE ALL NIGHT. I WAS COMPLEMENTED ON MY SCHEME WHICH WAS A SUCCESS. ABOUT 1898 OR 1899, MY ADVENT INTO THE DULUTH AND IRON RANGE RAILROAD, THE COMPANY HAD A LAND GRANT BY WHICH THEY WERE TO CONSTRUCT A R.R. BY THE SHORTEST AND MOST FEASIBLE ROUTE FROM THE MESABI RANGE TO DULUTH. WHAT THEY DID DO WAS TO MAKE THEIR TERMINUS AT TWO HARBORS INSTEAD OF DULUTH. ONE R.G. DUNN, LIVING I BELIEVE 21

22 IN PRINCETON, GOT THE LEGISLATURE TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATION TO HAVE A SURVEY MADE TO PROVE THAT SAID COMPANY HAD NOT COMPLIED WITH THEIR OBLIGATIONS AND THAT SAID LAND GRANT SHOULD BE FORFEITED. SUIT WAS COMMENCED THEREWITH. AN ENGINEER, A MR. ARMSTRONG (JOHN ARMSTRONG) WHO WAS THEN, THE COUNTY SURVEYOR OF RAMSEY COUNTY I BELIEVE, RAN SAID LINE. AT MY ADVENT SAID LINE HAD BEEN RUN IN THE WINTER. MY OLD FRIEND, ROBERT ANGST, WAS CHIEF ENGINEER OF SAID D AND I R.R. AND A MR. GREAT SINGER, THE GENERAL MANAGER, WITH MISTERS DAVIS, KELLOGG AND SEVERANCE ATTORNEYS FOR SAID R.R FOR THE DEFENSE (CUSHKIN K. DAVIS, EX-SENATOR; FRANK B. KELLOGG, EX-MINISTER TO ENGLAND AND MR SEVERANCE.) THROUGH MR, KELLOGG, STILL LIVING IN ST. PAUL, I WAS EMPLOYED TO GO OVER AND REPORT ON SAID ARMSTRONG LINE, WHICH I DID AND THAT IN SUMMER. OF COURSE I WAS ON THE DEFENSE OF SAID CASE. THROUGH COURTESY OF FRIEND ANGST, I GOT FOUR MEN WHO WERE MORE OR LESS FAMILIAR WITH THE COUNTRY. TWO OF WHOM HAD BEEN OVER A PORTION OF THE ARMSTRONG LINE. 22

23 OF COURSE, SAID ARMSTRONG LINE WAS STAKED OUT WITH A MARKED STAKED EVERY HUNDRED FEET, THE ORDINARY WAY R.R. LINES ARE RUN. MORE OR LESS OF SAID LINE WAS THROUGH SWAMPS. WE WENT THROUGH ONE SWAMP ABOUT A MILE LONG WHERE MUD AND WATER WAS UP TO OUR KNEES! I REMEMBER IT TOOK US ALL DAY TO GET THROUGH THAT ONE SWAMP. ANOTHER INCIDENT, I TRACED THE LINE WHERE IT RAN BUMP INTO A ROCK LEDGE ABOUT FIFTY FEET HIGH. I HAD THE ARMSTRONG MAP OF HIS LINE AND PROFILE AND HIS NOTES DIDN T SHOW THE FACT OF HIS HITTING THIS ROCK BLUFF AT ALL! WELL, WHAT DID HE DO? AFTER A GOOD DEAL OF SKIRMISHING, I FOUND WHEN HE HIT THE BLUFF, HE OFFSET FIVE OR SIX HUNDRED FEET AND THAT MISSED THE BLUFF. HE THEN TURNED AN ANGLE AND GOT BACK TO THE EXTENSION OF THE ORIGINAL LINE IN ABOUT A THOUSAND FEET, CALCULATING THE DISTANCE, BUT NEVER STAKED SAME ON THE GROUND! I PROVED IT AND MR. ARMSTRONG HAD TO ADMIT IT AT THE TRIAL! I THOUGHT THIS IMPORTANT AS DID MR. KELLOGG. INCIDENTALLY, MR. ARMSTRONG BY HIS NOTES, HIS PROFILE SHOWED THE GROUND 23

24 ALONG THE HYPOTENUSE, WHICH HE NEVER RAN. I ALSO SUCCEEDED IN PROVING THAT WHAT HE SHOWED ON HIS PROFILE WAS DEAD WRONG IN GETTING INTO THE NORTHERLY PART OF DULUTH, AND THAT HIS LINE COULD NOT BE CONSTRUCTED AS HE SHOWED IT! WE ALSO SUCCEEDED IN PROVING THAT AT THE DATE OF THE D AND I CONSTRUCTION, IT WOULD BE A PHYSICAL IMPOSSIBILITY TO GET INTO THE CITY OF DULUTH, WHICH WAS THE REASON THE TERMINUS WAS MADE AT TWO HARBORS. INCIDENTALLY, THE COURT AGREED WITH US AND WE WON THE SUIT AND THE D AND I RETAINED THEIR LAND GRANT. AMUSING INCIDENT. WE HAD A MIGHTY TOUGH TRIP, ABOUT SEVENTY MILES. WE GOT INTO DULUTH AND I SAID, NOW BOYS, WE WILL HAVE A SQUARE MEAL. ALL OF YOU SHOW UP AT SPALDING AT ONE PM. ONE OF THE MEN SAID, NOW YOU WANT TO GO TO A HIGH TONED PLACE, ETC. AND OBJECTED. I SAID, MIKE, IF YOU DON T SHOW UP I WON T PAY YOU, WE GOT A GREAT SPECIAL BANQUET, PRIVATE ROOM, ROAST TURKEY, 24

25 COCKTAILS, ETC., AND MAKE NO MISTAKE, AT THE EXPENSE OF THE D AND I R.R. COMPANY. UNDER DATE NOVEMBER 9, 1926, OFFICE SECRETARY OF STATE: DEAR MR. ABBOTT (WITH A PICTURE OF MY PARTY) THIS PICTURE BRINGS BACK MEMORIES OF THE MOST INTERESTING PERIOD OF MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE AND THE SPLENDID WORK YOU DID FOR US IN THE LAND GRANT AND ORE RATE CASE. SIGNED: FRANK B. KELLOGG I THINK I HAVE A RIGHT TO BE PROUD OF THE TESTIMONIAL FROM THAT PRINCE OF MEN, FRANK KELLOGG. 25

26 PART TWO RETRACEMENT SURVEYS IN RECORD PLATS THE DUTY OF THE REPLACEMENT SURVEYOR IS TO PLACE THE LOT LINES AND MONUMENTS WHERE THE ORIGINATING SURVEYOR PLACED THEM, OR AS CLOSE TO THAT POSITION AS THE EVIDENCE ALLOWS. THE COURTS HAVE HELD THAT THE FIELD NOTES ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE PLAT, AS THE PLAT IS MADE FROM THE FIELD NOTES. WHICH ARE A DIRECT RECORD OF WHAT THE RETRACEMENT SURVEYOR FOUND AND SET. THE SURVEY RECORDS OF EGAN, FIELD AND NOWAK, INC., FROM THEIR ADVENT IN 1872 TO TODAY, ARE A HISTORY OF SURVEYING IN MANY TOWN AND SUBDIVISION PLATS FROM THEIR ORIGINATION AND FILING THROUGH RETRACEMENT SURVEYS IN THOSE PLATS TO TODAY. FROM THIS HISTORICAL EVIDENCE, WE CAN RETRACE SURVEYS IN THOSE SUBDIVISION PLATS WITH MORE CERTAINTY THAN ALLOWED BY PRESENT FIELD EVIDENCE ALONE. RETRACEMENT SURVEYING IS NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT EVIDENCE IS FOUND ON THE GROUND TODAY, BUT WHAT WAS 26

27 ORIGINALLY SET AND HOW IT HAS BEEN RETRACED BY SURVEYORS TO THE PRESENT TIME. WE WILL LOOK AT SOME RETRACEMENT SURVEYS IN RECORD PLATS OF THE EARLIEST SURVEYORS IN EGAN, FIELD AND NOWAK S RECORDS, ALONG WITH THEIR ADVENT INTO SURVEYING. S.H. BAKER 1872 NUTTER AND PLUMMER 1880 STRAW AND LYTE 1883 E.T. ABBOTT 1883 JAMES E. EGAN 1884 THESE GENTLEMEN WILL ALL BE REPRESENTED. WE WILL DISCUSS RECORD PLATS, MAPS AND ATLASES AS REFERENCE DOCUMENTS AND SURVEY CONTROL AND FINALLY, RETRACEMENT SURVEYS AS SHOWN THROUGH FIELD BOOKS. 27

28 TOWN PLATS AND SUBDIVISION PLATS AS REFERENCE DOCUMENTS PLATS WERE RECORDED AT THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OFFICE WHERE THEY COULD BE VIEWED OR COPIED. THE REGISTER COULD PROVIDE OFFICIAL HAND DRAWN COPIES. THE ORIGINATING SURVEYOR WOULD KEEP A COPY IN HIS JOB FILE FOR HIMSELF. THE FILES AT EGAN, FIELD & NOWAK HAVE OFFICIAL COPIES OF PLATS AND ALSO SKETCHES RANGING FROM DETAILED TO LOOSE, ALL DRAWN BY HAND. THE TOWN OF ST. ANTHONY WAS PLATTED IN THE TOWN OF MINNEAPOLIS WAS PLATTED IN 1855 BY WILLIAM MARSHALL. E.T. ABBOTT KNEW MR. MARSHALL AND STATED THAT HE SAID HE SET LOT CORNERS WITH WOODEN STAKES. THAT PLAT WAS REVISED IN 1856 BY ORDER OF THE PROBATE COURT. HERMAN C. SMITH, SURVEYOR, STATED HE REVISED THE LOT ARRANGEMENTS IN TEN BLOCKS. C.B. CHAPMAN, SURVEYOR, STATED THAT THE PART OF THE MAP EAST OF CEDAR AND SOUTH OF WASHINGTON STREETS IS A TRUE PLAT OF A SURVEY BY HIM. 28

29 BY TODAYS STANDARDS THE INFORMATION ON THE PLAT WAS MINIMAL. BUT IT GOT THE JOB DONE. 29

30 ATLASES AS SURVEY REFERENCE DOCUMENTS THERE WERE NO SECTION MAPS OR HALF SECTION MAPPING AT THAT TIME. ATLASES SERVED THAT PURPOSE FOR PLATTED PROPERTIES WHERE ADJOINED PLATS WERE SHOWN IN GOOD DETAIL. DAVISON S ATLAS OF THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS, 1887, WAS COMPILED BY ABBOTT AND CHAPMAN. E.T. ABBOTT OPENED AN OFFICE IN THE ATLAS SHOWED STREETS, BLOCKS AND LOTS WITH DIMENSIONS. EACH PAGE CONTAINED A SECTION. RAILROADS WERE SHOWN AS WELL AS WATERWAYS. THE PERIMETER OF EACH PLAT WAS DEFINED BY A HEAVY RED LINE. THE 1903 ATLAS OF THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS WAS PUBLISHED BY THE MINNEAPOLIS REAL ESTATE BOARD FROM OFFICIAL RECORDS UNDER THE DIRECTION AND SUPERVISION OF JAMES E. EGAN, CIVIL ENGINEER, AND THE FOUNDER OF WHAT BECAME EGAN, FIELD AND NOWAK. THE ATLAS HAD ALL THE INFORMATION OF THE 1887 ATLAS AND IT SHOWED STRUCTURES ON THE LOTS, COLOR CODED FOR STONE, BRICK OR FRAME CONSTRUCTION. THE SCALE USED WAS 1 =200. STREET 30

31 RAILWAYS, RAILROADS, TUNNELS AND WATERMAINS WERE SHOWN. THE AREA INCLUDED WAS LARGER AND IN MORE DETAIL THAN THE ATLAS OF ONE WONDERS IN VIEWING THE ATLAS OF 1903, HOW DID THEY DETERMINE THE SHAPE OF THE STRUCTURES AND LOCATE THEM ON THE LOTS? WAS THAT INFORMATION INCLUDED IN BUILDING PERMITS OR WERE THEY LOCATED ON THE GROUND? 31

32 SURVEY CONTROL SURVEY MARKS PRIOR TO 1904 MARKS AND MONUMENTS SET BY PREVIOUS SURVEYORS WERE USUALLY WOOD STAKES OR HUBS: OAK, PINE OR RED CEDAR. STONE POSTS, IRON BARS OR PINS, BOAT SPIKES OR BOLTS AND LATER GAS PIPES WERE USED BUT THE BULK OF THE SURVEY MARKERS WERE WOOD. RETRACEMENT SURVEYORS WOULD FIND TRACES OF THE SURVEY MARKERS WHEN THEY DECAYED OR RUSTED OUT. SOMETIMES CASTS REMAINED IN THE SOIL. CROW FOOT MARKS WERE PLACED ON WALLS AND FENCES. NAILS WERE SET IN PATTERNS OF FIVE ON WOODEN SIDEWALKS, FENCES AND WALLS. IN SOME CASES A HUB WOULD BE CENTERED WITH A MARK OR NAIL AND THOSE HUBS WERE HELD AS BETTER EVIDENCE THAN THOSE WITHOUT CENTERING. 32

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

34 MOORE AND CASES ADDITION, MR. ABBOTT NOTED THAT ALL THE OLD CENTERS NORTH OF PLYMOUTH AVENUE SEEM TO BE GONE. THE CITY ARCHIVES HAVE SOME MAPS OF THE RESURVEY AREA BUT THE RESURVEY EXTENDED BEYONG THOSE MAPS. PRIVATE SURVEYORS WOULD WORK WITH TIES TO THE CITY CENTER AND EXPAND ON THE AREA OF CENTER USE. IRONS OR HUBS WERE COMMON MONUMENTS. MOST SURVEYORS KEPT MONUMENT BOOKS ON THE CENTERS WHERE THEY MAINTAINED RECORDS ON THE CENTERS. 34

35 CITY STREET IMPROVEMENTS AS MONUMENTS THE MINNEAPOLIS STREET ORDINANCE WAS PUBLISHED ON APRIL 1, IT GAVE THE WIDTH IN FEET OF THE STREETS, THE ROADWAY, THE SIDEWALKS AND THE BOULEVARD NEXT TO THE ROADWAY AND NEXT TO THE LOT. THE INFORMATION WAS COMPILED AS STREETS WERE OPENED OR CONSTRUCTED AND WAS AVAILABLE TO SURVEYORS AT THE ENGINEERS OFFICE, PRIOR TO THE CITY ENGINEERS OFFICE AND THE PARK DEPARTMENT WERE ACTIVE IN SURVEYING THEIR INTERESTS. MANY FIELD BOOKS HAVE REFERENCES TO MONUMENTS AND TIES TO MONUMENTS SET BY THE CITY OR THE PARK DEPARTMENT. CURBS AND SIDEWALKS WERE USED BY THE SURVEYORS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE TO ESTABLISH THE LINES OF THE BLOCK. THE STREET ORDINANCE WAS A LISTING OF WHAT THE CITY WAS CLAIMING AS ITS RIGHT-OF-WAY, A LISTING OF THEIR LINES OF OCCUPATION. AS THE STREET CENTER SYSTEM DECLINED IN USE FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF THE STREET CENTERS, THE MONUMENTS 35

36 CITED IN THE STREET ORDINANCE, WHICH WERE PERMANENT, BECAME A MAJOR SURVEY CONTROL FOR SURVEYORS. 36

37 LINES OF OCCUPATION WOODEN STAKES AND HUBS WERE SHORT TERM DESIGNATORS OF PROPERTY LINES. THE LAND OWNER WAS EXPECTED TO MARK THE LIMITS OF WHAT WAS CLAIMED AND USUALLY DID SO. BRICK AND STONE STRUCTURES WERE HELD AS STRONG EVIDENCE OF WHAT WAS CLAIMED AS WERE PERMANNENT FENCED AND RETAINING WALLS. PARTY WALLS ARE STRONG EVIDENCE OF A LOT LINE AGREED TO BY ADJOINING PARTIES AND USED AS DIVIDING LINES BETWEEN TWO PROPERTIES. THE TENEMENTS NOTED IN EASTMAN S SECOND ADDITION TO MINNEAPOLIS (1887), SURVEYED BY E.T. ABBOTT, ARE EXCELLENT EXAMPLES OF PARTY WALLS, VARYING FROM 16 TO 22 FEET IN WIDTH AND SHOWN VERY CLEARLY ON THE ATLAS OF THE COURTS HAVE OFTEN HELD LINES OF OCCUPATION AS BETTER EVIDENCE OF THE PROPERTY LINES THAN SURVEY MARKS. 37

38 FIELD NOTES SHOWING RETRACEMENT SURVEYS FIELD NOTES WERE USUALLY KEPT IN FIELD BOOKS. THE RETRACEMENT SURVEYS WE WILL LOOK AT WILL PRESENT THE FORM OF THE FIELD NOTATION AS IT EVOLVED. THE NARRATION WAS USUALLY ON THE LEFT AND THE SKETCH ON THE RIGHT. AS A STANDARD, THE NAME OF THE CLIENT, THE DATE, A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OR LOCATION AND OFTEN THE SURVEY CREW IS NOTED. LATER THE WEATHER WAS ADDED. THE FORM BEGAN WITH NARRATION ALONE, THEN TO NARRATION WITH A SKETCH, THEN TO A SKETCH WITH SURVEY POINTS NUMBERED AND THE NUMBERS ANOTATED AND LASTLY A SKETCH WITH SYMBOLS SHOWING THE SURVEY POINTS WITH MINIMAL ANOTATION ON THE SKETCH. THE CONTENT OF THE FIELD NOTES SHOWS WHERE THE RESURVEY WAS DONE, WHAT SURVEY CONTROL WAS FOUND AND/OR USED, WHAT SURVEY MARKS WERE FOUND OR SET AND HOW THE SURVEY WAS PERFORMED. THESE EIGHT EXAMPLES WILL ALSO NOTE THE TIME INTERVAL BETWEEN THE ORIGINATING AND THE RETRACEMENT SURVEY. 38

39 RETRACEMENT SURVEY OF ENTIRE PLAT NARRATIVE FORM OF FIELD NOTES THE PLAT OF KAVANAGH AND SCHULZES ADDITION TO CENTER CITY IN CHISAGO COUNTY WAS SURVEYED BY GATES JOHNSON, JR. AND FILED ON AUGUST 21, THE RETRACEMENT WAS DONE BY FRANK NUTTER IN APRIL AND JULY OF 1900, A 12 YEAR INTERVAL. THE CONTROL FOR THE SURVEY IS THE REMAINING ORIGINAL AND REPLACEMENT HUBS AND STAKES FOUND ON THE GROUND, THE FIELD NOTES ARE IN NARRATIVE FORM AND THERE IS NO SKETCH. THE NARRATION, THE EARLIEST FORM OF FIELD NOTES BEGINS AS FOLLOWS: FOUND OLD STAKES REPLACED US IN APRIL 1900 AT THE SE AND SW CORNERS OF BLOCK 5 AND ALSO THE SE CORNER OF LOTS 14 AND 15 OF THE SAME BLOCK WHICH ALL OF THE STAKES ON THE SOUTH LINE WERE. REPLACED (SURPLUS OF 32 IN LENGTH OF BLOCK.) FOUND OLD HUBS AT THE NE AND NW CORNERS OF LOT 27, BLOCK 6 AND THE NW CORNERS OF LOT 27, BLOCK 6 AND THE NW CORNER OF BLOCK 7. THE 39

40

41 NOTES CONTINUE FOR 8 PAGES STATING WHAT WAS FOUND, WHAT SET AND WHAT CONTROL WAS USED. 40

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

43

44 STREET AND FROM IT, I GET LOTS 9, 10, 14 AND 15, BLOCK 6. THE NW CORNER OF LOT 11, BLOCK 7 IS A POINT ON THE LINE COMMON TO LOTS 7 AND 8 IN SAID BLOCK. EXTENDING THAT LINE ACROSS WATER STREET IT BECOMES THE LINE COMMON TO LOTS 8 AND 9, BLOCK 6. NUMBERS ARE SHOWN ON THE SKETCH FOR ALL THE SURVEY MARKS TO BE SET EXCEPT WHERE THE RIVER MEETS THE NORTHERLY LINE OF LOT 15, WHICH PROBABLY WASN T SET. THIS IS ONE TOUGH SURVEY AND AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE EARLY RETRACEMENT SURVEYORS HAD TO DEAL WITH AND THEIR RESOURCEFULLNESS IN COPING WITH THE PROBLEMS. 42

45

46 FOUND MONUMENTS, POINTS NUMBERED THE PLAT OF RAMSEY, LOCKWOOD AND OTHERS ADDITION TO ST. ANTHONY WAS SURVEYED BY EMERSON AND CASE, CIVIL ENGINEERS AND SURVEYORS, AND FILED IN SEPTEMBER OF LOT 25, BLOCK 5 IN SAID PLAT WAS RETRACED BY S.H. BAKER ON MAY 2, 1876, A 21 YEAR INTERVAL. THE FORM OF THE FIELD NOTES WAS A SKETCH ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE WITH THE SURVEY POINTS NUMBERED. ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE THE NUMBERS ARE DEFINED. THE SURVEY CONTROL MR. BAKER FOUND WAS: POINT ONE: POINT TWO: THE SW CORNERS OF BLOCK 6, IN SAID PLAT A POINT ON THE E. SIDE OF TYLER STREET, ON THE W. LINE OF BLOCK3 IN SAID PLAT AND ALSO ON THE HILL POINT THREE: POINT 68.7 FT FROM POINT 1 POINT FOUR: A POINT FEET FROM POINT 3 FROM THAT CONTROL, MR. BAKER TURNED RIGHT ANGLES FROM POINTS 3 AND 4 AND SET THE EAST AND WEST CORNERS OF LOT 25, BLOCK 5, ACROSS THE STREET. 43

47 THERE IS NO NOTATION FOR SURVEY MARKS OR LINES OF OCCUPATION IN BLOCK 5. 44

48 CENTERS - 1 THE CENTER OF STREET INTERSECTIONS WERE REFERRED TO AS CENTERS THE PLAT OF MINNEAPOLIS WAS SURVEYED BY W.R. MARSHALL AND FILED IN THE PLAT OF MORRISON, SMITH AND HANCOCKS ADDITION TO MINNEAPOLIS WAS SURVEYED BY H. CLAYTON SMITH AND FILED IN 1856 LOTS AT THE CORNER OF 5 TH STREET AND NINTH AVENUE SOUTH, LOT 10, BLOCK 103 MINNEAPOLIS AND LOTS ON 10 TH AVENUE SOUTH, LOTS 1 AND 12, BLOCK 119. MORRISON SMITH AND HANCOCKS ADDITION WERE RETRACED BY E.T ABBOTT ON MAY 12, 1883, A 27 YEAR INTERVAL. THE FORM OF THE FIELD NOTES SHOWS A SKETCH ON THE RIGHT WITH THE CONTROL (STREET CENTERS) SHOWN AND ALSO WHAT MR. ABBOTT SET. MR. ABBOT WORKED FROM FOUND CENTERS ON 9 TH AVENUE SOUTH AT 4 TH AND 7 TH STREETS AND SET NEW CENTERS ON 9 TH AVENUE AT 6 TH AND 5 TH STREETS. HE DID THE SAME ON 10 TH AVENUE SOUTH. WHERE NECESSARY, HE EXTENDED THE 45

49

50 CENTERLINES OF 5 TH AND 6 TH STREET TOWARDS 11 TH AVENUE SOUTH. HE MEASURED BETWEEN THE NEW CENTERS AROUND BLOCK 103 AND SET THE CORNERS FOR LOT 10, LESS AN ALLEY, AND SUBDIVIDED THAT LOT. MR. ABBOTT SET THE 4 CORNERS OF LOTS 1 AND 12 IN SAID BLOCK 119 FROM THE NEW CENTERS HE SET ON 10 TH AVENUE SOUTH AND THE EXTENSIONS OF 5 TH AND 6 TH STREETS WESTERLY. HE PLACED STAKES OR HUBS. THE SKETCH CLEARLY SHOWS HIS CONTROL, WHAT HE SET AND HOW HE SET IT. THE SURVEY IS FROM MR. ABBOTTS BOOK 6, THE ONLY FIELD BOOK SAVED FROM THE FIRE OF 1891 WHICH TOOK OUT HIS OFFICE. NOTE THE IRON PINS OR STONES AT THE FOUND CENTERS. 46

51 CENTERS - 2 THE TOWN OF ST. ANTHONY WAS SURVEYED BY WILLIAM MARSHALL AND FILED IN LOT 12 BLOCK 13 IN SAID PLAT WAS RETRACED BY JAMES EGAN IN MAY OF 1890, A 41 YEAR INTERVAL. ME. EGAN USED EXISTING CENTERS ON THE NORTHWERTERLY AND WESTERLY SIDE OF BLOCK 13 FOR CONTROL. HE DETERMINED THE ANGLE AT THE NW CORNER OF THE BLOCK TO BE HE MEASURED THE DISTANCE ON THE CENTERLINE OF MAIN STREET BETWEEN THE CENTERS AT 6 TH AND 7 TH AVENUES, ADJUSTED FOR OVERAGE OF.08 PER LOT AND SET THE CORNERS. HIS SKETCH IS CLEAR AS TO WHAT HE USED FOR CONTROL AND HOW HE SURVEYED THE LOT. THE NARRATION ON THE LEFT HAND PAGE DETAILS THE CONTROL FOR THE SURVEY. NO FOUND SURVEY MARKS ARE NOTED AFTER THE 43 YEAR INTERVAL BETWEEN FILING AND RESURVEY. MR. EGAN DOESN T STATE WHAT HE SET FOR LOT CORNERS. WE ASSUME HUBS OR STAKES. 47

52

53 SIDEWALKS THE PLAT OF ERASTUS BYERS ADDITION TO MINNEAPOLIS WAS SURVEYED BY NUTTER AND PLUMMER IN 1889 AND FILED IN THE NORTH LINES OF LOT 17, BLOCK 1 AND LOT 12, BLOCK 2 OF SAID ADDITION WERE RETRACED BY E.T. ABBOTT ON JUNE 23, 1903, A 4 YEAR INTERVAL. MR. ABBOTT S SURVEY IS LIMITED TO A SKETCH SHOWING THE MONUMENTS SET, ALONG WITH THE S.E. CORNER OF BLOCK 1 FOUND, AND THE WORDS COULD FIND NOTHING TO WORK FROM EXCEPT SIDEWALKS. THE PLAT SHOWS IRON MONUMENTS SET AT ALL BLOCK CORNERS. MR. ABBOTT SET BOAT SPIKES AT HIS CORNERS. EGAN FIELD & NOWAK S FILE FOR THE PLAT HAS A BROCHURE WHICH LISTS STONE SIDEWALKS ON THE PLAT AND AN ELECTRIC CAR LINE ON CHICAGO AVENUE. THE CONTROL WAS THE SIDEWALKS PUT IN WITH THE PLAT. 48

54

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

56 49B

57 NORTH. A NEW HUB AT THE SE CORNER OF LOT 2 IS ABOUT 0.15 S AND 0.65 W. 50

58 51B

59 FOUND MONUMENTS CITY TIES BADGER AND PENNEY S ADDITION TO MINNEAPOLIS WAS SURVEYED BY A.W. GILBERT AND FILED ON MARCH 12, LOT 3 BLOCK 2 OR SAID ADDITION WAS SURVEYED BY NUTTER AND PLUMMER ON JULY 11, 1900, A 16 YEAR INTERVAL. THE RETRACEMENT SURVEY SHOWS OLD HUBS AT THE NW CORNER OF BLOCK 2 AND THE N.W. CORNER OF BLOCK 1. THE SW CORNER OF BLOCK 1 WAS SET FROM CITY TIES. THEY ESTABLISHED THE SOUTH LINE OF LOT 3 AS BEING ON A LINE FROM SOUTH OF THE N.W. CORNER OF BLOCK 1 TO A POINT SOUTH OF THE NW CORNER OF BLOCK 2 AND SET THE S.E. CORNER OF LOT 3 60 WEST OF THE WEST LINE OF BLOCK 1. THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID LOT 3 WAS LONG AND THE NORTH LINE THEY CHECKED WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS ON LOT 5 AND NOTED THE FENCE AT THE SE CORNER OF LOT 1 TO BE 6 OR 8 TENTHS TOO FAR SOUTH. THEY TIED KEY CORNERS OUT. THEY CHECKED DISTANCES TO CITY WALKS. THIS ENDS THE DISCUSSION AND THANK YOU FOR YOU ATTENTION. 51