Stephen F. Austin to Legislature, 12-22-1824


Summary: Concerning surveying and surveyors.


[December 22,1824(?)]

Points to be regulated

1o. will it be expedient to appoint a general surveyor to superintend the surveys through the whole of Texas

2—What are to be his duties and emoluments

3—Will it be expedient to keep a register book in each colony in which the notes of each tract shall be copied by the surveyor who makes the survey and also a plot [for] each tract which entries shall be signed by the surveyor who surveyed the tract—

4—Ought the above entries to be all in Spanish or in both languages—

5—Instead of a Genl surveyor for the whole of Texas would it be expedient to have one principal surveyor for each colony by whom the before mentioned register should be kept in both languages—

6—What shall be the compensation pr linear mile for surveying—

7—Can tracts cross rivers or leading creeks or not—

8—What discription of creeks shall be considered leading creeks

9—Would it not be best to survey all the land on each leading creek regularly and survey any detached tract except in situations where there would be no probability of the adjoining land being taken for some years—

10—Ought there not to be an official act of the commissioners fixing the standard of the measurement agreeably to the basis established in the law, and also a declaration whether the true or the magnetic North is to be followed.

11—Ought there not be detailed instructions to each surveyor as to the mode of establishing corners and marking the lines

12—A rule as to the weidth to be given to leagues and quarter leagues on the rivers and leading creeks and Bays.

[Endorsed in Brown Austin's hand:] Points to be arranged while at Congress.