Lyle,
I don't have specific information on Hotchkiss, but in my experience, the
engineer's chain of 12" links was typically used for construction (and
perhaps your example of a stream adjustment). I have numerous 18th century
texts that describe this. The only real reason why the Gunter's chain of
7.92" links was preferable in come cases was because of its ability to
measure acreage.
Scott Smith
Lynchburg, VA
On Tue, Jul 30, 2013 at 11:17 AM, Lyle E. Browning <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
> Thanks for the replies. I've got the book by Miller on Hotchkiss and the
> training he received was more in line with engineers than civil works. That
> and his association with the various military types who would presumably
> have used Engineers chains due to their training at West Point, VMI and the
> Citadel. Miller's book did point out the basic methodology that involved
> paces and compass bearings in addition to estimations. The plat of 1848
> wasn't apparently put into a recorded instrument but rather was in his
> notebooks. If he'd given acreage or had a scale, I'd have been able to get
> at the system, but…..
>
> Lyle
>
>
> On Jul 30, 2013, at 8:52 AM, Bill Crews <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> > Almost certainly Gunters... but you never know.
> >
> > In 1785 the Public Land Survey Ordinance required the use of Gunter's
> chain in all surveys of public land. It's successor, the Public Land Survey
> System which grew from that used Gunter's and Gunter's is specified in the
> 1851 PLSS manual.
> >
> >
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Land_Survey_System#Survey_execution:_measurement
> >
> >
> > So you can say with great certainty that Gunter's chain was the industry
> standard though that still doesn't answer your question.
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: Lyle E. Browning <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Sent: Monday, July 29, 2013 9:45 PM
> > Subject: [VA-HIST] Hotchkiss Length Unit
> >
> >
> > I've run across a rather interesting 1848 creek straightening plat done
> by Jed Hotchkiss. It has no scale, but the metes and bounds are given in
> chains.
> >
> > The standard Gunters surveyors chain based on the English measure is 66
> feet.
> >
> > However, the Engineer's chain sometimes used in the USA in 100 feet.
> >
> > Has anyone any info on which Hotchkiss may have used?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> >
> > Lyle Browning
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