Railroad Surveyors Field Book

    The Railroad Surveyors Field Books can be found at the Provincial Archives and Records Office of Prince Edward Island (PAROPEI).  The following is a page from the Field Book - Archival Accession information: R.G. 15. Series 2, Field Book - E -. 
     I had the pages copied where the surveyors talks about being in the Alma area.

     The following is my transcription of the Field Books.  It's interesting to read the information in the Field Books and the local people the Surveyor was in contact with.
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Pg. 184

Monday Oct. 16th, 1883
Mr. James B. Leard, on Lot 3,
     Employed to lay off 170 Acres sold to Thomas Platt.  Description from the Deed "Corner of a stake fixed in the North West corner of land owned by Thomas Mountain and from thence running S. 80 chs, thence East 21.26.  thence North 80 chs to Mountains line thence West along said L. 21.26 to place of count 170 Ac. to  James B. Leard to Thomas Platts

21st Sept 1882
      To find the course of the side lines West to the Line between James Gordon & John Gordon  & found it N 6°15' E right from Page 422 Book 6.  I find the course is N 6°20'E maybe(?)
      John Muttart is to have 154 Acres off the East side and it is to be laid off first.  The farm  S. of the Rd. is 1.65 wider than it is N of the Rd & this jog is on the E side from the Centre of the Road at the E. Line set square across to W. & chd to South.

At 11.38 the S.B.
      ‑  12.31 the new D.L. between Lots 3 & 4   Then there is half the width of the old 100 be on the W side from S.B. extending S. into Lot 4 to the River to be also measured into John L. Muttart's corpulent? the width at the N end is 5.20, then from the D.L. to S on the W.L. 13.65 to the River, At 2.78 back square across to E. to the S.E.L. at the Mill Pond this gives the W. Line 14.58 and the E. Line 11.80 & gives area of 6.86 acres, and the strip to ?  1.88 acres for a total of 8.74 Acres.

      Then from the cross Line on the W side of the Old farm Ch.d to N.   
At 2.05 Centre of the Road
At 29.00 had lost a pin gave up for the night.

Pg. 186

Tuesday 17  October 1882
James B. Leard continued Lot 3
      Went to the Centre Line Rd. & from the N.E.L. of John L. Muttart's old 100 Ac. Ch.d West along said Road 9.48. to a Post set in the N.W.L., Muttart's as it ought to be 8.34.
      From Elijah Mountain's title I find his distance S on the D.L. is 22.00, & the Course is South.
      Set at the Stake at the Centre Line Road in Charles Mountain's N.E.L. & ran S. 6°20' W maybe? & Ch.d
      At 22.00 a square post 0.23 to E of our Line, this no doubt is Mountain's S.E.L. & on the Old D.L. between Plots 16 & 17.
      AT 60.00 the stump where we lost the pin last night.
      This makes 101.31 from D.L. to the Centre Line Rd & the whole length of the old farm 100.38  the width at the S end 8.70 and gives an area of 91.24 acres & with that from page 185.   8.74 Acres a total of 99.98 Acres in all.
     There is a strip running W from the old 100 Ac. & North of the D.L. E and 5.17 which makes the length of the Block to West 73.21 and requires 7.63 on our cross line to make the 154 Acres & then to run N6°20' E must, measured this distance & set a line as above.
      Then went West to the Post in the N.E.L. of Stephen Week's farm & set at right angle to the above course E'd & Ch.d
      At 21.26 set a mark of Platt's width
      At 28.00 left off for the night.

Wendesday, Oct 18
      Continued the L on the W of John Muttarts? to N until intersected by the L. ran last night then went to the 28.00 & continue to E to said L 29.0 say 29.00  Then went back to the 21.26 Platts width & set a boundary between sd. Platts & Theodore Gordon N6°20' E  Then went W to Gordon's W B. &

Pg. 255 & 256

Thursday 1  Nov. 1883
      Honourable John Yeo for Joseph Green, Lot 3 Employed to run the Line on the W side of his land fronting on & North of the Centre Line Road.
      Went to the S.E.L. of 60 Acres bought by Rich'd Costain from the late George Kelly this being the D.L. between Plots No. 9 & 10, of Lot 3, set here and ran S.V or to the Centre Line Road.  Came out near the centre of the Costain
Var 8° 20"

                             1 day $ 3.00 

                             to be Chd to Mr. Yeo.

Pg. 217

Saturday, March 3rd, 1883
John Donalds  Lot 3
      Employed to lay off 80 acres sold to Archibald McMurdock on the E. side of 160 Acres on the S side of the Centre Line Rd & on the W of Land held by Ebenezer Bearisto.  Went to the Line between sd parties on the Centre Line Rd & ch.d W 8.00 set S. Var & ran till night.  Ch.d the remainder 8.00 came about 1 parcel past the corner of the fence Wm Raynor to W of this.

Pg. 218

Andrew Peters Lot 3,
      Employed to set a L.S. on the W side of 50 acres purchased from Allan McPherson.  Went to the corner of the fence at Wm. Raynor's N W L & Ch.d on the Rd. 5.00 set S Var into the field set 3 or 4 stakes.
Var 8°20'    $ 1.50
If paid next week to be a Dollar.

Pg. 385

Monday 15 Feb. 1886
Lot 3
Rich.d Costain & Charles Veno
      Employed to run the Line between said parties Mr. Anderson having run it part way before.
      Went to the centre of the Centre Line Road & chd North.
      At 35.05 the River this for far N. V & had run the line 1.82 = 36.87 across the River set here and run N Var & Ch.d

‑ 101.20 the line of Lot 2 as run by me on the 12th see last page.
Var 8°35

                                                        John Clay

                                                     Landsurveyor

                             Veno's half        2.00
                             By Cash              .45
                             Due               $  1.55

                             is to send it by mail from R. Costain's

                                       paid in full