Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 37.djvu/351

 Bidwell, where more than 3000 measurements of lunar distances were said to have been made for longitude in 1868-69. The position for the corner was computed to be 9 miles 56 chains north and 4 miles 78 chains east of the observatory. From the corner thus found the line was run west a distance of 212 miles 28 chains to a terminal mark 12 chains from the shore of the Pacific Ocean. The marks consisted of wooden posts or small stones with "O" cut on the north side, "C" on the south, and the mile number and date on the other sides.

The terminal mark on the west end of this line was a Port Orford cedar post, about 8 inches square at the base and about 4 inches square at the top, lettered "42 L 1869 212 M 28." In 1870 the United States coast and geodetic survey connected this post to the triangulation net of the United States. Its correct position, based on the 1927 standard North American datum is 41° 59' 55" .15 in north latitude and 124° 12' 28" .48 in west longitude. This boundary monument is therefore about 5" of latitude south of the 42nd parallel, or an error of nearly 500 feet.

Some time prior to 1918 a resurvey was made of the western part of the line between Oregon and California. This survey was largely a retracement, rather than attempt to establish a line on the correct position of the 42nd parallel, although in some places gross errors were discovered in the old work which had to be corrected. The new line began at the Pacific Ocean and extended easterly about 105 miles to a point east of Klamath River. It was marked by iron posts with bronze caps. The survey was accepted by the general land office in 1918.

The cedar post at the west terminal of the line was moved very slightly and replaced with a bronze cap on a 3½-inch iron pipe, in exactly the same position. The cap is stamped with substantially the same information as that cut on the original post. In 1925 the cedar post was still standing beside the iron post, but by 1936 the old post had disappeared. The iron post has been surrounded by a concrete jacket to protect it from damage. It stands about 200 feet west of the Oregon coast highway and just east of an old road. The revised and marked line diverges considerably in places from the 42nd parallel, and in