three monuments, one initial point（三个纪念碑,一个初始点）.docVIP

Three Monuments, One Initial Point By Michael A. Duffy, PLS On November 7th, 1852, Colonel Henry Washington, Deputy Surveyor under contract with the United States Surveyor General of California, completed a four day hike with 12 men to a point he designated and monumented to be the Initial Point for all future cadastral surveys in southern California. This November will mark the Sesquicentennial Anniversary (150 years) of the establishment of the Washington Monument Initial Point. Washington describes the journey to his Initial Point that day in his letter dated December, 1852 to Samuel D. King, then the Surveyor General of California, “The men being much fatigued did not perform much service until the next day. The travel over mountain spurs being very laborious.” The work was so difficult that Washington’s letter contains a wordy paragraph partially reprinted below hoping to persuade the government to feel sorry for him because he underbid the job. This was probably the first surveyor in California that made this mistake, but we all know it would not be the last. “The amount of my account for expenses incurred in erecting the monument being close to $511.00 was forwarded to you on the 5th instruction, but although this account closes the transaction, with the Government, it is nevertheless proper to state that it does not cover all of my necessary expenses… and the opinion expressed by you that Four Hundred Dollars was enough to cover all necessary expenditures upon this work, believing as I do, that the account for the above reasons, would not be allowed, or, if allowed, greatly delayed to the prejudice of the public service.” Little did Colonel Washington know that his monument would soon become the point of beginning of every piece of private and public property owned by the now 25 million inhabitants of southern California. Nestled at an elevation of 10,300 feet just west of what is now know as Mount San Bernardino, this Initial Point is bo