Surveyors of the Salish Sea and an International Boundary

JANUARY 2016

FIRESTORMS Bridging the Divide Denali Thought Leader Digital flood data Elevation campaign Fit for purpose ` 2015 Surveyors of the Salish Sea and an International Boundary

» C. BARTON CRATTIE, LS, CFM

Displayed with permission • The American Surveyor • January 2016 • Copyright 2016 Cheves Media • www.Amerisurv.com Surveying equipment from the past, both obscure and beautiful is always present at the Surveyors Historical Society Rendezvous for hands on study and demonstration.

Bob Mergel (Ohio) mans the observation tent and zenith telescope of the American Survey party on the boundary survey between Canada and the United States.

of the Pacific Ocean. Nope, instead, it was that same small parking lot but cars lined up for a quarter mile on the side of the narrow road; hundreds of people. You park, ust think of the United States as a Recently, the Surveyors Historical Society then walk down a verdant, Hobbitesque big old box or rectangle if you will, gathered to discuss and share the stories, trail a mere half mile or so to the Cape with at least the United States of the first facts and foibles behind the historic Tatoosh Island off in the near distance to five years of my life. No Alaska, no placement of these northwest lines of the west. On the return, you then walk Hawaii. Going clockwise from the International boundary. about 3 miles up and up that very same wet upper right, Maine. The lower right, At the upper left of the upper left of and green trail you just came one half mile sunny Florida. Move to the left and said box is a place called Cape Flattery. down. Apparently, Cape Flattery is a haj there’s San Diego, California. Now, go up It’s a long and sometimes desolate, but or sojourn for map geeks and freaks. After (north) along the left edge of the box and mostly beautiful drive the 40 or so miles all, it’s the northwestern most point of the you’ll arrive in Washington state. This is our off the main road, to the Makah Indian continental United States. Surprisingly and point of beginning. To go any further north Reservation, Neah Bay and Cape Flattery. ironically, this Cape would be mentioned » C. BARTON CRATTIE, LS, CFM would put you on the other side of the Having never heard of it, much less visited numerous times over the next few days Salish Sea into another country. So, why the it, I envisioned five paved parking spaces, in its historic role involving the boundary location of these lines of the upper left? looking out in solitude over a rocky coast between the United States and Canada.

Displayed with permission • The American Surveyor • January 2016 • Copyright 2016 Cheves Media • www.Amerisurv.com International Boundary Commissioner for Canada, Mr. Peter Sullivan speaks at the installation of the achievement of the surveyors on the international boundary. In the back ground, striped shirt, is Kyle Hipsley, the US Boundary Commissioner.

Just a portion of Washington State surveyor, John Thalaker’s’ W&LE Gurley collection. These are just a sample of the transits. Levels, compasses and any imaginable instrument was also on display.

The 19th annual Surveyors Historical Society Rendezvous (2015) was recently celebrated just north of Bellingham, Washington near a small town called Ferndale. Gratefully, little of the gathering was spent viewing power-point slides in a dark room of a convention facility. Yeah, we had some of that, but we trekked outdoors at every opportunity enjoying the beauty of our venue. It was necessary, however, to ply Island, Canada and east of Cape Flattery, chronograph and longitude. An interesting, away at the academics requiring traditional Washington. Layland’s excellent presentation yet little known fact is that Captain Cook classroom teaching. That matters little set the foundation for what would follow. We was an accomplished land surveyor prior because whether in the dark or in the light were fortunate to have the mapping efforts to becoming a navigator and explorer. of the day on a bluff restoring a damaged of Spain, France, Russia, Britain and even Many of the cartouches on his charts are US C&GS triangulation station high above Austria, as well as the fledgling United States labeled “James Cook, Surveyor”. Cook was a rocky beach, the knowledge and teaching in the waters of our interest presented in such one of a few naval officers always equipped being offered at an SHS event is exemplary a thorough and interesting way. It opened the with a theodolite and Gunter’s chains. and seldom matched at any other one gate for what would follow. The notation on a Cook chart “This is a surveying event worldwide. Our Australian colleague, international proper survey” meant that he did an actual Following the obligatory business and speaker John (Brocky) Brock (19 countries ground survey and not an approximated Board meetings, renowned map historian and on his CV), in his usual boisterous and “give paper chart. In fact, it was Cook, while author, Michael Layland (“The Land of Heart’s a damn” manner then told us of the early sailing north, having missed the mouth of Delight; Early Maps and Charts of Vancouver British explorers, Cook, Vancouver and the Columbia River in March of 1778, who Island”) opened the classroom sessions. Puget. Mainly, he spoke of Captain James spotted a “a small opening which flattered His topic was “Early Maritime Surveyors Cook and the methods used mapping and us with hopes of finding a harbour”. He and Explorers of the Salish Sea”, the wide charting the seas of an entire globe. Much of mistakenly determined the opening (the expanse of water surrounding Vancouver the mapping was performed long before the Salish Sea) was closed by low land. He

Displayed with permission • The American Surveyor • January 2016 • Copyright 2016 Cheves Media • www.Amerisurv.com Our favorite Austrailian bloke, Brocky’s belly is in the US and his butt is in Canada, straddling the international boundary at Peace Arch Park

The rugged northern coast of Washington along the Salish Sea. Somewhere out there about half way to Vancouver Island lies the imaginary line that is the Intrnational Boundary

named the point Cape Flattery. Missing is especially suited for the Sea, yet proceeding north to present determining latitude by Vancouver Island, Cook explored this area making observations just prior to his final and fateful journey to of stars crossing the the Sandwich Islands. meridian in the vicinity Who better to extol the achievements of the zenith. This instru- of our country’s pioneering organization ment was used almost in the mapping sciences, the U.S. Coast exclusively in establish- Survey, but Albert (Skip) Theberge? A ing a great portion of the frequent contributor to American Surveyor US/Canada boundary. magazine, he currently serves as historian Much to the consterna- with the NOAA central library. Skip related tion of their superiors in the joys, hardships and experiences of London, the British party the men assigned to map the rugged and purchased and used dangerous, yet important waterways of the the Wurdemann zenith northwest. The accuracy of the many maps telescope, produced in displayed, using long forgotten methods, the United States. Don, rival maps being produced today with the along with Bob Mergel most modern of technology. Our forebears (Ohio) historically later with the Coast Survey were some remark- re-enacted the tent sta- able individuals. tion used to establish the Don Erickson, Bureau Chief of the U.S. boundary by astronomic Corps of Topographical Engineers next observations, just some offered a well-researched and clearly 200 feet south of the presented practical session on the nuts and actual international bolts of the tools and techniques used by boundary line. our brethren mappers of the past. Just how That same line would lead us from the hows and whys of lines of boundary. At did they do it? His talk covered an entire Rocky Mountains west circuitously to different times, spanning two countries, array of doubly-reflecting instruments, Cape Flattery. Telling the story of this line our knowledge of the boundary would be altimeters, lunars, magnetism, and any over the following days were our hosts, enhanced through others such as David number of tools too numerous to mention. Denny (Delores) DeMeyer, Tim Kent and Swaile, Deputy Surveyor General for A primary consideration of our subject John Thalacker, all Washington surveyors British Columbia as well as the respective boundary (more to follow) was latitude. Don and historians in their own right. Over the Commissioners of the Canadian and United went into great depth the workings and next few days, via boat, bus, ferry, foot, States International Boundary Commission. methods of the sextant or like instruments fork, knife and spoon, we explored the Gosh, boundaries can be simple and (rough, maritime) and the zenith telescope areas west of Bellingham, Washington and boundaries can be complicated. When (precise, terrestrial). The zenith telescope east of Vancouver Island, Canada with the resolved, usually it is a fairly routine

Displayed with permission • The American Surveyor • January 2016 • Copyright 2016 Cheves Media • www.Amerisurv.com and 1842, no settlement. Finally in 1846 both par- ties agreed to: “. . . the line of boundary between the territories of the United States and those of Her Britannic Majesty shall be continued westward along said 49th parallel of north latitude to the middle of the channel which sepa- rates the continent from Vancouver’s Island; and thence southerly through the middle of that channel and of Fuca’s Straits to the Pacific Ocean.” Clearly a description penned by an attorney and not a surveyor. Unfortunately, there are three main channels. The United States preferred the Haro Strait to the west A description obviously penned by a politician, of the San Juan Islands the line was to follow the main channel Ocean, splitting Vancouver Island. The and the Brits preferred Rosario Strait, the between the US and Vancouvers Island. Which of the three main channels though. British wished the boundary to be the channel east of these same islands. The center of the Columbia River upstream, middle channel was, at times, offered as a retracement. Getting to that point for the eastwardly to the 49th. A ghost river, the compromise. Again, ripe conditions for a most part is where it can get messy. Simply Caledonia began showing up on maps of the boundary dispute. put, our subject boundary, proceeding east period. This completely non-existent river A pig was killed. A war began. The Pig to west is a direct line following the 49th was proposed on numerous occasions to be War. Our present day surveyors ventured degree of north latitude from the Lake of the boundary. A convention in 1818 left the west, via ferry, over the waters to San the Woods in Minnesota all the way to boundary unsettled but both sides agreed to Juan Island to investigate. The British and that body of water (some 1200+ miles) just “Joint Occupancy”. Again 1823/24, 1826/27 the Americans had resided on San Juan northeast of Vancouver Island called the Georgia Strait. It then follows a series of 12 straight lines with bends (this is one of the places in history it got a little messy) in a southerly and westerly course to the Pacific Ocean, there at Cape Flattery. Sounds simple. Here’s my recollections of the story. Pelts, fur and territory were currency. The young United States had just purchased “Louisiana” from France. Oregon was a big piece of property between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, north of the 42nd parallel (Mexico’s claim) and south of 54 degrees, 40 minutes north parallel (Russia’s claim). Russia, Britain and Spain all had an interest in the Oregon territory. Britain had a great interest in Vancouver Island. Conditions were ripe for a boundary dispute. Eventually, Russia, Spain and France all quit the game. So, now, where is the boundary? The United States proposed Using just the sun, a highly refined method being used to orient the telescope to astronomic th (1804, 1807 and 1818) the 49 parallel of north. Here the Smith solar attachment is being explored. A Burt solar attachment on a latitude all the way west to the Pacific compass was also demonstrated.

Displayed with permission • The American Surveyor • January 2016 • Copyright 2016 Cheves Media • www.Amerisurv.com The final day of the meeting meant a visit to the boundary line proper. Where I-5 crosses the border is a magical place. It’s called Peace Arch Park. (To the west, across the railroad tracks and Boundary Bay off in the distance is Point Roberts, U.S.A., an irredenta, accessed only through Canada.) There in the park, one can walk and wander with no regard to boundaries, Homeland Security or borders. There was a great feeling of freedom and friendship between the surveyors of Canada and those of the United States. Over lasagna and slides of the hardships our predecessors endured marking our common line, fellowship abounded. Denny DeMeyer had arranged an installation of a kiosk display commemorating Mergel and Don Erickson (Colorado) spent the survey of the boundary between our two many an hour answering the many questions countries. The dedication of the display was from the curious surveyors just a mere 200 feet south of the 49th line of parallel latitude. presided over by Denny, our host, Richard Leu, President of the Surveyors Historical Island peacefully under the guise of “Joint Society, John Warren, President of the Occupancy” since the 1846 agreement. 1859, National Society of Professional Surveyors there was an Irish fellow named Charles and the Commissioners of the International Griffin who owned some pigs. One of Boundary Kyle Hipsley (U.S.) and Peter the creatures ventured into the innocent Sullivan (Canada). Now, those visiting this American, Lyman Cutler’s garden and did fantastic park can witness the international what pigs do. The pig began rooting. Cutler The author on Cape Flattery in the accomplishments of the surveyor. shot and killed Griffin’s pig. Out of guilt, foreground with Tatooch Island lighthouse Due west, just beyond Point Roberts, out Cutler offered Griffin $10 compensation. off to the west. This lighthouse aids in the in the Georgia Strait the line makes a very Griffin demanded $100. Keep your pig out of orientation of the most western boundary sharp bend to the southeast. It then zigs and point on the International boundary. my garden. Keep your garden out of my pig. zags it’s way southwardly and westwardly Things escalated and an international war between the territories of Her Britannic to the Pacific Ocean. The waters it crosses ensued. The present day surveyors recon- Majesty and the United States should be provided food for thought for a number noitered the barren American Camp and drawn through the Haro Channel.” The of surveyors over a number of days in the then the idyllic British Camp on the Island. British left behind their garden and large fall of 2015. Upon reaching the Pacific, The Americans were led by George Pickett, homes. The San Juan Island chain now the terminus of the line is a geographic and as usual for Pickett, he was ridiculously belonged to the United States. John and position between Bonilla Point, Canada outnumbered in man power and arms. The Vicki Thalacker’s home was safe and the and the Tatoosh Island lighthouse, Makah British raised a garden and large homes. The present day surveyors enjoyed Dungeness Reservation, U.S.A, just off Cape Flattery. Governor of Vancouver Island ordered the crab and smoked salmon on San Juan Island British Rear Admiral to engage the American within the borders of the United States. Addendum: Following the official meeting, soldiers. The reply was “two great nations in Barbeque pork was not on the menu. a group of crazily committed surveyors a war over a squabble about a pig” was fool- Prior to boarding the ferry back to the visited Sucia (think Ricardo Montalbán: ish. This most bloodless war in world history mainland, the group did visit the now safe Suu-cee-uh) Island. It’s a two hour boat ride continued until 1872. A pig was killed. Thalacker home. John has one of the largest from Bellingham. That day, we dedicated a That was the year our country’s northern collections of W.&L.E. Gurley instruments second kiosk to the survey monuments on boundary was established through a novel in the country. We all ooh’d and ahh’d over the island, restored three USC&GS triangula- legal exercise called binding arbitration. The transits, levels, compasses and a crazy tion stations and had a great chicken dinner matter was decided through examination assortment of obscure surveying tools. Tim with roasted potatoes and broccoli salad on and consideration by Kaiser Wilhelm, the Kent, on this a sunny day, displayed and the boat ride back to Bellingham. It is great to Emperor of Germany in October, 1872. demonstrated a Burt solar attachment on a be a surveyor and even better to honor and “Most in accordance with the true interpre- compass as well as a Smith solar attachment enjoy the history of our profession. ◾ tations of the Treaty concluded on the 15th of on a transit. Sometimes you stand in the June, 1846, between the Governments of Her sun, surrounded by the tools and learned C. Barton Crattie continues to survey Britannic Majesty and of the United States brothers of the trade, staring at a charming property, offer flood advice and research the of America, is the claim of the Government Salish Sea and say to yourself, this is why I fantastic and rich history of our profession. of the United States that the boundary-line joined the Surveyors Historical Society. See you in upstate New York next fall.