All,
Sixty seven years ago in 1935, many of the Geodetic markers that still survive and are located in the pine barrens were monumented. It must have been an interesting undertaking with plenty of hard work to accomplish what was done. Some of the locations where this occurred were, Batsto, Atsion, Devious (near high crossing), Big Hill, Nesochague (misspelled on the marker), NJ 105 (on72 at Lebanon Forest) and others.
Take for example Atsion. First, the equipment had to be brought to the site where the Geodetic marker was going to be placed. Usually most of the sites chosen to place these markers were on high ground. At Atsion the highest area is the knoll, which today is the mowed grass area next to the ranger station parking lot along 206. This spot had already been visited years before 1935, when a United States Coast and Geodetic and State Survey Mark had been placed there. That was a Monel-Metal Rivet set in the top of a 7-inch cylinder of concrete. The 1935 marker that is there today replaced it.
To place the present marker, much work had to be done first. A Bilby tower had to be brought to the site and it was undoubtedly brought there on highway 39 which presently is called 206. There is mention of the Pennsylvania Railroad station in Hammonton, but nothing saying the tower was brought there on a train. A Bilby tower is actually two towers, one inside the other, with the center one holding the instruments,
and the outer one to climb. This enable the surveyor to climb the tower without disturbing the instruments. These towers could be as high as 100 feet, with the one at Atsion only needing to be 77 feet to clear the trees.
It is interesting that it was reported that NO prominent objects were visible from the ground at this station. This may mean that in 1935 the knoll was not cleared as it is today, or they would have been able to see the mansion.
After the Bilby tower was assembled, they waited for dark. They then climbed the tower and put a light at the top. At the very same time one or more of the other locations mentioned above assembled their tower, and turned on their light. This enabled all the stations participating to align with whichever one they needed to set their instruments, and monument the station in the ground. At Atsion, and as with many of the other stations, 2 reference markers were also monumented along with an Azimuth mark. The reference marks have arrows on them pointing to the station, and are usually within 60 feet or so of the station. These were used to pinpoint the location of the station in the event that it had to be replaced. Modern GPS equipment, and even modern standard surveying equipment, have eliminated the need for the reference marks and also the Azimuth marks. The stations that have reference markers have a triangle on them, with the tips of the triangle pointing to the reference markers. The Azimuth mark at Atsion is at the entrance to the state park and was replaced in 1988 because of damage or theft.
In some areas of the country Civilian Conservation Corp members were used as helpers in these projects, and that is why many of the markers were monumented in the mid 30's. I don't know if any were used at these particular stations or any others in the area.
At Batsto, reference mark #1 was set in 1935 in the cement foundation of the previous fire tower. That foundation was 59.61 feet from the main station, putting the NE leg of the previous fire tower about 65.61 feet from the NE corner of the fence surrounding the present fire tower. Basically if you are driving from the village to the tower, the previous fire tower was about 65 feet to the right of the present fence. Obviously reference #1 is no longer in existence.
It is interesting to note that when I photographed and reported the Nescohague marker, I noticed it was stamped incorrectly. After being contacted the NGS told me that their records will remain wrong. It seems that if you report an error to the government they can't correct it. This marker is located a mile behind the Pleasant Mills church.
Here is a Bilby tower. Picture this at Atsion
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/BilbyTower.jpg
Here is a station being monumented from inside the tower.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/InsideTower1934.jpg
Here is the Atsion one. Notice that the center where the surveyor places his equipment is shiny. This means that someone has utilized this marker recently. Sixty Five years later it still is viable.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/ATSION_JU2992_1.jpg
Guy
Sixty seven years ago in 1935, many of the Geodetic markers that still survive and are located in the pine barrens were monumented. It must have been an interesting undertaking with plenty of hard work to accomplish what was done. Some of the locations where this occurred were, Batsto, Atsion, Devious (near high crossing), Big Hill, Nesochague (misspelled on the marker), NJ 105 (on72 at Lebanon Forest) and others.
Take for example Atsion. First, the equipment had to be brought to the site where the Geodetic marker was going to be placed. Usually most of the sites chosen to place these markers were on high ground. At Atsion the highest area is the knoll, which today is the mowed grass area next to the ranger station parking lot along 206. This spot had already been visited years before 1935, when a United States Coast and Geodetic and State Survey Mark had been placed there. That was a Monel-Metal Rivet set in the top of a 7-inch cylinder of concrete. The 1935 marker that is there today replaced it.
To place the present marker, much work had to be done first. A Bilby tower had to be brought to the site and it was undoubtedly brought there on highway 39 which presently is called 206. There is mention of the Pennsylvania Railroad station in Hammonton, but nothing saying the tower was brought there on a train. A Bilby tower is actually two towers, one inside the other, with the center one holding the instruments,
and the outer one to climb. This enable the surveyor to climb the tower without disturbing the instruments. These towers could be as high as 100 feet, with the one at Atsion only needing to be 77 feet to clear the trees.
It is interesting that it was reported that NO prominent objects were visible from the ground at this station. This may mean that in 1935 the knoll was not cleared as it is today, or they would have been able to see the mansion.
After the Bilby tower was assembled, they waited for dark. They then climbed the tower and put a light at the top. At the very same time one or more of the other locations mentioned above assembled their tower, and turned on their light. This enabled all the stations participating to align with whichever one they needed to set their instruments, and monument the station in the ground. At Atsion, and as with many of the other stations, 2 reference markers were also monumented along with an Azimuth mark. The reference marks have arrows on them pointing to the station, and are usually within 60 feet or so of the station. These were used to pinpoint the location of the station in the event that it had to be replaced. Modern GPS equipment, and even modern standard surveying equipment, have eliminated the need for the reference marks and also the Azimuth marks. The stations that have reference markers have a triangle on them, with the tips of the triangle pointing to the reference markers. The Azimuth mark at Atsion is at the entrance to the state park and was replaced in 1988 because of damage or theft.
In some areas of the country Civilian Conservation Corp members were used as helpers in these projects, and that is why many of the markers were monumented in the mid 30's. I don't know if any were used at these particular stations or any others in the area.
At Batsto, reference mark #1 was set in 1935 in the cement foundation of the previous fire tower. That foundation was 59.61 feet from the main station, putting the NE leg of the previous fire tower about 65.61 feet from the NE corner of the fence surrounding the present fire tower. Basically if you are driving from the village to the tower, the previous fire tower was about 65 feet to the right of the present fence. Obviously reference #1 is no longer in existence.
It is interesting to note that when I photographed and reported the Nescohague marker, I noticed it was stamped incorrectly. After being contacted the NGS told me that their records will remain wrong. It seems that if you report an error to the government they can't correct it. This marker is located a mile behind the Pleasant Mills church.
Here is a Bilby tower. Picture this at Atsion
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/BilbyTower.jpg
Here is a station being monumented from inside the tower.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/InsideTower1934.jpg
Here is the Atsion one. Notice that the center where the surveyor places his equipment is shiny. This means that someone has utilized this marker recently. Sixty Five years later it still is viable.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/ATSION_JU2992_1.jpg
Guy
