_Ranges_ are townships counted either east or west from meridians.
_Townships_ are counted either north or south from their respective base lines.
_Fractions_, are parts of quarter sections intersected by streams or confirmed claims.
The parts of townships, sections, quarters, &c. made at the lines of either townships or meridians are called _excesses_ or _deficiencies_.
_Sections_, or miles square are numbered, beginning in the northeast corner of the township, progressively west to the range line, and then progressively east to the range line, alternately, terminating at the southeast corner of the township, from one to thirty-six, as in the following diagram:
+------+------+------+------+------+------+ | | | | | | | | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | | +------+------+------+------+------+------+ | | | | | | | | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | | | | | | | | +------+------+------+------+------+------+ | | | | | | | | 18 | 17 | 16[A]| 15 | 14 | 13 | | | | | | | | +------+------+------+------+------+------+ | | | | | | | | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | | | | | | | | +------+------+------+------+------+------+ | | | | | | | | 30 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | | | | | | | | +------+------+------+------+------+------+ | | | | | | | | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | | | | | | | | +------+------+------+------+------+------+ [A] Appropriated for schools in the township.
I have been thus particular in this account of the surveys of public lands, to exhibit the simplicity of a system, that to strangers, unacquainted with the method of numbering the sections, and the various subdivisions, appears perplexing and confused.
All the lands of Congress owned in Ohio have been surveyed, and with the exceptions of some Indian reservations, have been brought into market. In Indiana, all the lands purchased of the Indians have been surveyed, and with the exception of about ninety townships and fractional townships, have been offered for sale. These, amounting to about two millions of acres, will be offered for sale the present year. In Michigan, nearly all the ceded lands have been surveyed and brought into market. The unsurveyed portion is situated in the neighborhood of Saginaw bay; a part of which may be ready for market within the current year.