----------------------------Original message----------------------------
John McComb requests info on the baselines and prime meridians used for
township and range definitions.  My basic bible for all PLSS queries is
 
   C. Albert White, _A History of the Rectangular Survey System_
   U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
   (Washington: GPO, nd [1982?]).  Sup. of Docs. no. I 53.2:Su7/2
 
This covers all the technical details you ever wanted to know about the
surveys, although you may have to dig around a bit.
 
Matthew Edney
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