2009.5.1a is the compass. It is black and silver, with white and red writing on it. The centre has a piece that sticks out labelled TRUE COURSE, which has two glass levels with fluid still sealed inside.
2009.5.1b is the wooden box that holds the compass. It has a hinged lid that is held closed by…
2009.5.1a is the compass. It is black and silver, with white and red writing on it. The centre has a piece that sticks out labelled TRUE COURSE, which has two glass levels with fluid still sealed inside.
2009.5.1b is the wooden box that holds the compass. It has a hinged lid that is held closed by two clasps, one of which is missing. On the front of the box is written ASTRO COMPASS MK II / REF. NO. 6A 1174 / CANADA / DOMINION ELECTRIC PRODUCTION COMPANY. The final line of text is obscured but known from other sources. The number 367 is written on one side in white, one side in red, and on the top of the box in red. The box had a strap that would stretch behind or over the box, but it is broken and a piece missing.
History Of Use
Astro Compass: WW2 Navigation compass, used in Alberta in a 1-80 Settler plane. Used for mapline surveying, which required an almanac to set up, and adjustments were made every 10 minutes while in flight. The compass would be operated out of the left window of a plane, and had to be set up before you took flight.
This piece is a “reflection” of a blaze that was sealed over by new growth. It was created by removing the overgrowth to reveal the original inscription. According to Havard, this particular tree was blazed by Fred Nash Sr. (1880-1967) at Lot 1518 Range 5 Coast District on Babine Lake in 1909.
This piece is a “reflection” of a blaze that was sealed over by new growth. It was created by removing the overgrowth to reveal the original inscription. According to Havard, this particular tree was blazed by Fred Nash Sr. (1880-1967) at Lot 1518 Range 5 Coast District on Babine Lake in 1909.
History Of Use
See notes in Donation binder for further detailed description and map of where post was.
Compass in wooden case. Arrow is silver coloured metal. There is no "N' for north, instead there is a decorative mark. Under this mark is written "KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. / NEW YORK". The letter "P" looks to have been scratched into the wood just above where the north mark is. The lid (b) is detached, …
Keuffel and Esser Co., also known as K & E, was a drafting instrument and supplies company founded in 1867 by two German immigrants, William J. D. Keuffel and Herman Esser. It was the first American company to specialize in these products (Source: Wikipedia)
Compass in wooden case. Arrow is silver coloured metal. There is no "N' for north, instead there is a decorative mark. Under this mark is written "KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. / NEW YORK". The letter "P" looks to have been scratched into the wood just above where the north mark is. The lid (b) is detached, but should be held on by a gold metal hinge.
A: Large circular metal object with a paper topographic map mounted on it.
B: The metal dial and ruler (alidade) has a look similar to a compass, and is used to determine the location of the fire on the map. It is stamped with "British Columbia Forest Service / Model 51"
A: Large circular metal object with a paper topographic map mounted on it.
B: The metal dial and ruler (alidade) has a look similar to a compass, and is used to determine the location of the fire on the map. It is stamped with "British Columbia Forest Service / Model 51"
History Of Use
Fire finders were set up and precisely located in lookouts. One finder in each lookout was used to locate a fire in a specific direction, then triangulated with another 2 lookouts to find the exact location of any fire. Source: BC Forest Service's Centenary website http://www.bcfs100.ca/ (accessed 2017-11-02).
a: A brown rectangular wooden case cover in leather with straps secured with brass buckles. There is a sturdy leather handle on the top of the case - also 2 leather back straps attached at the centre top with a large `brass `D`ring. This ring is attached to the case by a large `tear drop`piece of …
E.R. Watts & Son, Surveyor`s and Architects Instruments and Materials. Head Office and Works, 123 Camberwell Rd. London S.E. England. Ottawa 200 Wellington St; 408 Portage Ave Winnipeg. Àll kinds of surveying instruments (by any maker) can be repaired at our Winnipeg Store by experienced workmen trained in our London Works.
Taken from original accession card. Bought for $25 in 1935 and it was 30 years old at that time.
Description
a: A brown rectangular wooden case cover in leather with straps secured with brass buckles. There is a sturdy leather handle on the top of the case - also 2 leather back straps attached at the centre top with a large `brass `D`ring. This ring is attached to the case by a large `tear drop`piece of leather which has been screwed into place with 5 screws. The other ends of the back straps are screwed to the ends of the case - about 6.5 cm up from the bottom corner. A Canadian National Express sticker in on the front of the case. The name of the previous owner is neatly written in ink on the top "R.G Polyblank". Two rectangular pieces of leather (8.6cm x 5.5cm) cover two heavy brass hook closures. The hooks are unusual in that they angular like the number 7. They are screed on at the bottom and hook over a brass screw. The leather flap stops them from working loose under the strap. There are two leather strap guides on the front. These are screwed on with 6 screws each and are 8.5 cm 2.5cm long x 2.5 cm wide. Attached to the bottom of the box is a small, brown round 'container' with "Fitting for Telescope Cap" printed on the top.
b:Tall wooden tripod to secure surveyor's level with a round brass threaded mountin plate at the top. The brass plate is attached to the legs with 3 large brass wing nuts. The bottom tip of each leg has a pointed metal piece attached to it. Two of the tips are 9cm long, the third one which on the repaired leg is 7cm long. The two longer metal tips have a half round tab on one side at the top. The tab on the shorter tip is 1.3 cm down from the top.
c: A wide brass ring which screws on to the tripod base. One end is threaded on the inside & has a 0.3cm wide rim. The outside of the same end has two narrow rows of patterened engraving to give a 'gripping' surface. From this the outside curves in slightly & down to a rounded edge.
d-e: Scope and base. Scope has Manufacture's name and the number 3396 on one side. The level is mounted underneath it.
f: Spare Bubble for level - Stored in a triangular wooden enclosure in the front right hand corner of the box. NOTE - This was not taken out of the compartment for fear of breakage.
g: Spare eye piece for the scope
h-j: Small round metal container that screws together h-i;
Contains j which is a small ring with 2 brass screws attached.
k: Copper cylindrical tube with open ends (possible a lense hood - note taken from donor card.)
l-n: Three spare needles, one larger than the other two
Narrative
Donor file card has info and pieces identified with their letters
History Of Use
Used in Quebec and BC - including the Skeena Region. This is a common surveying instrument. There were only two kinds of levels availabe when the railway cam, to be used in surveying. These were the "Y"level and the dumpy. The level was made by E.R. Watts & Sons, London, England. The level was bought by mother-for-father in 1935 for $25 used. It was 30 years ol then. The previous owner was Polyblank - a railway surveyor. Thomas Edward Clarke was born in Bothwell, Ont. in 1888, came west in 1908. In Edmonton he was hired as Chainman for Garnet Hughts on preliminary location of GTP to Jasper; reached Jasper Christmas 1908. Then he continued surveying until 1960 in different areas of BC In 1926 he was the Assistant District Engineer for Dept. of Public Works in Smithers. The Central Park building was 6 yrs. old then and he had an office on the second floor. The position he had was equivalent to the current position of "Highways Superintendant". (In 1926 conversion had just been made from Horse and wagon to trucks.)He was involved with initial road building in the province.
Black metal pocket compass. One red needle and one black needle attached to the center dial. Written on compass base: 'Directions: sight along the line on the lid and read the north end of the needle. This will give you the magnetic bearing. The read half of the needle points north.' White line alo…
Black metal pocket compass. One red needle and one black needle attached to the center dial. Written on compass base: 'Directions: sight along the line on the lid and read the north end of the needle. This will give you the magnetic bearing. The read half of the needle points north.' White line along the inside lid. Surface glass for the compass is cracked but still in place.
a: A brass and steel telescope used for surveying. It has a bubble level underneath the telescope tube and a rotating stand. The telescope is 43cm in length. A crude inscription is found below the bubble level on one side: "Bovill & Hann".
b: White wooden case with a leather strap that holds the li…
a: A brass and steel telescope used for surveying. It has a bubble level underneath the telescope tube and a rotating stand. The telescope is 43cm in length. A crude inscription is found below the bubble level on one side: "Bovill & Hann".
b: White wooden case with a leather strap that holds the lid down. The dimensions of the case are W: 47.5cm, H: 23cm, and L: 15.5cm. Inside the case, there are two wood insets that hold the telescope. On the inside of the roof of the case is the inscription, in handwritten pencil, "Bovill & Hann". Contains four paper inserts with information on how to operate the item.
c: Metal disk with four quarters divided into two red and two white pie pieces. An off-center rectangular hole is inside this circular face, on the other side of the face, the colour scheme is black. Attached to the disk itself is four legs holding an adjustable screw. H: 5cm, D (outside): 11.5cm.
d: Sun shade. A thin metal cylinder, with three thin notches. H: 6cm, D: 4cm.
e: A foldable set of measuring sticks - three in total. When unfolded 12 feet in total length, according to sticks themselves. Can detach individual sticks by undoing wingnuts.
f: Large white-painted tripod with red detailing. Folded up H: 148cm.
History Of Use
Modified from written description by donor on donation agreement: Used to establish elevations in surveys, particularly in the construction of buildings, roads etc. Originally came to Smithers in the possession of [Arnold could not remember first name] Dimick, who was a surveyor for the Hanson Lumber Co. Later he was appointed the first clerk for the Village of Smithers when it was incorporated. Dimick later gave the instrument to Jim Bovill, who was a partner of Ernest Hann in the construction company of Bovill and Hann. The instrument would have been utilized in the erection of the Civic Center Ice Arena.
In 1968-69 Jim Bovill gave the level to lArnold DeEllion, who at the time was the Director of Engineering for the Town of SMithers and a former surveyor with the B.C. Department of Highways. The instrument was no longer in usage but does have a definite connection to Smithers and many of the buildings erected by Bovill and Hann, including the Totem Cafe in New Hazelton, The Inlander Hotel/Store, and The Royal Bank in Hazelton Village.
Inscriptions
Two inscriptions contained in the case are difficult to get a clear picture of so they are reproduced here:In between two wooden insets, titled "The Telescope":To insure *clear sighting* through a telescope of very high power it is important that every surface of the lenses comrising the eye piece and object glass should be kept free from grit and films.
Therefore whenever the telescope appears to be foggy , its lenses need inspection and most careful cleaning. The cleaning should be done by wiping gently with a piece of old and soft linen, barely moistened with alcohol, then wiping dry [illegible] [illegible - possibly 'clean'] part of the linen for every surface of [multiple illegible words] this point read carefully the articles [illegible words] 13, 14 and 15 of our handbook and catalog[illegible]
To remove the [illegible words] German silver screw at the eye-end of [illegible] scope. After cleaning every lense must be put back [illegible] tube precisely as marked; and the outer bearings of the eye piece in the main tube should be [illegible from this point on]..."
On inside of end wall, titled "Notice":
"WHEN SHOULDERING AN INSTRUMENT ON THE TRIPOD, TO PREVENT WEAR AND TO RETAIN THE TRUE FORM AND CONCENTRICITY OF CENTERS in Levels and Transits, slightly clamp the [illegible] and telescope of the Transit or[/or] the bar in a Level, as freedom of plates, telescope, cross-bar to dnagle around, will not only wear out the centers but will tend to make them oval in form, thus incapacitating the instruments for good work.
The telescope axis and plates in a transit and centers [illegible] Wye Level...[illegible from this point on]..."See description for more inscriptions.
Transit attached to a wooden base. Sits inside of the wooden box (2004.1.22). Transit is quite heavy, and has a number of adjustment
History Of Use
The Buff & Buff Manufacturing Co. in Boston was a member of a group of New England manufacturers of surveying transits and equipment. The company was in operation from 1898-1982.
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