General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

STEEL TAPE MOUNTED ON METAL (STEEL ?) REEL; WOODEN CROSSPIECE; LEATHER SUSPENSION STRAP.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

31.0 cm

Width

24.2 cm

Height

6.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Exploration and Survey

Category

Measurement-distance

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

E D

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Unknown

Period

THIS TAPE PRESUMABLY USED C. 1903+

Canada

MARCUS SMITH WAS BORN IN NORTHUMBRIA, ENGLAND IN 1831 AND WORKED IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND SURVEY OF EARLY BRITISH RAILWAYS. HE EMIGRATED TO CANADA IN 1849 AND WORKED ON THE GREAT WESTERN AND NIAGARA & DETROIT RIVER RAILWAY (UNTIL 1860) AND INTERCOLONIAL RAILWAY (RESTIGOUCHE NB DISTRICT) (1868-72); FROM 1872-86 SMITH WORKED FOR THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY, AND WAS ACTING ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF DURING THE ABSENCE OF SIR SANFORD FLEMING (1876-78). HIS LAST POST WAS AS A CONSULTING ENGINEER TO THE CDN GOV'T. (1886-92) MARCUS SMITH DIED IN 1901. (REF. 1). ALTHOUGH AMONG HIS SURVEY EQ., THIS TAPE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN USED BY M. SMITH.

Function

USED TO MEASURE A HORIZONTAL DISTANCE UP TO 100 FEET.

Technical

100 FOOT SURVEYOR'S TAPE FITTED WITH HAND CRANK. SOMEMEASUREMENT INCREMENTS (0-9 INCHES, AND THEN AT 1 FT. INTERVALS) MARKED ON INSIDE SURFACE OF TAPE.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

"100 FEET" and "PATENTED/ AUG. 18- 1903" stamped into one side of crank. "E.D. CO." stamped into underside of tape. Inside surface of tape also stamped at intervals of 0 to 9 [inches], and at 1 foot intervals, beginning with "2 F".

Missing

NONE.

Finish

TAPE HAS DULL SILVER METAL FINISH. BLOND WOOD CROSSPIECE.

Decoration

N/A