"Chain!" Yelled The Rear Chainman As He Pulled Out His Plumb Bob And Dangled It Over The Section Corner

 November 5, 2025

   For a couple summers, when I came home from the University of Arizona I worked as a rear chainman on several land survey crews around Kingman. It was a very hot job and it was somewhat physically challenging and I basically didn't have a clue what we were doing. Thus I found myself as a Rear Chainman. It was the job of the rear chainman to bring up the rear and then cry out "Chain!"

An Early Survey Crew

(that is the rear chainman sitting down)

   Yes, we would cry out "Chain!" when the head chainman would advance across the desert until the 200 foot, coiled metal tape would come to an end where I was standing. 

 Typical Old Time Head Chainman On A Tear

I was in charge of chain tension and corrections. If you've ever had to pull a 200 foot metal tape chain taut so that the measurement is more correct, you know how arduous that task can be.

   I also got pretty good at holding a plumb bob over the chain dangling it on a property pin or a section corner.

A Wall of Plumb Bobs

   Survey crews don't use chains anymore, but back in those days it was a tough and necessary job and I'm proud to say I never lost a chain, or a chance to sit down.

"Never mess with a surveyor. We know places where no one will ever find you."

—Old Surveyor's Threat