This description includes the pre-1862 records only; descriptions of the remaining records are included in a separate inventory. That inventory, moreover, is prefaced by a good descriptive overview of the nature of the Surveyor's duties and responsibilities during the nineteenth century.

Outgoing Correspondence, 1853-1863 (KG510, 2 v.) -- Copies of letters dealing with such matters as drainage; the condition of buildings, machinery, and canals; city property; levee breaks; nuisance wharves; street openings; public buildings; and public works in general.

Orders on the Comptroller's Office for approved bills, 1852-1863 (KG541, 2 v.) -- affidavits for payment due on large municipal contracts. Lists contractors, work performed on wharves, levees, public buildings, street cleaning, and engine house construction. Includes orders for supplies furnished, showing supplier and amount.

Index to ordinances relating to the Surveyor's Office, 1853-1860 (KG310, 1 v.)

Petitions for sidewalk and street paving, 1857-1874 (KG320, 1 v.) --volume kept by the Surveyor but apparently also used by the Committee on Streets and Landings of the Board of Assistant Aldermen as well. Includes copies of petitions addressed to the Common Council, giving names of petitioners and the footage owned by each on the affected streets. Records referrals of the petitions to various officials and their approval of same. Also records that the petitions were published according to law.

Reimbursements for sidewalk paving, 1852-1855 (KG360p, 4 v.)-- lists each property owner, the number of feet of his frontage paved, the material used, total costs, and the amount of that cost reimbursed to the owner. Some subject properties are accompanied by outline plans showing the exact location of the sidewalk work. Two of the volumes are indexes (one by name of street and one by name of owner) to the records in volume one.

Bills for street paving, 1833-1838 (KG540, 1 v.) -- statement of the amounts due to the city for street paving by individual property owners in the Faubourg St. Mary. Each paving project is recorded separately with the names of proprietors, exact measurements of their property, and the amount due from each.

Bills for street and sidewalk paving, 1852-1877 (KG540, 5 v.) -- generally recording streets paved, giving names of property owners, number of feet fronting the paved street, and the amount of payment made by each. Several volumes also include outline plans of each project area showing property lines and the type of paving material used. Volume one is indexed by name of property owner; the others are indexed by type of paving material, listing the appropriate streets thereunder.

Payroll Records, 1852-1862 (KG480, 2 v.) Names of workers are grouped together by work unit according to the job performed. Names, positions, daily rate, number of days worked, and total salary are given. Also includes some references to materials/equipment purchased for some of the work. Among the public works included are construction and repair of levees and the cleaning of canals.

Plan of squares 662-1130, Second Municipal District, 1861 (KG620, 1 v.) -- individual plans for each square, representing the area from New Metairie Road to Harrison Avenue and from Orleans Avenue to Allard Road;includes number of square feet per square, and value of properties.

Plan book showing the location of city-owned property and property owned by the estate of John McDonogh, no date (KG622, 1 v.) -- probably dating from ca. 1855, this volume includes plans of squares in which city property was located. The city properties are shaded-in by otherwise unidentified. Also includes property of the McDonogh estate as well as property in the line of proposed street openings.

Tableau of assessment for the opening of Claiborne Street from Laharpe St. to Elysian Fields, 1857 (KG623, 1 v.) -- plans of individual squares, showing property owners and lot divisions, with the proposed street lines indicated.

Reports of bridge repairs, 1854-1856 (KG205, 1 v.) -- reports from the Superintendent of Bridges. Also included in this volume are records of purchases of materials for which bills were received and entered on the payrolls, April-July, 1856.

Specification books, 1855-1865 (KG630, 3 v.) -- detailed specifications for a variety of public works, including public buildings, bridges, canals, draining machines, wharves, markets, bell towers, and levees. Also includes proposals for contracts to operate and/or maintain facilities such as bridges, draining machines, and ferry boats.

Estimates on paving and building, 1852 (KG631a, 1 v.) -- mostly paving projects in the present-day Vieux Carre and Central Business District areas. Also includes a record of bills against the Surveyor's Office, October 1-13, 1862, and records of notification of street number changes, 1864-1865 and undated. The latter records give both old and new numbers and is one of the few records detailing street number changes prior to the establishment of the current numbering system in the 1890's.

Measurements of repairs to wooden bridges, 1852-1853 (KG410b, 1 v.) -- also includes records of materials purchased for bridge and wharf repairs; of block paving stones purchased or rejected from ships; inventories of iron, shells, sand, and other materials; and records of trees planted on various streets.