The Portland daily press., 1869-11-04
Chapter 50.

AN ACT providing for the establishment of true me-
ridian lines and for regulating the practice of
veying in this State
missioners of each county of the state within two
years from and after the passage of this act or in
any county shall be formed at any time hereafter
then within six months of the time when the act
ating such new county shall have become a law, to
erect on some land belonging to the county, or on
such land the commissioners may hereafter acquire
for that purpose at such place places in the sever
al counties the public convenience and necessities
peuated by substantial stone posts, pillars upon
whose submits there shall be firmly and immovably
fixed. brass or copper points to indicate the true
range of such meridian and to enclose and protect
the same the said posts pillars to be and to re-
main the property of the county wherein the same
shall be located under the custody and of the
clerk of the courts of said county, to be free to the
of any surveyor civil engineer residing in said
county or engaged in surveying therein for the pur-
time being; and the expense attending the same
shall be assessed by the commissioners and paid from
the treasury of the several counties.
SECT. 2. 1t shall be the duty of every land survey
in the state at least in every year. to adjust
and verify his compass by the meridian line estab-
lished in the county wherein his surveys to be
made and to insert in his field notes the true as well
the magnetic bearings of the lines of his surveys
and the day on which the lines run.
of the several counties, aforesaid to procure book
of records to be kept by the clerk Of the courts
any person appointed by the county commissioners
to keep said book of records conveniently stua-
ted to the place where said meridian line is establish
ed, and to be accessible to all persons wishing to re-
fer thereto; and every surveyor on having adjusted
his compass aforesaid shall enter therein the va
ration of his compass from the true meridian wheth
er east or west and shall subscribe his name thereto
for future reference.
SECT T. Any surveyor who shall neglect or refuse
to comply with the provisions of sections second and
third Of this act shall for every such neglect or re-
fusal pay the sum of ten dollars complaint made
by any person interested In such survey before any
trial justice in the county where such survey is made
one half to the person making the complaint and the
other half to the county; provided however that no
surveyor while having his residence upon an island
unconnected by passable bridge with the main land
and within the jurisdiction OF the state shall be re-
uuired to go beyond the limits of such island to yer
fly his compass for the purpose of making surveys of
land thereon any time prior to the legal establish
ment of true meridian line upon such island where
by the variation of his compass may be compared and
adjusted.
ments by the county commissioners for their respec-
tive counties as aforesaid it shall be the duty of the
governor and council to appoint some competent per-
son, commissioner to inspect and verify, by astro
ed. who shall make report of his doings therein
with full and accurate description of the monu-
ments, the latitude and longitude of the same also
the declination of the needle for the time being
each of the said meridian lines and deposit record
thereof with the clerk of the courts in each of the
counties aforesaid and the said commissioner shall
be paid for his services such COMPENSATION as nv the
governor and council may be deemed equitable and
just.
SECT g. Any person or persons who shall willfulv
d'pace, alter, deace, destroy, or otherwise injure
ridian lines shall be marked, or shall destroy bre ak
down, carry away the enclosure aforesaid or any
lock, bar bolt or any part thereof the said person
plant and conviction before any court of comnetent
Jurisdiction by fine not exceeding one hundred dol
lars one half to be paid to the Complainant and the
other half to the county wherein such offence NAV
Approved March IL, 1861