The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-06-01
Important to Surveyors.

true meridian lines aud Of standard measures
for surveyors chains and to regulate the
practice of surveying in thir Commonwealth.
WHEREAS, 1t is knownthat on account of the
variation of the magnetic needle from the
true pole of the earth, much difficulty and in
convenience exist in ascertainng and tracing
the lines of old surveys
And ,chereas, 1t is also known that survey
or's chains, by being worn, are heightened
beyond the true measure, so that but few sur
veyors of county have chains of equal
length, nor have they equal or standard meas
rendering uncertain the true boundaries of
many tracts of land where the former land
marks have been obliterated or removed and
inasmuch as it is believed that by establish
ing true meridian lines and having standard
measures for two or four pole chains in every
county of this Commonwealth, and having a
proper regard to them in making future sur
veys, much Of such difficulty may be avoided;
therefore,
SEC. |. BE il enacted By tie Senate and
House Of Representatives Of the Commonwealth
Of Pennsyloaaia in General assembly met, and
il is hereby enacted By the authority Of the
same, That the county commissioners of the
several counties of this Commonwealth are
hereby authorized and directed within two
years from and after the passage of this act,
to cause to be marked and established, on
some inalienable property belonging to the
county, or on such property as the commits
| sioners Of the county may hereafter acquire
for that purpose, at Or near the seat of justice
of the several counties, true meridian lne
and fixed standard measure of Il two or four
poe chain, agreeing with and made after the
fashion of the standard yard now in the Office
of the Secretary of the Commonwealth !;
and the cost whereof to be paid out of the
| respective county treasures.
Sec. 2. When the said true meridian lines
| and the measures of the said standard two or
four pole chain shall have been so marked
| and established as aforesaid, the said county
commissioners shall give public notice there
| Of, in one or more newspapers Of therrespect-
| i've counties, or otherwise, for at least three
| successive weeks and it shall be the duty of
every land surveyor in this commonwealth,
| after such notice has been given as aforesaid,
in the month of April in each year, to adjust
and verify his compass by one Of the said
meridian lines, and to ascertain the variation
of its needle from the true meridian, and his
chain by one of the said measures of the said
standard two or four pole chain and the said
surveyors shall thereafter, in all their returns
of surveys, or writings concerning surveys Of
land and lines run by the compass, note the
bearings Or courses of such surveys and lines,
so as to show the true and not the magnetic
| bearing, together with the date of such sur
vey or tracing of lines.
SEC. 3. Any surveyor, otter notice given as
| required by the provisions of this act, who
| shall neglect or refuse to comply with the re-
quirements of this act, by making any survey
with an unadjusted compass or chain, he shall,
for every such neglect or refusal, pay the sum
of ten dollars, on complaint made by any per
son interested in such survey, before the JUS
tice of the peace nearest to the tract or lot oi
land so surveyed, to be recovered as debts Of
| like amount are now recoverable the one
half thereof to the person making the com
plant, and the other half to the treasurer o.
the school district in which such survey il
made, for the use Of said district.
Sec. 4. 1t shallb be the duty of the commits
sioners of the several counties aforesaid tt
procure book to be kept in their office; ant
every surveyor, on having adjusted his chair
and compass as aforesaid, shall enter therein
the variation of his compass from the tru,
meridian, whether east Or west and the da.
on which he adjusted his chain and compass
and shall subscribe his name thereto, for flu
ture reference.
j. S. MCALMONT,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
V. BEST,
| Speaker Of the Senate.
Approved-The twenty-sixth day of Apri
one thousand eight hundred and fifty.
| VIM " JOHNSTON