Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-04-17
4 Coun,x meridIsn Line.

MIR. EDITOR / q your paper of tit
! S.h ms. I zee a report of e g. R. A
! J. Armstrong, which was made to tht
I County Court at its last term, ia rela
! ton 10 the establishment of a E.eri
| dian liue. The law provides for the
establishing of meridian lice in eact
county of the State, the length Of
which is, So stated by the law, 229. 49,
II poles long, by which 10 test the
compass, i. e to snow the differences
between the magnetic meridian and
the true, or astronomical meridian
and the variation noted by the County
Surveyor once in six months and the
variation placed upon the record OF
the County Court.
| called the attention of the C0urt
TO this law, and recommend the estab-
lishment Of the line, as it was i'm
pOftant to the county, as well as 20 in
dividusls | was then appointed by
the Court TO ascertain the cost Of es-
tsblishing the line, and at the January
term of the Court / reported that it
would lot cost exceeding $50, which |
yet say.
Mr.. As report is very beautifully
adorned with iUe language indeed.
Mr.. q. 3 construction Of the Ia " il er-
roneous. A. a single reflection any
man would see that he law never in
tended the line to be TIC mills long, as
Mr.. A says. The length of the line
is "a written above, and each mum Der
with a period between them, which
shows that each figure and
number is separate and distiBct
from the other. [ contend that the
law intended the line TO be 229 poles
long instead of 7I6 miles long a. is
shown By Mr.. AS. report. Begin
ming at the Southern end Of the line,
then at the end OF lS3 poles, should be
planted the second object, then adjust
ing the compass at the second object
and placing the sight of the compass
perfectly on the first object, then look
ing the other direction, the sight of the
com pass would correctly show where
the third object should be placed. y
poles from the second object, Then
moving tue compass to the third OBJ
iect and adjusting it properly and
second and first object, then looking
the other dire ciion through the COM
pass you will be then correctly direct
ed to the end of the line, which would
be 81 poles further, which makes in aIi
229 poles.
1 contend that the law is very well
arranged, because il is impossible for
any Surveyor to draw true line with
out he can get objects TO govern his
sights in both directions, and this line
must be drawn perfectly true. The
compass should be adjusted in the
came way each time that the variation
is noted that it was when the line was
established. We see that the line is
drawn with different objects and at
different distances, so the compass can
be properly adjusted each time and
each time alike. So [ contend that
the line can be correctly established on
a less territory than the county, even
in les territory than q civil district,
instead of 716 miIes, and without con-
sui.iDg Queen Victoria, or either of
the Governors of Maine or Texas,
as Mr.. 4. says would be
necessary to do in crier TO
get sufficient territory to establish
the line. And further, the line can be
for $40, instead of $229,-
1872, as Mr.. A. suggested to the
court would be necessary.
AS to the suggestion that Mr.. A.
made TO Hon Hon. NJ. d. Bearden for
the amendment of the law, 30 as to
read an 50 pole line instead of $685.
1872 poles, would have the law
unless he had provided for
center objects in the line, so as to have
got both back and front sight. So
do most earnestly beg of the Court not
to impose upon Mr.. A. the great bur-
densome task of visiting or appearing
before her Majesty Queen Victoria or
before either of the Governors Of
Maine or Texas to get permit to
establish one end of his line on their
territory.
Your obedient servant,
NJ. W. HUFFAKER.