Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-04-29

DIR. l.. A. Bauer Is travelling through
the counties for the purpose Of locating
true meridian lines, which shall serve
hereafter as a means by which surveyors
can test the variation of the compass for
the time being and enable them TO be abb
soluteiy accurate in making surveys. As
tho variation OF the compass differs from
year to year, 1t is necessary that some
standard be fixed for comparison, II abb
solute accuracy Is to be obtained in run
ming the courses and distances of lands
at different periods of time.
The law ON this subject was passed rs
far back as 1870, and Is as follows:
MERIDIAN LINE
Il shall be lawful for the county com
missioners Of each county in the State,
II they shall deem IL expedient, to cause
To be erected at some public spot ada
: cent to the courthouse of each county,
two good and substantial stone pillars,
100 feet distant apart, the one from the
other, and upon the same true meridian
line. And upon the summit of one Of
said pillars shall be placed distinctly
visible needle point; and upon the sum-
init of the other there shall be erected n
hair-sight, in such a manner that a
straight line passing through the centre
thereof and continued until the same
shall strike the centre of the needle
point upon the other, shall be in and
upon the line of the true MERIDIAN run
ming north and south, and they shall en-
close and protect the same properly; the
said pillars and enclosures to be subject
To the custody of the county clerk, to be
free to the access of any surveyor of
lands or civil engineer residing in said
county, or engaged in surveying therein,
for the purpose of testing the variation
Of the compass for the time being, and
to cause the said MERIDIAN line to be
verified at any time when required so to
do by order of the circuit court for the
said county; and furthermore, 1t shall
be lawful for the said county commits
sioners to cause to be determined the
accurate latitude and longitude of the
pillars aforesaid, reckoning the latter
firm the meridian of Washington and
to have the same marked distinctly and
legibly in degrees, minutes, seconds and
parts of seconds, on one of the pillars
aforesaid.
The said county commissioners shall
provide and keep a standard measure, of
one rod In length, by which surveyors
OF lands in said county may compare,
test and verify their several claims; the
said standard measure to be kept under
the control and in the custody of the
county clerk, and to be accessible to all
surveyors aforesaid, under such restric-
tions and regulations as may be deemed
by the said county commissioners COM
patible with its safety and proper pres
ervatiOn.
Ii shall be the duty of each and every
surveyor surveying land in any county
OF this State that shall adopt the provis-
ions of the two preceding sections. to
test and note the actual variation of his
compass from the aforesaid true meridian
line, Mt least once in every year, and to
deposit copy of the same, with the date
and time of such test, accompanying the
same with an affidavit verifying its cor
RICHNESS, with the clerk of the county in
which he may reside, TO be by him re-
corded In book kept for that purpose
and every surveyor neglecting or refus-
ing to comply with the provisions of
this section. shall be liable to penalty
oil 500, to be recovered with costs as
debts of like character are recovered be-
fore any justice of the peace in the coun-
ty, to be applied to such county uses as
the county commissioners may direct.