The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-04-04

mysterious forces in the world, the ma
ture of which nobody has been able &c
exnlain to the satisfaction of other peo'
ME. hut like other of these mysterious
forces man is making use of it in the
practical affairs of life through the mag
netic compass. the telegraph, the tele'
phone and in many other ways. No sIlll
ventures upon the sea without HAVING
a magnetic needle as cts guide; no man
attempts to locate the boundary line OF
a State. county, township. or an acre o.
land, without calling to his service TINS
mysterious force of nature manifested
in the compass of the surveyor. Hence
it deserves Il careful investigation.
1t is we'll known that our little com
pass needle which indicates the magnetlc
north does not generally point to 0he
true north pole. but usually little &c
the east or to the west of that point
Hence, in ordinary surveyors language
we speak of the compass needle varying
so many degrees to the east or the west
of the true north. ID Furthermore II
is we'll known that the amount of this
variation il quite different at different
places. Thus, in 1887 the following va
riations are approximately correct fol
three different places in North Carolina
Newbern 1 degree and "a minutes west
Raleigh j degree and Is minutes west;
Asheville 81 minutes east.
(2) And yet there are places where
the magnetic north agree exactly with
the north and south lines. and such
would be spoken of as places OF no va
ration. But these points of no variation
instead Of remaining stationary are IN
natl SfNxra TD
Thus. in 1910 the line of no variation
was at Newbern; in 1866 at Raleigh; in
1897 near Ashcyille. And this of course
means that the amount of variation at
one place in North Carolina instead of
remaining the same year after year Is
gradually changing. Thus, at Raleigh
IN 1916 the variation of the magnetic
line from the true north was o degrees,
A minutes east. In about 1866. rs
stated above, the magnetic north and the
true north were the same. and hence
there was no variation. But in 1887
the magnetic north moved to the west of
the north to the extent of / degree and
Is minutes.
81 Though the variations just men,
toned are sufficiently puZZling to give
the engineers and land surveyors a con-
regularities named were all that we
have to contend with the difficulties
could be overcome with some ease, after
locating the true north and south line
at a few stations. at Newbern, Raleigh.
Charlotte. Asheville, etc.
But unfortunately, if starting ON our
southern boundary line we follow the
compass needle across the State of
North Carolina, we will find that instead
OF travelling in straight line we would
probably make curves Of considerable
magnitude in areas of even smaller
extent than one Of our counties. So that
instead of the magnetic north and
south line across the State being a
straight line it may be quite a crooked
one. Consequently a magnetic map of
North Carolina showing the variation of
the eomuass needle i'm the several coun-
ties of the State could not be prepared
unless the conditions had first been ex-
amined in each of these counties.
how A MAGNETIC SURVEY CAN
BE MADE-ITS COST.
That such o magnetic survey should
be made at once no intelligent person
who is familiar with the records of ouI
courts and the difficulties of relocating
old boundary lines can doubt for mo-
ment. The question arises, how can this
be done; how much would it cost, and
can it be done at once. Let me say that
the first thing which ought to be done
in the making of such a survey is that
in each county seat of The
State the true north and south line
s--ould be determined with all possible
care and marked by stone posts, known
as meridian posts, so that at any time
engineers and surveyors working in that
county can go to this point, test their
compasses, and the variation at that
time.
This, of itself, would eliminate many
of the troubles that have arisen in con
nection with the location of the boun-
Diary lines, but this of itself would moi
be sufficient in all cases, for the rea.
son mentioned above that the variation
at the county seat would not necessarily
indicate the amount Of variation in more
distant parts of the county. Thus, if nj
Raleigh the variation should be 2 de-
grees, and in the southwestern corner
of Wake county this variation might
only be one degree, this difference of 8
degree in the variation would in running
Il line one mile long throw that line out
near,y one hundred feet.
But difficulties of this sort can bt
largely eliminated if after the north and
south line has been determined and
marked at all the county seats, a mag
netic map is drawn ON which are indica-
ted all the records thus obtained; and
after this map is made any specia
variation in the magnetic lines are indi
Gated, special examinations can be made
in that region in order to determine thu
character and extent of these variations
After this has been done the magnetic
map can then be revised and the location
of the curved lines as well as the
straight lines can be indicated in eacf
county.
Then, there need only be made in tn,
future, at intervals, observations at !
few points like Newbern, Raleigh. Char
lotte and Asheville. to determine thu
rate OF variation tfrom year to year
but this later work would be readil!
done Inv tho DnnaraI 49,; III