The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-05

first been examined in each of these
counties.
HOW A MAGNETIC SURVEY CAN BE MADE.
IT'S COST.
That such a magnetic survey should
be made at once no intelligent person
who is familiar with the records of u
courts and the difficulties of relocating
old boundary lines can doubt for a
moment. The question arises, how can
this be done; what would it cost, and
can it be done at once9 Let me a
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 should
be determined with all possible care
and marked by stone posts, known as
meridian posts, so that at any time en-
gineers and surveyors working in that
country car go to this point, test their
compasses, and the variation az that
time.
This, of itself, would eliminate many
of the troubles that have arisen in con
nection with the location of the boun
dairy lines, but this Of itself would not
be sufficient in all cases, for the reason
mentioned above that the variation &C
the county seat would not necessarily
indicate the amount of variation in
more distant paris Of the county.
Thus, if at Raleigh the variation should
be 2 degrees, and in the southwestern
corner Of Wake county this vRriatisn
might only be n degree, this differ
ence of a degree in the variation would
in running a line one mile long throw
that line outnearly one hundred feet.
But difficulties Of this sort can be
largely eliminated if after the true.
north and south line has been deter
mined and marked at all the county
seats, a magnetic map is drawn on
which are indicated all the records
thus obtained; and if after this map is
made any special variation in the mag
netic lines are indicated, special ex-
aminations can be made in that region
in order to determine the 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 each county.
Then, there need only be made in
the future, at intervals, observations
at a few points like Newborn, Raleigh,
Charlotte and Ashevitfe, to determine
the rate of variation from year to year,
but this later work would be readily
done by the general government with.
out cost to the State.
COST OF A MAGNETIC SURVEY.
AS to the cost OF a magnetic survey
like the one outlined above, it is es
timated that about $50 per county will
bear all the expenses connected with
the determination of the true north
and south line, the determination Of
the strength of the magnetic force, the
existence of causes of local variations,
and the erection of meridian posts
(ot granite }
This work should be undertaken in
North Carolina at once because, IN the
first place it is something which is
greatly needed, and in the second
place, it can be done cheaper. and bet.
ter just now than it could have been
done at any time in the pas6 or than it
could probably be done at any time in
the near future, owing to the fact that
during this year the services Of one OF
the most thoroughly trained experts
and a full equipment of the most ex
pensive and accurate instruments a
be secured free Of charge except a
sufficient amount to cover the actual
travelling expenses and other inciden-
tai expenses. 1t is estimated that the
work can be done during this year in
about fifty counties.
THE STATE WILL ATBs,THE COUNTIES IN
MAKING IT.
This matter of q magnetic survey,
while of Importance to the State at
large, yet is chiefly a matter of COZ
Germ to the several counties that have
largely the control of the surveying,
and it is in the several counties that the
cost of litigation and trouble arising
from imperfectly surveyed boundary
lines must usually be borne. Hence it
is that in the several stated where this
work has been undertaken it has been
the custom of the counties to bear all
the expenses connected with the work.
In order to aid and encourage this
work in North Carolina, however, the
State has agreed to co operate with the
several counties to the extent Of bear