Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1903-11-20
The Effect Of Magnetic Variation on Land


1t is generally supposed that original
town, range and lot lines, recorded as hav-
ing the same compass bearing, will all
run the same course; but every intelligent
surveyor knows this is not the case and
the course of old lines depends upon the
time of survey; and as the original allot
mcnt and surveys of some towns were not
completed till 30 or 40 years after the first
we're made there would naturally be n diff
ference of q in the bearings. / have been
called upon to retrace old lines i'm 20
towns in four counties; and find that all
lines run between 1910 and 1915 now re-
quire an allowance of 60 for variation of
the needle, while older lines decrease 10
for every 90 years preceding; and on later
surveys the allowance required is 10 less
for each 10 years. / find that lines run by
Baker, Allen. Mum and Ward N 1Oo n
in 100 now run N. 14o E.; those run nv
OH Baker and Peter r. Taft in 1911 now
run n. 160 e. while lines by the same and
others made in 1910 now run N. IA IL
which would indicate that the needle
veered 2 to the East between 1870 and
1911, that about that time it reached its
maximum easterly declination and began
its westerly movement. l have often
heard surveyors claim that old SURVEYS
were not accurate because surveyors
were not particular and used poor in
struments. but as a matter of fact oripi-
nal lines of even date are more uniform,
in course than those made by later sur
Veyors, but as all surveys of different
dates previous to 1910 vary in course 7
conclude no allowance was made for mag
netic variation up to that time. | have
heard a number of surveyors claim that
a uniform allowance should be made for
variation to survey all old lines but
disagree as to what the allowance should
be; others agree with me that to retrace
lines that are legally established requires
an allowance for magnetic variation rang
ing from 4 degrees to degrees and any
one conVersant with the reports of the
United States coast and goedetic surveys
will readily understand why it is So
This being the case, and later suryeyors
disagreeing as to the allowance to he
made, and running different courses. it is
Impossible for surveyor to know what
course to adopt to retrace an old line I'M
less he can ascertain just when and by
whom the line was surveyed, or can find
old landmarks to guide him Any survey
accepted by the parties in interest and ac-
quiesced in or occupied to for more than
Is years becomes the legal line. and there
are many such lines running various
courses because the surveyors making
them did not make proper allowance for
the variation of the compass Some sec
tions of most town and range lines have
been maintained in the original location.
while other sections have been resur-
veyed, the newer lines generally bearing
TO the left of the original survey for some
distance. then varying to the right to get
back into the old line-a notable example
being the line between Stratton and Sun
derland which runs S. 13' go w. to with
in about 20 rods Of Stratton S. w cor
ner, then S. 49, w. to hit the corner, maxi
ing crook of ~ rods.
c. f. SKINNER.
Newfane, Oct. 20, 1903