Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-07-11
Meridian

on the night of Nav 2i. under orders
from the Supervisors. established a
Meridian Line on the County Farm. the
north end ofwhich is marked bv a set
stone on Tie public road near Mr.. James
Hart's house. Said stone is 4 2 feet long.
planted 81 feet in the ground and on top
Of which is cut the letter y. At the
south end is another stone marked with
the letter :, SET feet deep with 1Oinches
above the surface. Between these two
stones is cluster of rock brakes. the
most eastern Of which IS almost circular.
about o or $ feet in diameter and . feet
in height. and it is distant from the
North stone j69.2G yards and from the
south stone 1907 Il yards. On the top of
this natures set rock I cut cross (N.
and set up my transit. At about 10
o'clock took an observation on tile Pole
Star at its lower elimination about five
minutes after Delta of Cassiopeia had
passed the Collimation line: then de-
pressing the telescope l made my assist
ant fix his stakes.
On the same night, six hours later. 7
took my second shot at the Pole Star at
its eastern elongation. and, after sunrise.
turned of the asimuth and thus verified
the work.
This reminds me of the teasing the
principal of Clay Hill gave me shout the
lead pencil business in my former letter
10 the COURIER, but Colonel Narr knew
was awarethe asimuth for this ,39th1
latitude is degree. 32 minutes and 3
! seconds instead of Il degrees as I rough
/ ly expressed il. And also when the
vernier would close in those two minutes
on each side of that poor little pencil the
T plumbago would >queal. But Clay Hill
has the credit of extreme accuracy as SCI
forth recently by one of its boys in
Greater New York. Part Of the inc of
! old Liberty Avenue was lost. and tha,
/ boys training under Professor Whiting
enabled him 10 find il wlen several Older
engineers failed, and his work was ac.
cepted 10y The city authorities.
The entire line is 80 chains. or 66l
yards, instead of 33 feet or II yards. and
has the advantage of allowing the far.
sighted surveyor 10 have the benefit OF
his good eyes, and the short sighted man
has the opportunity Of squirting alone
the greater or lesser division of the same
Also, the fact Ihat the y and : stones AT,
on cleyatedpoints. gives the observer
clear line of sight, though crops may b,
/ growing between.
In this Meridian work / am glad u
acknowledge aid from Col. r. 4. Marr
dean of Engineering Department, Blacks
! burg, Va, and a pamphlet he gave m,
on the Maryland methods, and also from
the l. :. GeOdetic Survey.
l have thus outlined my work. becaus,
necessity compelled me 10 criticise tn,
line established in the Courthouse yard
regard said line As a reflection upoi
the intelligence of our people, and i
should be removed, although there is ON
like il in the courthouse yard in Win
chester, and. N realty, one more farcica'
since iaoSepretty monuments are hid
den from view by locks Of brass an
hinges ofiTOn, thus dehaTring the transit
man "a setup over" Get back little.
| says the Chief Mind that iron fence.
, echoes the small boy. "Oh, for a it'll
! more space" "Old jim Wood was to-
! stingy with his woods The populac
peep over the gau ana xoader. Th
; digni6ed members of the bar cast know
l ms looks and pass by. ALP All, saw
e one, that the jovial and merry Dick, foi
{ gets himself, and that Bird t(w)itter