Year: 1869

4


as Chapter SO.


AN ACT providing for the establishment of true me-


rdan lines and for regulating the practice of sur


SECT l.. 1t shall be the duty of the county COM
missioners of each county of the state within two
years from and after the passage of this act or in
any new county sha! be formed at any time hereafter
ating such new county shall have become law to
erect some land belonging to the county, or on
such land the commissioners may hereafter acquire
for that purpose at such place places in the sever
al counties the public convenience and necessities
may require true meridian line lines to be per-
petuated by substantial stone posts, pillars upon
whose SUBMITS there shall be firmly and immovaby
fixed. brass or copper points to indicate the true
the same; the said posts pillars to be and to re-
main the property of the county wherein the same
shall be located under the custody and care of the
clerk of the courts of said county to be free the
of any surveyor civil engineer residing in said
county engaged in surveying therein, for the pur
pose of testing the variation of the compass for the
time being; and the expense attending the same
shall be assessed by the commissioners and paid from
the treasury of the several counties. .sa


SECT. 2. 1t shall be the duty of every land survey
in the state at least once in every year. to adjust
and verify his compass by the meridian line SO esab-
ished in the county wherein his surveys to be
made and to insert in his field notes the true as well
the magnetic bearings of the lines of his surveys
and the day on which the he lines were run.


of the several counties aforesaid, to procure book
records to be kept by the clerk of the courts OF





to keep said book of records conveniently sta-
ted to the place where said meridian line is establish
ed and be accessible to all persons wishing to re-
fer thereto; and every surveyor on having adjusted
his compass as aforesaid shall enter therein the va
ration of his compass from the true meridian wheth-
er east west and shall subscribe his name thereto


Scot l. Amy surveyor who shall neglect or refuse
to comply with the provisions of sections second and
third of this act SHALL for every such neglect or re-
fusal nav the sum of ten dollars on comnaint made
by any person interested in such survey before any
trial justice in the county where such survey is made
one half to the person making the complaint and the
other half to the county; provided however that no
surveyor while having his residence upon an island
BY pass;a63ie bridge with the main land
aured to go beyond the limits of such island to yeri
fy his compass for the purpose of making SURVEYS of
land thereon any time prior to the legal establish
ment of true meridian line upon such island where
by the variation of his compass may be compared and
adjusted.


SECT S. On the erection of the posts, or monu-
ments by the county commissioners for their resnec
tive counties aforesaid it shall be the duty of the
governor and council to appoint some competent per-
SON. as commissioner to inspect and verify by astro-
nomical observations, the meridian lines SO establish
ed who shall make report of his doings therein
with a full and accurate description of the monu-
ments the latitude and longitude of the same also
the decination of the needle for the time being upon
each of the said meridian lines and deposit record
thereof with the clerk of the courts in each of the
counties aforesaid; and the said commissioner shall
he Maid for his services such compensation as bv the
governor and council may be deemed equitable and
Just.


di snlace alter deface, destroy or otherwise ininre
any of the monuments OF points 6y which such me-
down or carry away the enclosure aforesaid or any
lock, bar bolt, any part thereof. the said person
or persons SO oenang sr sGa pc punished upon com
iurisdiction by fine not exceeding one hundred dol.
lars one half to be paid to the complainant and the
other half to the county wherein such offence may
nave ''e'- = [Approved March II, 1861