Hello,
Your advice would be appreciated,
I'm currently writing legal descriptions for easements based on a 1915 deed where a compass was used, see attached. The beginning and end points of the centerline of the ditch are distance calls from the east and center quarters. The difference between the true bearing and the magnetic bearing of the south line of the northeast quarter is accurate based on the historical declinations attached.
The question is are the distance calls based on true or magnetic bearings? My thought is that the compass was used to lay this out on the ground and rotated to true for the record, I am assuming. Should you hold N 14 22 00 E 44 .00 feet and N 75 38 00 W 6.00 feet for the call of 44 feet North to establish the end near the center quarter?
Your thoughts would be appreciated, Thank You,
Paul
Are your descriptions going to be based on an actual survey on the ground? You mentioned that you are preparing the legals but it sounds like you are also trying to retrace an existing legal.
Compass bearings are less than reliable in some areas and not all course readings will be valid even though they are actual read from the compass.
Not everyone will make multiple readings at each end, along and around the middle of the line and rarely were true compass surveys checked for closure.
To retrace them, best use a quality compass of the era or an actual brass transit with a 4in needle compass.
I have found the distances to be fairly reliable in most cases.
Hopefully you are not relying upon an ancient description to write an easement description without making a new ground survey 1st.
0.02