magnetic station found

[+DutchBoy]

I have hunted and found benchmarks in the past, as well as geocaching. Recently my local newspaper ran this article, written by a local person. I found it very interesting, but upon further investigation, It did not seem that this article was very factual. I was wondering if someone with more knowledge than myself would read it and give me their take. Here is the article link.

 

magnetic station found

 

I found the document he quotes at this site in the year 1908. It does not seem to support some of his statements.

Edited June 3, 2009 by DutchBoy

[Bill93]

The article makes the point sound like it was some natural magnetic node, which is not true. There is some other speculation in the article that appears unfounded, such as a deposit of rare-earth metals.

 

US C&GS (now NGS) Magnetic stations were simply arbitrary points chosen for the measurement of the earth's magnetic field (declination, dip, and intensity). The table on p. 16 of the 1908 Annual Report says Indiana had 24 such stations, 5 of which were revisited so I suppose those had been established longer. There are mentions of work in Indiana listed under the various field parties. Results for Indiana are presented beginning at p. 118, with this one at p. 123, and it gives distances from 2 gravestones to the station.

 

If the compass acts weird there, it is due to something man-made that has been added since 1908. I suspect the change from wooden coffins to metal ones has made the magnetic station in the cemetery useless for scientific measurements, but that wouldn't explain a compass wanting to point down.

Edited June 3, 2009 by Bill93

[+jwahl]

It looks as they have pilfered or misunderstood a story from someone who legitimately recovered a magnetic station in a cemetary. All the lore about it having magnetic properties is hogwash.

 

Note the recent recovery by Penry

 

Mag Station Wayne

 

and

 

http://www.penryfamily.com/surveying/stantonmag.html

 

It would appear that most of this story has entered the realm of rumor or folklore perhaps generated by third parties retelling or embellishing the story.

 

There are also stones set to mark true meridians in some parts of the country which were set in the mid 1800's to allow surveyors to determine the magnetic declination of their compasses. Those were set in pairs to mark a North and South end, and usually had no association with C&GS.

 

In both cases it would be counter productive to the purpose of the monument(s) if there were any significant local magnetic disturbance or anomaly.

 

The last thing we need is to popularize the idea of digging around for monuments in cemetaries by the general public based on such whims.

 

- jlw

 

The article makes the point sound like it was some natural magnetic node, which is not true. There is some other speculation in the article that appears unfounded, such as a deposit of rare-earth metals.

 

US C&GS (now NGS) Magnetic stations were simply arbitrary points chosen for the measurement of the earth's magnetic field (declination, dip, and intensity). The table on p. 16 of the 1908 Annual Report says Indiana had 24 such stations, 5 of which were revisited so I suppose those had been established longer. There are mentions of work in Indiana listed under the various field parties. Results for Indiana are presented beginning at p. 118, with this one at p. 123, and it gives distances from 2 gravestones to the station.

 

If the compass acts weird there, it is due to something man-made that has been added since 1908. I suspect the change from wooden coffins to metal ones has made the magnetic station in the cemetery useless for scientific measurements, but that wouldn't explain a compass wanting to point down.

Edited June 3, 2009 by jwahl

[+PFF]

They got some of the story correct, but I doubt that the compass pointed straight down.

 

Here's a typical cemetery setting for a magnetic station:

 

http://www.ncgs.state.nc.us/st/County_repo...nty-Raeford.pdf

 

-Paul-

[+DutchBoy]

The article makes the point sound like it was some natural magnetic node, which is not true. There is some other speculation in the article that appears unfounded, such as a deposit of rare-earth metals.

 

US C&GS (now NGS) Magnetic stations were simply arbitrary points chosen for the measurement of the earth's magnetic field (declination, dip, and intensity). The table on p. 16 of the 1908 Annual Report says Indiana had 24 such stations, 5 of which were revisited so I suppose those had been established longer. There are mentions of work in Indiana listed under the various field parties. Results for Indiana are presented beginning at p. 118, with this one at p. 123, and it gives distances from 2 gravestones to the station.

 

If the compass acts weird there, it is due to something man-made that has been added since 1908. I suspect the change from wooden coffins to metal ones has made the magnetic station in the cemetery useless for scientific measurements, but that wouldn't explain a compass wanting to point down.

 

That is exactly what I thought when I read the article and scratched my head. Then when I read the document, I was even more sure they did not understand it, but I wanted someone with more expertise on the issue to give their opinion. I also thought they were trying to say it was some type of a natural occuring anomaly. Thanks for the info