<pre><font color=blue>Even today, an old wire fence or stone wall line
carries extra weight with most property laws and surveyors
as showing control of property ownership.</font color=blue>
Having worked for a civil engineer, this is true, but only in the
absence of more reliable corner markers such as pipes,
stakes, etc. driven in the ground. What a joy it was, as
surveyors, getting caught between 2 property owners each
of whom insisted they knew exactly where the property line
was. Our standard practice was to drive a 2" x 2" oak stake
almost flush with the ground and then put a small tack in the
stake to indicate the exact corner. We then tapped a guard
stake near the corner and tied orange plastic ribbon at the
top of the guard stake. The irate property owner would
invariably yank the guard stake out of the ground thinking he
solved the problem.</pre>