Litchfield enquirer., 1839-03-21
THE MAINE BOUNDARY.

THE MAINE BOUNDARY.
The Salem Gazette furnishes the follow
ing succinct historical sketch of the bounda-
ry question, which is Of great interest at the
present moment -
If the present troubles in Maine should re-
suit in no worse consequences than in excl
ting universal attention to the importance of
the question, it will not prove an evil to be
deprecated. The question is of more conse-
quence, especially to the State of Maine,
than is generally supposed. The territory
in dispute contains about 1O,7O2 square
miles, viz: ON the south of the st. John riv-
er, $500, and on the north 5,1lS, being near
iy one third of the state, and comprising
tract Of country almost twice as large as the
state of Massachusetts. We have not room
for detailed account of the origin and his
tory Of this controversy, and can only give
very brief notice of il.
The country east of the state of Maine,
previous to 1855, was called Nova Scotia, and
the dividing line has always been in dispute.
1t was subject of controversy between the
English and French, and the treaty of Utrecht
in l713, by which the French ceded Nova
Scotia to the English, did not settle the dis
pute. An attempt was made in 175l to set
tie it by commissioners, of whom Gov. Shir-
ley was one, but it was fruitEess attempt,
resulting IN the conquest of Canada, and leav-
ing the disputeto be revived on the separation
of the u. s. from G. Britain. In all treaties
between the French and English,and between
the latter and the U. S., the same imaginary
line has been recognized. In the charter Of
Nova Scotia to Sir Wm.Alexander, Sept. 10,
1921, the west line was thus described: ito
the river st. Croix, and to the farthest source
and spring which comes from the west to
mingle its waters with that river; from
thence by straight imaginary line crossing
the lands or running towards the north as
far as the first bay, river, or spring, which
runs into the great river of Canada, and from
thence continuing eastward to the sea, along
the shores of the river of Canada, to the riv-
er, bay or latitude of Gespe.'-The new pro-
vince of Quebec was erected on the 9TH of
Oct 1853, and this line was thus described:
passing along the highlands which divide
the rivers that empty themselves into the riv-
er st. Lawrence, from those which fall into
the sea- The I'd article of the treaty of peace
between G. Britain and the U. States, signed
Sept. 3, 1883, thus described this boundary !:
from the northwest angle of Nova Scotia,
viz: that angle which is formed by line
drawn due north from the source OF st. Crolx
river to the highlands; along said highlands
which divide those rivers that empty them
selves into the river 81. Lawrence, from those
which fall into the Atlantic ocean,t to the north
Subsequently question arose respecting
what river was intended by the name OF 81.
Croir,' and the 9th article of the treaty OF
1904 provided for the appointment of COM
missoners by each government 70 settle 1t.
| r IS 70 ISL nm r.
CLAW was appointed on the part of Great
Britain, and David Howell and Egbert Ben
son on the part of the United States
These commissioners met at Halifax, or
the 25th of October, 1898, made their re-
port. by which il was settled that the inten
ded river st. Croix,' had its source in the
head of a stream called Cheptenetecook
(Schoodie,) at a stake near yellow birct
tree. about 5 miles and "a Of mile north o.
the point where that stream empties into the
Schoodie lake. At this point they establish.
ed monument, in latitude As degrees 4e
minutes, and called it the Eastern Monu'
uent.' The monument is a yellow birch tree
hooped with iron and marked 3. L. and
]. IT.. 1897, being the initials of Samuel TIT
comb and John Harris, the surveyors. The
line thus far has been settled but the line
running north from the monument. and sep
arating Maine from New Brunswick, and the
line along the highlands, dividing Canada
from Maine, is still In dispute. The 9th ar
ticle of the treaty Of Client recognized thu
same imaginary line as the dividing line be
tween the United States and Great Britain
and under it Thomas Barclay on the part o
the British government, and Cornelius Val
Ness on the part of the United States were
appointed commissioners to survey and de
termine it.. The first meeting OF these com
missioners was at st. Andrews, on the 25d O
September, 1916, and the last at New-York
April 13, 1922. They had also nine interve
ming meetings.
In 1917 and 1918, the line north of the
eastern monument was surveyed by TWO sur
yeving parties, who marked all elevations
and rivers. and compared notes and recOncll
ed variations every morning. An exploring
view was also taken of the highlands nortl
and south of the st. John river to its sources
and also those of the Penobscot. The Amer
lean surveyor made q general report; bu
the commissioners could not agree where Il
establish the boundary lines The dispute
as on all former occasions, was with respec
to the highlands referred to in the treaty
On the part of the United States, Mr.. Var
Ness commended that the line ought to begin
At the eastern monument and run due nortt
IA miles to the highlands, which he claim
ed divided the waters which fall into the riv
er st. Lawrence on the north and the Allan
tic ocean on the south. He also commended
that the line between Maine and Canads
ought to commence at the IA mile corner
and thence passing the sources Of the Mem
keeswee or Grand Fourche, and second forl
Of the lakes emptying into the st. John. e
the head or spring Of Tuladi river, which
emp.ies into Temiscouata lake, 90 miles
from the corner thence by the head waters
of that lake to the source OF the eastern
branch of the 81. Francois. around the sour.
ces of the Grand and PETIT du Irc.s Pisfoles
which latter too empty into the st. Lawrence,
70 the source of the main st. Francois thence
between the western source of the st. Fran.