The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-10-29
The boundary Line between Missouri and
Iowa.

Iowa.
On the oh of December, lS47, the State of
Missouri filed her bill in the Supreme Court Of
the United States against the State of Iowa, for
the settlement of the disputed boundary line be-
tween the two States. The case was heard on
the bill and answer, and cross bill and answer;
and, Twas argued on the 18th, nth, 18th, 10th,
and 10Th OF February, lS49 On the 18th Of
March following, the court decreed that the
northern boundary of Missouri, and the southern
boundary Of Iowa, is the line run by john c.
SULLIVAN in 1916, as the Indian boundary; and
ordered that JosEPH C. Brown and HENRY b.
HENDEEsHoTT be Commissioners to remark
that lire, and file therre by the Isl ofJanuary
then next. The CHEF JUSTICE was author
lied to make all the necessary orders in the
premises, and the costs and charges of the set
tlemeut were to be assessed equally upon the
litigant States.
In consequence of the death of one of the
commissioners, Mr.. BRowN, and the resqna-
ton of his immediate successor, Mr.. K. G..
WELLS, II became necessary to extend the
time, and the final report of the commissioners
was not filed in the Supreme Court till the 18th
of the present month. Meanwhile. Mr.. w. G.
Minor had been appointed to fill the vacancy
in the commission caused by the resignation OF
Mr. WELLS, and the report is signed by Mr..
MIYoR and Mr.. HENpERsHoTT.
The commissioners met in the cityof ST. Louis
in the month of March last, where they held
consultations with experienced surveyors, and
determined upon plan OF operations agreeing
10 meet at the supposed site of Sullivan's
northwest corner between the 10th and Goth
Of April. While in St. Louis they obtained
from Major NJ. l.. CLARK. surveyor gene
raj Of the States of Missouri and Illinois. a
copy of the feld-notes of the survey made
by JOHN. c. SULLIVAN in the year 1916 !;
OF 4 line beginning on the east bank of
the Missouri river, opposite the middle of the
mouth of the Kansas river, and extending north
one hundred miles, where he made 4 corner:
and also Of line run by him in an easterly
course to the Des Moines river. They We're
also furnished by Major CLARK with several
charts, diagrams, and copies of surveys which
had been made at various times, of portions of
Sullivan's line, and which were of much ser
vice in the prosecution of the work.
On reaching their proposed place of meeting
soon afterthe 10th of April, the surveying party
commenced their search for the old northwest
corner, no precise trace of which could be
found. The witness trees TO it were on the
margin Of vast prairie, and had apparently
been destroyed by fires years ago. Its exact
position consequently, could not be ascertained
but by the running Of many experimental lines,
and the diligent examination of the written evil
dences before them, together with the reports of
the surveyors, the commissioners became salts
fed Of its proper position, and accordingly es-
tablished it. It's latitude taken was found to
be 400 81 4O' north
At the corner thus determined, the commits
sioners planted a large, solid, cast-iron pillar,
weighing between fifteen and sixteen hundred
pounds, four feet six inches long, squaring
twelve inches at its base, and eight inches its
top. This pillar was deeply and legibly
marked with the words (strongly cast isto the
from Missouri on its south side, Iowa on its
north side, and STATE LINE on the east.
From this monument the survey Of the line
was commenced, running due west on the par
allel Of latitude above mentioned to the Mis-
souri, river, as directed by the court; and at its
terminus, as near the bank Of the Missouri river
as the perishabe nature Of the soil would admit.
the commissioners planted monument similar in
figure, weight, dimension, and inscription, 10 the
one planted at the northwest corner, the words
STATE LINE facing the east.
The state Of the weather, which prevented
reliable astronomical observations; and the state
Of the country, which was without roads OF
bridges, greatly retarded the work. But, re-
turning to the northwest corner the survey Of
the line was commenced extending eastwardly
from said corner to tho Des Moines river. as
run and marked by Sullivan. On this line, by
close examination, the commissioners found
abundant blazes and witness trees, which en-
abled them 10 find and remark the line as d.
rected by the court. The survey Of this por-
ton Of the line, more than one hundred and
fifty miles in length, was commenced on the
18Th Of August, and finished on the 18th Of
September. Near the bank Of the Des Moines.
where the line terminated, the commissioners
planted a csst-irOn pillar similar 10 those above
Described the words STATE LINE facing the
west. Cast-iron pillars, with appropriate in
scriptions, were planted at intervals Of ten
miles on both these lines-no monument. how
ever, being planted at mile 80 in the line run
ming east, because between it and the point
where the large one is planted on the banks Of
the Des Moines river there existed but small
fraction Of ten miles, being only ffty-one
chains.
Thus. by pacific, judicial agency, has been
commenced concluded, and settled forever, in
the space Of about three years, controversy
between sovereign States which, under less
fortunate and benignant system, might have
been continued for centuries, or till the litigated
boundary was marked m the blood Of the dis
putants.
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