Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-12-03
Letter, nom the Line.

series Of letters, under the above title,
dcrsiood to bo from the pen Of Henry o.
Kent Of Lancaster which describe in q
graphic manner the scenery, settlements
and matters Of interest encountered m ih'
recent survey Of the boundary between The
States Of New Hampshire and Maine The
opening letter describes the condition Of the
country about the MagalloNary settlement
in Coo. and Oxford Counties, and afort'
much valuable information relating 70 them,
We conicnsc portions Of them ior this mum
Der of the Democrat, and perhaps in a iu-
tuO issue may produce portions OF the let
tsrs descriptive Of the labors Of the party
along the line. We would here aeknowl.
edsc the cCurtssy Of u. Il. Allison, editor
Of the Republican. IN furnishing Us copies
Of bis journal containing these letters;
.'Iu the counties number o. letters with
which cur journals are filed, especially du.
ring the summer months, little is generally
lslt 10 BE- described. and few Parts Of the
country arr left unnohced. Coos i abun-
dantly remembered, and Yet after all ,ha,
has 5ceu written concerning the natural
beauty and .ublimity o. our county vast
sscu5n Of 10 rich in soil and natural aivan-
tags, grand aud sublime in all the iorma'
ti1ns os naturc-rcmains uunoiiccl. When,
years ago. old Philip Carrisan, In company
with townsmen of cur own, stood upon the
summit OF Mount Washington, snd gave q
the surrounding peaks the several names
they now bear far away IN The northeast
they bch5li chain " lakes erubosomcd In
the wilderness, and surrounded by ranges
Of mountains, almost rivalling in grandeur
those upon which they stood. This section,
then known only BY the traPPer aud Indian,
aborndins in game 6G AL kinds, irOm the
Inoosa t. the sable and mink, dotted with
lake, and ponds, the home Of the beaver or
the residence Of coualcss families oi trout,
has since that period grown 'onevha upon
The public u5,icc. The MAgalloway, a no.
be river, broad as the Connccticu,, has
since become a highway Cor lHmhormen,
and a few clearing. On the outer limits Of
it. valley break the uu,aricd mon0t0ny Of
the forest. Il i Of some Of the peculiAriiies
OF This section oi our own county, and the
adjoinius county Of Oxford in Maine, that
propose % give some sketch in connection
with an abridged narrative og the recent
State line survey, which survey pa'scd
through the country alluded %.
The report of,Le Commissioner, appoint.
cd BY his MAJESTY King Georgc, in Council
olFsbruary -, 1885, and confirmed by his
order Of the 5Ih Of August, l7iO, establish
ed that the dividing line between the two
Provinces, N. II. and Mas. } shall pass
up through the mouth Of the PiscataGua
HArbor. and up ths middle Of the Newich-
wann0ek. part of which Is now called Sal
mon Pals to the iarihest head thereof,
and that said dividing liuo shall part the
I.le Of 81. Sholes" and run through the mid
de Of the Hlarbor. between the islands, u
the sca, on the southerly side, &c., and m
!74O a survey was made ia accordance
thereto. Again In l5Sg. the line was run
and marksl by ,poI,ins tres, in the then
wilIcrnsss. from the head 0f salmon Falls
u the highlands Of Canada. The course Of
the line then run was north, g degrees east,
and is the sane line familiarity known 70
the residents thereon as the Province line.
In ls.O. Maine. until then a portion Of
the Commonwealth OF Massachusetts,, ws'
erected int a sovereign STATE, and the line
between Der and New Hampshire, having
by the lapsS Of time become - much oblii-
Grated and uncertain in it, location, that 10
Isg7, the two States appointed eoumis-
SION o. ascertain. survey aud mark, the
line between the iwo States Of New Hamp-
shire and Maine, and 70 ercc, suitable mon
uments 10 designate il as the true boundary
line oG said States - aud 10 accordance With
the Rzsylve, Hon. Ichaboj Bartlett Of Ports
mouth. aul Hon. John " Weeks Of Ian.
caster, were appointed Commissioners ou
the part Of New Hampshire, and Hon. wi
liam King. and Hon. Rufus Mclntire, Com,
missioner, on the part Of Maine, EliPhalct
Hunt, Esq, Of y. H., and Andrew MeMil
Ian. E.q.. Of Fryeburg, Maine, were select,
ed as Surveyors for their respective States
and the residue Of the party were compose
OF four or Eve ehAinmen, aHsmen and pack
men, from each State. Charles ". Baker
Esq, Of our own town, and AIphsus Hatch.
in,, Esq., Of Northumberland, were con.
RecIed With the party.
The party being thus completed. the worI
was commenced az the head Of salmon Fall
River, Oct. /. 1897, aud the line run to tn,
AuIro-cossin River, a distance Of about Il
miles, that Ell Tue next fall operations
were again commenced. and the line com
Plsted up to :he Canada Highlands. Thh
line was marked by the occasional erection
Of Stone Monuments, below the AnlrOsoos
gin, and above that point, 4" BY sPOstins th,
old marked trees and crossing the spots and
marking others on the route"
The line thus marked, became in process,
Of time almost entirely Obliterated. From
the ADdrOscoggio to Canada line. but three
monuments were erected. and the spots up
on the tres, BY reason Of the natural
growth. as well As by the action Of IRE and
wind. became eG4eed, and in many
places entirely destroyed. The line was