Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-09-07
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE AND VIRGINIA ADVERTISER

lived near and applied to the less dgnifed
yet more unitarian purpose of chimney
piece. 1t has since, We believe, been repa
ced by another.
But to return to our history. The prin
cipal starting point being ascertained, the
great labor of the undertaking begins. l
required large number Of assistants ant
employees to carry on the ork,-such Il:
chain-carriers, air-men. cooks, baggage-mer
and other servants. In the fall of 100
they had reached point IS miles west of thu
Susquehanna. They resume again the fol
lowing Spring, and on the 4th of June they
are on the top of Little Allegheny noun
tains, 100 miles from the beginning Of thcll
line. Here they were arrested in their west
ward course. The Indians, through whose
hitherto unmolested grounds they were pen
etrating, grew jealous aud refused to allow
them to proceed. Chagrined with disap
pointment (for they were pleased and zeal
Gus in the undertaking. they take up The
backward march. The Germans of the two
States, however, joined in obtaining a CRANE
council of the Indians, at which they were
successful in receiving permission to proceed
with the work.
According y it was resumed in the sum
mer of 1867. In short time they arrived
ut the western limit of Maryland, and here
it might be supposed they would stop, since
beyond that Maryland was no longer CON
cerned. But such was not the case. They
still pushed on, led by the enthusiastic Lon
don astronomers and followed by the mixec
retinue, in due line, west. Nodoubt they
considered their task to be, to fix not only
the division line been the two proprietaries
but the entire Southern line Of Pennsylva
mia, which was to extend to point five de
grees of longitude west Of the Delaware, anc
that point had not yet been reached.
Troubles now began to attend their pro
gress. Like Columbus sailors, their hume
rous employees began to grow restless, JUS
when the contamination of their ambition
was so near at hand. The surrounding In
dams became fierce and troublesome, and
on the 9th of September, when encampe1
on the banks of the Monongahela, twenty
six of their laborers deserted them. Not
discouraged, they sent back to Fort Cum
berland for new ones to supply the deser
ters' places, and in the mean time pushed
on with such as were with them. At last
thew arrived at where the old Catawba wal
path crosses the line, at the second crossing
of Dunkard Creek, in Monongalia county
Va and here their western course Is finally
stopped Thus We have seen the beginning
of Mason < Dixon's line, and here We see,
so far as it is connected with the names,
Mason d. Diron its termination. But whilst
the line run by them ends here, the entire
Southern boundary line Of Pennsy lvania,
even after it passes beyond where Mason d
Dixon stopped to the base of our Pan Han,
die, usually receives their name, though
the extension part is clearly not entitled to it.
The line was afterwards extended from
the stopping point at Dunkards Greek, by
Joint commissioners appointed by the States
Of Virginia and Pennsylvania, who, on the
18th day of November, 1855, made their
report See Code of Va. p. 80 So
The length of the line from the beginning
to the Dunkard creek stopping point was
24i miles, ll3 perches and Il feet. The en-
tire line Us extended is 26G miles, % and
ono fifth perches. Mason and Dixon had
computed it to be 26I miles, and l59 and
six tenth perchcs; but in this calculation
there was trihing error of about one and a
third miles.
The whole history of this line is an inter
esting one; not only on account of the thrill,
ling adventures Of the mere marking and
measuring so extensive line, through the
heart of an immense savage wilderness.
Though wilderness of unsurpassed wealth
and beauty but it is also interesting on ac-
count of the harrassing and pcrtinaclous
conflicts, in which it had its origin. 1t is
also interesting because of the quasi politl-
cal Specification that has been given, by
hackneyed and careless usage, to the phrase
Mason * Dixons line" We leave the sub
ject now, promising that ut some future day
we will take up the not less interesting sub,
ject of the difficulties growing out Of the
Boundary Controversy between Pennsylva,
mia and Virginia Wheeing Int.