Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1869-05-07
MASON AND DIxoN,s LINE.
PETROLEUM v. NAsBF,
witch is Postmaster. }

son and Dixon Line, and none less gener-
ally understood Constituting the southern
boundary of Pennsylvania. and the dividing
line between this State, and Delaware and
Maryland, and thereby the dividing line of
the free aud slave States of the Atlantic
slope until where it struck the Ohio river,
Mason aud Dizon's Line passed into
popular use in the fierce discussions which
so long agitated the country by reason Of
the ''irrepressible conflict" between Free
dom and Slavery Now that the contest
has been ended in the entire abolition of
slavery throughout the Republic this geo
graphical line ceases TO have any national
importance. Still, in view of the past,
few facts 10 connection with its origin may
not be uninteresting to the reader.
In 1854, Hon. John H. B. Latrobe, Of
Baltimore, delivered an able and interesting
lecture before the Pennsylvania Historical
Society, in which he dwells at length upon
the subject
1t seems that the grants of land to Lord
Baltimore, Wm. Penn and the Dutch
settlers Of Delaware, were somewhat in
definite and difficulty arose as to the bound
aries of the several grants. The grant to
Penn made part of his southern boundary
10 consist Of "a circle drawn at twelve miles
distant from Newcastle northward and
westward, unto the beginning Of the 10th
f., ,cN -, /,
On the 4th Of July, l760, the heirs Of
Penn and Lord Baltimore executed a deed
of boundary settlement, under which,
together with the decisions Of the English
Court Of Chancery, Commissioners were ap-
pointed to run the boundary line between
Maryland on the one band, and Delaware
aud Pennsylvania on the other The sur
veyors, under the deed, were Thomas Gar
nett, Jonathan Hall, John Lukens, Archi-
bald Mclean, John f. A Priggs, Archi
bald Emory, John Watson and William
Shankland; whose original feldnotes are
still preserved 10 the Maryland archives at
Annapolis
At the end Of three years, these Surveyors
had accomplished but little more than the
adjustment of TIE southern line Of Delaware,
half way across the peninsula, the peninsu-
lar line North to the intersection Of the
/ 4'.--.-o,su puIuL ur tLu 1yyrtLeru circular
coufne Of Delaware, and the tracing of the
twelve mile circle. "
1t was from the tangent point on this
circle, that the meridian was to be continued
North to a point, ilteen miles South OF
Philadelphia, whence should be traced the
parallel of latitude westward, that was to
divide the provinces, and to the difficulty OF
tracing this line is attributable the presence
Of Mason and Dixon in America.
On the 4th of August 1868, Themas and
Richard Penn, and Lord Baltimore, being
together in London, agreed with Chas. Ma
son and jeremiah Dixon, two mathema-
tieians or surveyors, TO mark, run out,
settle, fix and determine all such parts Of the
circle, marks, lines and boundaries, as wert
mentioned in the several articles or commits
sions, aud were not yet completed. " Mason
and Dixon landed in Philadelphia on the
18th of November following, aud began
their work at once They adopted the
peuinsular lines, and the radius and tan.
gent point OF the circle, Of their predeces-
sors. They next ascertained the north
eastern corner OF Maryland, and proceeded to
run the dividing parallel Of latitude. They
pursued this parallel a distance of % %
miles, S chains and q links, from the place
of beginning, at the n. E. corner of Mary
land, to the bottom of a valley on Dunkard's
creek, where an Indian war path crossed
their route; and here, on the 10Th OF
November 1767-lO3 years ago-their In
dian escort told them it was the will Of the
Six Nations that the surveys should cease,
leaving SO miles, chains and 50 links as
the exact distance remaining to be run west
to .ho southwest angle of Pennsylvania, not
far from the Broad Tree tunnel on the B.
&. O. Railroad
By agreement Of the parties and the de-
cree Of Lord Hardwicke, of the English
Court of Chaneery, the surveyors, Mason
and Dixon, planted at the end Of every fifth
mile, stone craven with the arms of the
Penns on one side and those of the Balti
more family on the other, marking the in
termediate miles with smaller stones, having
a P on the North side, aud an NJ on the
South This was done as far as Sideling
Hill; beyond that, the line is marked by
vista, cut through the forest, eight yards
vide, with piles of stones en- the mountain
crests, as far as the summit Of tie Ale
gheny; beyond which the line is marked
with posts, with stones aud earth heaped
around them Such Is the history of Ma
son & Dixon line.
In course Of time, the northeast boundary
stone of Maryland was undermined by a
brook, and falling down, was removed and
built into the chimney of a neighbOring farm
house. When it was missed, a joint com
mission was authorized by the States of
Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware, and
Lieut. Col. Jamas D. Graham, of the L. S.
Typographical Engineers, proceeded to re
place it. A triangular prismatie post OF
granite, - marked With the letters, VI, D and
p. respectively facing the States to which
these letters refer, now marks the beginning
Of Mason and Dixon line.
Dixon died at Durham, England, l777,
Mason died IN Pennsylvania 10 1857.
People who want TO establish veloei- |
pede rink can call it by any Of the following
Amphicyclotheatron, gymnacycli