Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1870-03-25
Scientific.
rhs sou.hsra boundary OF virginia.


WASHINGTON, Dec. 30th, 1869.
Profr BENIN PCircc, Sup't L. S.
Coast Survey:
SIR-In your letter of instruction to
observe the Solar Eclipse of August
directed me to comply, if practicable,
with the request made by the president
OF Washington College, Virginia, to
connect the station at Bristol, .ie po-
sition of which would be astronomical
ly determined, with one or more of
the monuments which mark the bOun-
dairy line of the State of Virginia in
that vicinity" so that the longitude
and latitude thereof may be accurate
ly known.
Ascertaing soon after my arrival 0t
Bristol that the connection could be
readily made, the work was underta-
ken and completed without interfering
with the regular duties assigned to the
party. Signals which were visible
from the astronomical station, were
erected on the boundary, or main
street separating GOodson III Virginia,
from Bristol in Tennessee, and the con-
nection effected by means of measur-
ed base aud triangulation. In view
of the fact, however, that the signals,
or monuments, were placed on a
inc which, though recognized as the
boundary between Virginia and Ten
nessee, has not been, i'll the opinion OF
many, dciinitively settled rs such, and
rs the results of the observations ana
triangulation, made under my direc-
tion may be used asauChority in the dis
cussion of the question should IL again
arise, beg leave 10 show the character
- 4 ts,.aa t..s NFh
tion OF the line, ana the latitude and
longitude OF the monument were OBJ
tanned, and to describe, Dy IA short his
tonc sketch, hereto appended, the spe-
cial line referred to, theie having been
three or more lines run by Interested
parties at different periods.
The instruments employed 10 deter
mine the exact ScoSlaphlcial position
OF the observatory on Lancaster Hlll,
Good-on in connection with the eclipse
of August ith, were a Transit and
Zenith Telescope, each mounted on Il
solid pier composed Ot brick ana &C.
mcnt. The latitude was determined
by twelve pairs OF stars, and the longi-
tudc by. the transmission OF time sig
mails To the Naval Observatory at
Washington, ON three nights, the tel
egraph wires having been connected
and placed at our disposal for that pur-
pose. The observations to secure
those results were made 10y Assistant
4. II. MOsman during nine nights, be-
tween the 18th of July and the Ith OF
August.
10 connect Zenith Telescope with
the boundary, a base was measured
and tringulation executed, including
two stations on the line recognized by
the inhabitants as the boundary oi
1902, and as specially pointed out by
Thomas ID. Walthall, Esq., of Bristol,
an engineer and surveyor well III
formed on the subject.
The aZimuth OF the line was derived
! from measurement made between tr-
sd MinOris at its upper elimination,
and three of the principal triangle
/ sides.
Before leaving Bristol, ii was under
stood that permanent monuments
would be erected by the municipal au-
thoritles of Bristol and Goodson, at
two points determined on the bound
ary. The piers on Lancaster Hill
were placed, by letter, under the pro-
tee ion of the Mayor of GoodsOn.
Upon examination of the charters,
agreements and legislative enactments
referring TO the dividing line between
| Virginia on the one side, and North
Carolina and Tennessee on the other,
as fully quoted and explained in the
accompanying appendix, IL will be AS
certained that from the date of the Sc
cond charter of King Charles H., in
1865, TO the latest legislation in regard
to its demarcation in 1860, the south
ern boundary of Virginia has been
supposed To be situated, as it was in
part directed to be traced, on the par
allel of $50 30'.
The Joint commission which was or
ganized in l779, was directed tO start
upon the parallel of 360 30', and Ia
continue on that parallel TO the Ten
nessee river. AS the respective COM
missiOners differed in tile results of
their observations, two lines were run,
known as the Walker and Henderson
lines neither of which were correct.
Finally, as n kind of compromise and
under the suppositiOn that the true
line must certainly be between the
two then in dispute. other commits
siOners were appointed in 1900, with
full powers from Virginia and rather
limited powers from Tennessee, and
under the direction of this Joint COM
mission, a supposed middle line was
then marked, which line was ratified,
! established and confirmed by Virginia
ON the 22nd of January, 1903, and by
Tennessee i'm the month OF November