Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-22
DISPUTED BOUNDARY LINE.
Where Does Tennessee End and Mis-
sissippi Commence?
From the Memphis Ledger, Feb 10.
In Tho ao,,tbarr- bO,,rdorvy line of Cha

From the Memphis Ledger, Feb. 10.
On the southern boundary line of Shelby
county, which constitutes the boundary be-
tween Tennessee and Mississippi, consider
able legal troubles take place every few
weeks, The boundary line between the
States is not clearly marked out, the old
"marks" having given way and disappeared
before the course of time. The result of
this is curious indeed. Many of the planters
owning land in the southern tier of sections
in Shelby county have to pay taxes in both
States. Many Of them pay taxes in DeSOto
county, Mississippi, while others, exactly on
the same section line, pay taxes in Shelby
county, Tennessee. 1t is assumed by many
that strip two hundred yards wide on the
south end Of the southern sections of this
county is in Mississippi, while others insist
that it is in this State. Deputy sherits from
this county serve Writs on the jewellers on
this neutral ground, and deputy sheriffs
from DeSOto county, Mississippi,
do likewise. The question with the
planters is-tO which State do We owe ale
glance? The troubles arising from this
mixed question of allegiance are numerous.
For instance, the owner of the debatable
land rents it, the tenant fails to pay rent, a
writ of possession is sued out by the pro-
prietor and executed by the sheriff of this
county. The tenant sues out a writ ia De-
Soto county, Mississippi, and is restored to
possession. Writs from Mississippi are ex-
ecuted inwhat is called Tennessee, and vice
versa. We know a case in point: A pro-
prietor is ordered to be put in possession Of
one of these sections of land by order of the
Supreme Court of Tennessee. Some years
prior to this one hundred acres from off the
south end of the section, claimed by Misss-
sippi, was sold for taxes in DeSOto county,
Mississippi. The land is worth thirty dol
lars per acre, or three thousand dol
lars for the hundred acres. If our sheriff
puts the proprietor in possession, under the
order issued by the Supreme Court, on a
survey made by an engineer appointed by
the court, the occupant of the land, through
the Mississippi tax title holder (his landlord)
resists with a writ sued out in Mississippi;
hence, a clashing of jurisdiction, and an
interminable law suit, or two of them-One
in each State. There is something wrong
in the matter, because occupants on differ
ent sections adjoining on the same line pay
taxes in different States. and either Shelby
county, Tennessee, or DeSoto county, Mis-
sissippi, is defrauded out of taxes. Years
dSO MISSISSIPPI Old'lIOu nliO OAUCHulilS up
to Memphis, and probably included our
city. The matter was settled by commits
sioners from each State, and from an ac--
curate survey made, the line was placed on
or near the thirty-fifth parallel of latitude,
defeating the claim Of Mississippi and plac
ing the boundary line further south than
was expected by either State. Our Senators
and Representatives should bring this i'm
portant question up at the next meeting of
the Legislature and, if possible, have a sur
vey made of the boundary line, and have
the proper marks re-established, so that the
legal muddle now so apparent, and the con-
flict of jurisdiction existing between this
county and DeSoto county, Miss, might be
settled forever.