Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-02-22

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There .dosss ~ tseem 70 be mseS doabt
that the line would have been i1xed BY
the arbitrators very nearly n indiesfed
il the act Of the Maryland Assembly In
1860, were Il not for The existence OF
two facts which, it is thought, proved
fatal to Maryland's claim. II appears
that Virginia laid claim to the southern
end OF Smith $ Island previous to 1885,
and in that year the authorities Of Mary
land laid of an election district upon
that portion Of Smiths Island lying in
Somerset county, Nd, extending South
to Horse Hammock upon Tangier Sound,
and thence westerly to Sassafras Ham
mock, on the Chesapeake side Of the
island. 1t will be perceived that this
act could readily be construed as an ac-
knowledgement Of virginia's claim upon
the Southern end of Smiths Island, al
though it is claimed that the lower end
was not at that time inhabited or con-
sidered habitable, and it was not deemed
of any practical value. When the ar
bitrators came to consider these facts
they applied the doctrine Of possession
and awarded the southern end Of the
island to Virginia. literally fixing the
line at this point to correspond with the
line laid off by the Maryland authorities
in marking out the election district re-
ferred to.
BY this decision the line, instead Of
running from Smiths Point in an cas-
terly direction across the Bay, as
claimed by Maryland, runs in a north
easterlv direction until it touches the
northern point of Sassafras Hammock,
on the west side of Smiths Island
This point will be exceedingly difficult
to locate, as the Hammock has been
long since washed away, and the place
where it stood is now covered by the
waters Of the Bay. .H
The line then continues in an easter
ly course from Sassafras Hammock
across Smiths Island to Horse Ham
mock, and thence to the middle of Tan
gier Sound, between the Island and An
namessex marshes. Here again is a
difficulty, and much more serious one
than on the western side of the Island.
The line runs east to the middle OF the
sound, and then describes an abrupt an
gle and runs directly south in mid-wa-
ter until it intersects right line run
ming from Smiths eoint to Cedar
Straits.
How are oystermen to determine when
they are in Maryland or Virginia wa
ters: Is it possible for them to meas
ure with the eye the exact middle of the
broad sheet of water called the Tangier
Sound, and locate with any degree of
precision the sharp angle formed in deep
water! Plainly this is impossible, and
the line is, therefore, impracticable un-
til distinctive monuments shall have
been erected plainly marking out the
angles Of the line. Buoys will not suit
tor this purpose. They are not sufi.
ciently prominent, and are liable to be
moved by every passing field of ice
Clearly, then, the States will have to
agree upon some marks in the water
which shall be prominent and perma-
nent, to insure clear and practical
definition of the line.
The new line, after intersecting with
the right line from Smiths Point to
Cedar Straits, runs thence IN due east
course until IL touches the southern ex-
tremity of Watkins Point at the south
ern end OF Annamessex marshes, near
Little Fox's Island; thence to the middle
of Pocomoke Sound: thence by the mid
die Of Pocomoke Sound to the Pocomoke
river, and up that river to the Calvert
and Scarborough line, between Worces-
ter county in Maryland and Accomac
county in Virginia, and thence to the
Atlantic Ocean. 80
1t is really misfortune to the inter-
ests of both States that the line has
been adjudged and marked of in this
erratic and broken manner. Without
for q moment calling in question the
action of the arbitrators, it is to be re-
gretted that the facts in the case would
not warrant The running Of line from
| the Potomac river over TO the Calvert
and Scarborough line on the eastern
shore which could have been distinc-
lively marked by prominent and well
defined natural indices. The present
line, to be of practicsl value, will have
to be defined by the erection Of numer-
Gus aud expensive monuments in deep
water, which viii alwaysprove danger
Gus to navigation. unless provision is
made TO have them lighted a night.
The line as now fixed is above two
miles north Of the one claimed by the
representatives. Of Maryland on Smith .
Island, and three miles south Of Virgin
las claim there. But II gives Maryland
rroportionately much more OF Tangier
sound. IS adjudging between the COM
parative iurisdselion contemplated in
the claims OF the two States. By the
new line We lose very little Of Tangier
sound, whereas Il vifginia's claim had
obtained. ell the valaahle portion Of il