The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-05-20
DALLAS COUNTY
And Her Disputed Boundary Lines between
kaufman and Denton Counties.

have never been definitely determined, and
IL has caused considerable trouble at the
general land Office. In order to ADJUST
these things Commissioner Walsh OF the
land Office has addressed a circular letter 10
the surveyors and commissioners courts OF
counties whose boundary lines have never
been definitely fixed. Among these coun-
ties are Dallas, Kaufman and Denton.
The circular reads ms follows:
CIRCULAR.
GENERAL LAND OFFICE Austin--To surveyors
and Commissioner courts of the Counties OF
Texas;
Section of the act of April %, 1879, to
provide for ascertaining and establishing
the boundaries of counties, prescrbes lnat
whenever 1t shallappear TO the satisfaction
OF the county court OF any county III tIiis
state, or notice shall be given such court by
the commissioner of the general land once,
that the boundary, orany part thereof, o,
tho county is not sufficiently DEFINITE ana
we'll defined, such court shall appoint an
experienced and competent practical sur
veyor, whose duty it shall be to ascertain
by actual survey the boundary or any part
thereof of said county" The succeeding
sections prescribe the manner oil carrying
the above into effect, and section s imposes
upon the land commissioner the duties OF an
arbitrator in case the surveyors appointed
by the respective counties should fail TO
agree
From correspondence between this Office
and various county courts OF the state, 1t is
apparent that, in many instances the i'm
portance of this act Is not appreciated. The
careless and irregular manner in which sur
Reys have heretofore been made especially
In the earlier period of our history, is now
causing confusion and litigation. AS the
country settles up and the lands enhance
in value, efforts are made in all parts OF
the state to change old corners and bounda-
ries, and to locate or otherwise acquire title
to what is often merely a surplus and not u
vacancy.
10 enable this Office to act advisedy on
these questions, and to prevent expensive
lawsuits, all the information is needed
which can possibly be secured. The first
step towards final solution of these ques-
tons is to establish, in a definite manner,
the various county boundaries, especially
in relation to the lines and corners of sur
veys intersected or passed. When this is
done, and each county surrounded by a
chain of fixed Lurveys, the work of dlsen-
tanglement is one.hali accomplished. 1t
must be remembered that many of the acts
creating counties are general and indefinite
in their language, and that in most in
stances this office HIS no daia, other than
such act from which to locate the boun-
dairy. The law may designate the mouth
of some stream or corner OF some survey as
the beginning corner OF county, which in.
itial point placed upon our maps from no
fixed or base line, may he mile or half
mile from its actual position on the ground.
Plotting from such erroneous beginning
will, of course misplace alsthe lines OF the
county and adjoining counties dependent
upon il for connection. If the lines are run
A -, nd la. # t,,Ia fad
SURVEYS called for and described the evil is
remedied and the county properly placed
on the map, and the Office then knows eX-
actly what territory and surveys are EN-.
braced within its limits and whether vaCan-
cies or conflicts exist, Other questions Of
less ultimate Importance, but entitled to
immediate consideration, depend upon
the early establishment Of the county
lines.
/. The question of jurisdiction in both
civil and criminal cases.
.. The removal of county seats, |. Q. to
determine whether county seat is within
or without the radius of five miles from the
geographical centre mentioned in the Con-
Btitution.
3. To determine in which county the Dor
der surveys, or portions of them, shall be
assessed for taxation.
Under this last head, doubtful or inco-
rect county lines have already caused
loss, expense and litigation, and the evil is
growing.
For the above reasons, would respect
fully, but most earnestly, urge upon the
county authorities that prompt action be
taken in this matter, and request that the
surveyors selected be instructed to connect
the lines they run with the lines and cor
ners OF surveys inteisected, and give the
width and course of streams crossed,
Without connecting, rs above requested,
with surveys as found, the survey will
furnish no data to the office however care.
fully made aud permanently marked in the
field.
Ifsurveyors disagree as to the line to be
established, would suggest that such dis
agreement be first reported to their respect
i've courts for adjustment by mutual con-
oession and compromise. The county COM
missioners, convcrsant with all the facts,
and actuated only by desire to benefit
their neighbors and fcllow.citizcns, would
seem to be the best tribunal TO whom an.
neal should be made. III u satisfactory set.
Element cannot thus be made, let the sur.
yeyors rcport to this Office as specified in
section s of the act named and u final de-
cision will be rendered as speedily rs pos
siblc, Respectfully, -,
NOtnlllSSlOnCT
County Surveyor J, NJ. Strong will meet
Surveyor Bryan of Kaufman county, Mon
day, and will proceed to re-survey the dis
puied lines between the two counties with
Inc view OF establishing correct and detln-
tie boundary between these two counties.
There is dispute and has been for years
AZ TO which, II either of the old surveys, is
The correct one. The first survey was run
some time since 1910 by Ferris and tho
other was made by Walker about 1850, Al
tho southeastern part of the two counties
the surveys differ some four hundred varas,
neither OF the lines being definitely marked.
In the collecting OF taxes this difference
caused some dispute rs TO which county
=. had q right TO collect tax on the property
lying between the two surveys, yet Dallas
has been collecting the most
OF H. and the two coun.
ties have been on an amicablc footing
40 far, though II the matter is not adjusted.
il may some time be the source OF great
trouble aud litigation, and, as IL remains
now, II is beginning TO be more and more
discussed. Dallas county was surveyed.
and the lines located, before that of any of
her sister counties, and, as she Is the Oldest
of them. she has the advantage over them
10 that extent.
There Is also q difference between
Tho northwestern line dividing BAL.
has and Denton counties, which
will also receive the attention OF the sur.
veyors and commissioners court Of tho re-