Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-08-11
THE LINE FIXED
Which Separates the Panhandle
From Pennsylvania.
ASmaIl Slice Taken From West Virginia
The Meridian Departed From
Half Of the Money Len.

The West Virginia portion Of the boun
Diary commissionerssuryeying party return
ed here yesterday, having completed the
| meridian line, which separates this State
from Pennsylvania. There has been 50
much controversy over this line, and 30
much feeling has been stirred up over the
Pennsylvania border that some description
of the result will be OF interest. For ninety
nine years the old line has stood and
been accepted as the meridian. but it has
been ascertained that it is not by any
means correct The commissioners as
certained that il line were begun
on the meridian, at Smiths Ferry, and
projected due south TO the Mason and
Dixon line, it would cut about 100 acres
from Pennsylvania and add it West Vir-
einia. The true meridian was found by
Mr.. st. Clair, of the Q. S. Coast and Geode-
tic Survey. He is a very careful and pains
taking engineer and verified his calcula.
tions TO prove their absolute correctness.
By the stars he laid meridian line for ten
miles and then, going ten miles south, he
calculated a new meridian and projected
the line to meet the first. So exact were
his calculations that the two lines met pre-
cisely. This he repeated again and with
like result.
Taking the meridian line at Smiths Fer
~ and proceeding south, the commission
soon discovered how the old line bore OIL
TO the west, giving Pennsylvania slice OF
the Pan Handle. 1t would never have
done to have followed the true meridian,
as the titles to sll lands on either side ex.
tended them TO the line aud change would
have wrought havoc with the titles. 30 the
old line wss followed, though projected In
a straight line. Many Of the old monu-
ments were found out OF line and the new
ones were correctly placed. At the south
west corner of Pennsylvania, the intersec-
ton OF the two lines was marked by
square post of white oak set into stone
pie. This was about 81 feet east OF the
line and the new stone was correctly sat,
taking off about 5 acres, gross, OF West Nlr-
ginia and giving it to Pennsylvania. The
grand remonstrance, raised by farmers in
Washington county was all for nothing,
as they were gamers and not losers, II any
thing.
The length OF the Pan Han lie is about
500 wards short Of Gi miles AMI along this
line. 81 monuments were set in, in all; or
these 81 marked the line and marked the
meridian. The monuments are set on the
hill tops so that one may be seen from the
nearest or either side. This allows the
local surveyors to see the monuments IN
making their surveys. Most OF TIL ones
came from Elm Grove and were quarried
ny Patrick bailey.
West Virginia and Pennsylvania each
appropriated a, Coo for the boundary sur.
yey, making total of 5000 OF tbis sum
50, 500 has been expended and the work is
more than half done. 1t yet remains TO
survey that portion OF the Mason aud
Dixon line which divides West Virginia
and Pennsylvania which is about five miles
shorter than the meridian line and pre-.
sumably more correct. The commission
will begin this work next month and push
it TO an early completion.
TERRIFIC slaughter OF Mems, Women'S,
Misses and Cbildren's Shoes at Boston