Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-11
A DISPUTED TRIANGLE.

Times.
The TRIANGULAR part of Pennsylvania
which extends south from the southwest
angle Of Chester county, between the
States of Delaware and Maryland, dis
lance of about four miles, has for many
years been known as the disputed terri.
tory, and scarcely prize fight or duel
has taken place within 80 mi es of it that
has not been SAID to have been fought
somewhere inside Of its limits, though not
one of tn IN ever occurred there. This
territory is about four miles long and at
the north end about three-fourths Of a
mile wide. IL is bounded on the north by
Mason and DixOn's line, on the west by
part of the due north line which forms the
boundary between il and the state OF
Mary land, and on the east by an arc OF a
circle of II miles radius, the centre or
which is the centre of the town of New
CasLle, on the Delaware river.
THE DISPUTED TERRITORY.
The territory contains about three
square miles. The soil is fertile and the
inhabitants generally thrifty farmers, eX-
cept the citizens Of Mechanicsv lie, n
small village in the northern part, which
j. by nOmeans as tlourishing now as It was
thirty years ago. The principal citizen Of
this village is a member Of the Levy
years ago William Smith, an elderly
gentleman, who resided on his farm in
the extreme northern end of the territory,
was elected State Senator, and repre-
sented New Castle county in the Legis-
lature of Delaware. Mr.. Smith was an
ambitious man, and there is reason to be-
leve that he wished to be Governor Of the
State OF Delaware. Beinga man of great
energy and tact had be lived long enough
no V~nnlH succeeded
reaching the coveted position, but ne died
about twenty years ago, ana the state OF
Delaware was spared the humiliation
of electing a Governor who resided ia
Pennsylvania.
The existence Of this part Of Pennsylva.
MIA, sandwiched as il is between Della
ware and MARYLAND, is very easily under
stood when we understand the agreement
between the SONS of William Penn and
the early Lords Baltimore for the adjust
ment of the boundaries of their respective
provinces. The terms of this agreement,
as interpreted and enforced 10y Chancellor
Hard wicke, of the High Court of Chan
Gerry of England, provided, among other
things, that the due west line between
the States Of PENNSYLVANIA and Maryland,
which is known in the political history OF
the United States as Mason and
Dix0n's line, should begin at the
tangent point whore the boundary line
between Maryland and what is now Della
ware, but when then belonged to the
heirs of William Penn, touched the peri
phery of the l2-mle circle before alluded
to, if that point was 10 statute miles
south of he most southern part Of Phila-
delphia. If the SAID tangent point was
not 10 miles south of Philadelphia,
the Chancellor ordered that a due
north line should be run from the tam
gent pnin until point 10 miles south Of
Philadelphia should ne reached, and that
the due west line should be run from the
point at the north end of the due north
line.
HOW DELAWARE TOOK IT.
When the boundary lines were located,
as before intimatpd, the tangent point was
found Z be % miles aud III feet south of
Ph ladelphia, and when the periphery Of
the circle was extended in a nOrtheasterly
direction from the tengent point il ia led
60 strike the east end of the due west line
by the distance of about three quarters of
a mile. Messrs. Mason and Dixon con-
Guided their labors on this part OF their
work IN 1853. and the authorities Of New
CASTLE county having had jurisdiction
over the territory in question for many
years before and there having been no
means taken by the government OF Penn
sylvania TO extend her jurisd elton over
that part OF her territory, Delaware has
ever since remained in possession of it,
Many years ago, just subsequent TO the
revolutionary war, the cornerstone which
marked the beginning Of the due west
line. which is also the northeast corner
of the State of MARYLAND, disappeared
A traditional account stated that it had
been broken into TWO pieces, and that the
top part had been fastened to the part
which had been set in the ground by
means ofirOn staples, which were inserted
into holes made in the parts for thar
purpose; that molten lead had been placed
around the staples To hold them in
place, but that the Continental soldiers,
In the time of the revolutionary
war, had picked the lead out and used 4
for bullets. There being nothing to hold
the staples in place after the lead was re-
klOved. they dropped out and the top Of
the stone fell of and was lost. Among
the papers in possession Of the Pennsvl-
wanna Historical Society is a hill of the
expenses incurr,d by Joseph Shipper,
Disbsrsing Agent Of Pennsylvania, and
also one of the commissioners. under
whose direction some of the boundary
stones were set. Among the items in this
bill Is one OF 81 lis. Cd for conveying
and setting up boundary stone ON the
west line and mending the same"
THE MARYLAND CORNERSTONE.
There can be no doubt that the stone
mentioned in Mr. Shippen's bill was the
stone which was set at the northeast cor
ner Of Maryland, because none of the
other boundary stones are missing; and
there would have been no necessity for
mending one Of the ordinary stones, he
cause more OF them were brought TO this
country than were used. There being no
monument stone to mark the northeast
corner Of Maryland, which is also the
northwest corner OF the territory in ques-
ton. its location became matter OF I'M
certainty, and the authorities of the three
interested : ates appointed commissions
ers To ascertain the lOcat on or the lost
cornerstone and mark the site thereof.
These commissioners completed their
work in 1919, and while digging hole in
which 20 set the granite monument which
is now standing, uncovered the lowerparl
Of the original oolite monument whlcl
was placed there in 1865.
During all the time that the cornr
stone Of Maryland was Missing, and fr,
the time 10 was replaced 10 the presen.
though Delaware has had undisputpd
possession Of the territory in question and
has exercised jurisdiction over II. II has
unquestionably been part of the State Of
Pennsylvania, as much so as the ground
upon which Independence Han stands.
THIS Is 81 plain that the Chancellor of the
state Of Delaware "a few years ago re-
fused TO issue decree for the tale Of a