Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-04-27
A HISTORICAL ANIMAL.
How the Emperor Of Germany Decided al
American Case Started by Il Pig.

How the Emperor Of Germany Decided an
American Case Started by Il Pig.
Between two groups of islands in the
extreme northwestern part Of Washington
territory run two narrow straits-One
called the Canal de Haro and the other
the Rosario strait. Between the two is
San Juan island, seys 4 writer in 81.
Nicholas. 1t commands both WATERWAYS,
and hence it would be of great value to
either country that owned 1t in case two
nations should ever quarrel. The text
of the agreement between Great Britain
and this country reads that the boundary
should be the middle of the chanDel,h
without saying which channel. 4 man
named Hubs, who was pasturing sheep
on the southern end of the island of San
Juan, had for neighbor on the north
end, man named Griffiths. This Griffiths
was employed to raise pigs tor the Hud-
sons Bay company.
The pigs Ovcrran tho island anu caused
Mr. Hubbs great deal of trouble, so one
day, in moment of anger, he warned his
neighbor Griffiths that if another pig
came upon his land he would kill it. The
very next day pig did trespass there.
Mr. Hubbs kept mis- word and killed the
pig.
had been, and Immediately sailed over
to Victoria-the busy little city on Van
couver, island where the officers of the
government, the soldiers, and the ships
of war had their headquarters-and
obtained a warrant, or order issued by
court of law, for Hubs arrest. A
constable went to arrest Hubbs and to
take him to Victoria for trial upon the
charge of killing the pig. But Hubbs re-
fused to go with him. He said he was an
American citizen, ard therefore an Eng
fish warrant was nothing to him. The
constable departed and Hubbs, welIknow-
ing the officer would come back and force
him TO go to Victoria, sent over to Port
Townsend, in Washington territory, for
protection.
A company of sOldisrs vas sent him,
end the Eaglish did not modest him.
For Eve years that little island was oc-
cupied by soldiers of two mighty nations.
Each camp displayed the flag CT its coUn-
try on high staff over the tent-the
stars and stripes futtering over the pas
lures at one end and the red banner of
Great Britain among the hills at the
other, only few miles away. On either
shore the people were greatly excited,
and many on both sides favored war; and
perhaps. if 1t had not been about the
time of the actual war between the states,
in 1861, there would have been war over
that pig dispute.
Our government wished the middle of
the canal de Haro to be the border line,
because we claimed that it was the true
ship channel, but to this the British had
never been willing to agree, since that
boundary would give San Juan to our
country, and with that island went the
control of the gateway TO the English
possessions. Finally the papers on both
sides were prepared by the respective
governments and submitted to the emPer
or of Germany, who decided in favor of
the United States. And thus it happens
that the greatest of European rulers not
long ago passed judgment in q quarrel
that began over pig that was only try
ing to get something to eat.