The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-08-01
Secretary Of Internal Affairs.
-axruur p. TYsu.. % fSS.


10 Hon Tbas J. S;clrart, Secretary ef litter
nai Ag,rirs
The undersigned Commissioners of SOM
erset County respectfully submit the follow
ing report
That in pursuance of an act Of Assembly
approved 18th of May, lss7, we proceeded to
run the boundary line between Pennsylvania
and Maryland in Somerset county. and make
an examination of the monuments on the
line. To more effectually make the examin-
alton we procured the services of L. c. Col
born, Esg- practical surveyor Of sixteen
years experience, and Messrs. Z. o. Kooser
and II. J. Picking as chainmen both having
had experience in the business the former
having completed course in surveying at
Washington and jefferson College and Mr.
Picking having served upwards Of a year
with an engineer corps on the South Penn
The instrument used by Mr. Colborn was
one Of Lewis MichaeTs celebrated compassts
We commenced on the 18th day of June
-, on the State line on the boundary be-
tween Favette and Somerset counties, on the
east bank of the Youghiogheny river, at a
large red oak which is said to be on land Of
Mr. John Swallop and run the line east with
q magnetic bearing Of two and one-h half de-
grees variation being 37l east the entire
line was run on this bearing except at one
point, where owing to some furginous sub
stance it was run at a quarter variation. The
work from the true magnetic bearing was
completed within ten days.
The line as located by Messrs Mason and
Dixon was accurately located on the ground
and 80 thoroughly was their work done that
al the present day the line can be easily trae-
ed and with BIZ: one exception did we find
any disturbance on the line, which was caps-
ell by an inaccurate surveyor locating a tract
of land on the line when he was some dis
tance away from il.
In many instances the land through which
the line passes is cleared and are finely cul-
tivated farms whose land lines run 10 the
state line. In many instances the fences are
built exactly on the line. some Of the land
having been cultivated for eighty to one hun
dred years. In the wooded parts the survey
of the line runs exactly with the land cor
nerS and lines. many trees being biazed and
marked by old surveyors. several of which
We blocked and counted the growths, some
counting back 10 over eighty years.
The whole length Of the line in Somerset
county Is 81 miles lO3 rods and four-teuths.
which Is as accurate measurement as can
be made without cutting out the entire line
In the examination Of the line we found ~
mounds, Is earth. % stone and earth and
stone. aud one iron monument. The earth
mounds are all with two exceptions placed
in good condition, averaging from 10 to -
feet in diameter, and being in cone shape.
They are well constructed and beautiful IN
app,Jranoc Thc stone mounds haveall been
PLACED iu fairly good shape and if left undis-
turbed viii stand for ages. The mounds, as
has been previously reported vary in distance
from one another , to , miles The great
est distance in which there are no mounds is
on Savage mountain, and this can be aocoun-
ted for from the fac. that the mountain Is
very steep and the surface entirely covered
with stone. and the least displacement or
NOV smer: ofany Of the stone would cause
them 10 roll down the mountain side, and
the removing of bat few stone from the top
Of the mounds would leave them in such
condition that you could not discern them
from the vast piles of stone laying there.
Yet in this great interval between the
mounds, we found well defined land corners
and marked trees, yet the mounds should be
replaced at regular intervals at this point in
order TO settle any dispute that might arise.
The iron monument erected al the National
road We found down and lying in the gutter,
but Was replaced by Us. This monuments
marked state Line on one si.le, and M
n on the other. and was erected at the time
Of the building of the National road in
about lSi6 and should BE- preserved.
At one point on Piny Mountain there Is
large stone pile which some surveyor took
for mound and 80 marked it, but which by
actual measurement is fifty feet from the
line. In one instance we found on the line
on the public road leading from the Nation
al road to Salisbury. large, fat stone in
clined at an angle Of iorty-iive degrees with
this inscription cut upon Il: