The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-12-21
MISS LIBERTY A JERSEY GIRL.
The New state boundaries Give Robbins
Reef Toe to the state.

The New State boundaries Give Robbins
Reef Toe to the state.
Bedlow's Island, according to the Joint
Boundary Commission appointed in 1887
to locate and mark out the boundary in
lands under water in Raritan Bay, be-
tween New Jersey and New York, does
not belong to New York, as has been pop
ularly supposed, but to New Jersey. Glib
bet Island has been found also to be q
part of New Jersey. New York has juris-
diction over them for certain purposes,
but New Jersey has the titles to them.
This finding is based upon decision OF
the Court of Appeals that the New York
Commissioners must agree upon line
that would throw Bediow's and Gibbet's
Islands and the Robin g Reef Lighthouse
clearly III New Jersey. The New York
representatives made the decision with
extreme reluctance, but no other action
could be taken.
The work of the commission, so far as
Raritan Bay is concerned, has been en-
tirely completed. But some months after
the creation of the commission their
jurisdiction was increased until it COM
prised the entire boundary of the two
States in lands under water, from the
Romer Beacon, in Raritan Bay, to Has
tings and Piermont on the Hudson
River. The latter line has been agreed
upon, and this balance of the work is
merely technical, being the preparation
of data and the marking of the line with
monuments. During the coming year
this work will be finished, and then the
commission will dissolve.
The boundary line between the two
States was originally located in 1863 by "
royal commission, but the descriptions
given were SO confusing and indefinite G
that disputes arose continually. A COM
mission appointed in 1884 decided that The
boundary line should be the middle of the
Hudson River and Bay of New York to
the main sea. This was not much better
Following the cultivation of shelflsh in
Raritan Bay the quarrels became so bit
ter that blood was frequently shed.
Other interests also conficted, and 1t was
finally deemed necessary that well-de-
fined and clearly marked line should be
fixed. The attention of the Legislatures
OF The two States was called TO the ques-
tion, and hundreds OF petitions were filed,
but no action was taken. In 1885 re-
newal of the hostilities in Raritan Bay
cansed the New Jersey Legislature to
pass a bill creating a commission, and re-
questing similar legislation in New York.
New York responded in 1887, and Mayo
w. Hazeltine, Robert Moore, and Lieut.
G. G. Hams. United States Navy, We're
appointed commissioners
The question as to whether the centre
should be the centre of an area bounded
by lines drawn~from headland to head
land or whether the bays and harbors
should also be taken into consideration
was the first difficulty which presented
itself. Precedents were searched for, but
without success The Commissioners fiR-
ally decided to divide Raritan Bay by a
series of straight lines, based upon COM
promises to the commercial interests of
both States, and were thus able to make
a just and correct division.
This work was finished in 1887. but the
monument marking the turning point in
the line was not built until this year
This mark is situated on shoal in Rari-
tan Bay, three-fourths of a mile from
Great Beds Lighthouse. 1t was built by
Contractors Ross & Sanford, of this city
at cost of $4,000 1t is spindle thirty
five feet above mean low water. 1t is q
solid structure and will last for hundreds
of years.