Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-04-18
4 rRoUeEEsOAn rRlAYaDs.


Squire SmiIh's Long War Hyath the
PennsyiVania Commonwealth
which State Docs VNe 1--we tnl
Correspondence oil the Philadelphia Press.
NEWARK, DItL, March 22.--J astice
William IL. Smith OF this town, has been
struggling for the last 40 yelrs against o
fate that seems determined to make him
citizen OF Pennsylvania. Squire Smith'a
kingle-hsnded conflict with the great
commonwealth to the north dates back to
the days OF his father, who himself urged
m unequal war with the game powerful
snemy. The Aghts between Pennsylvania
and the Smiths have been marked by
periods Of quiescencs, and the squire had
begun to think that his old enemy had
given up. az there had been no hostili-
ties for eight or 10 years, when suddenly,
q few weeks ago, the whole troublesome
question was orened by movement for
q new survey Of DelawAre's odd northern
boundary,
The triangular piece along the Mary
land border is the debstabls lind, in
which is situated the Hquire's farmhouse.
Ths east and west line forming the
boundary between Pennsylvania and
Maryland ID the famous Mason and
Dixon's line OF history. Tbs triangle or
''&at-iron," as it 10 peculiarly named,
contains, according to most map meas
uRemsnts, 1900 acres, but those who
know the properties embraced in the
tract say its area is not above 500 acres.
The latter is probably nearer right thnu
the former, as the maps are usually made
without the aid of original surveys. The
triangle originated with the complex sys-
tenn of boundaries established after long
negotiations between the territories OF
the Penns and those Of the CalyeIts. As
all the world knows, the northern boun.
dairy Of Delaware ia the arc of q circle
whose centre is ~ New Castle and whose
radius measures Ia miles. A portion OF
this arc, portion of the eastern boun,
day OF Maryland and q portion Of Mason
and Dixon's line extended eastward from
the northeastern corner of Maryland en-
closs the ''Aat.iron."
Az UNoUFsTIoNEp ALLEGIANCE.
William Smith and his ancestors for
generations always acted AS If they were
residents of Delaware. SO did their
neighbors of the "AAt.iron," and ap.
perently nobody questioned their ale
glance. About 1910 the stone a. the
north east corner of Maryland having
been long missing, Davis Kimble, now q
resident of Philadslphia, took his sur
veyor's compass and relocated the point.
He SGT up big wooden post to mark the
spot, and the post was ehown rs stand
ing at the intersection of Maryland,
Delaware aRd Pennsylvania. Nine years
later, however, the Legislatures of the
several states interested decided that the
people of those GommonRealths could
not be happy until those lines had bsen
officially determined and marked. This
was the beginning Of the great South
Pennsylvania conflict. Commissioners
were appointed by the three states to see
the work properly done, and Lieutenant
colonel j. d. Graham, OF the Omitted
States Typographical Engineers, was de.
tailed to give aid. When the work
was completed, In 1870, William
Smith, the elder, was member Of
the Delaware Senate, and behold,
the survey showed that he was resident
OF Pennsylvania. For the remainder of
that session he was always addressed IS
''the member from Pennsylvania and
IN due time stone was get up on lis own
lands, and under his very nose, proclaim
ing him not Blue Hens Chicken, bat a
Pennsylvanian. This stone still stands
ut tho northeast corner of Maryland Just
where Davis Riu1ble set up his wooden
post. The stone is granite prism about
ora +oNt srra-a ttau,~ 1870. 40 - g.
csHusq iyani - cut deep 10 the northern
W1atn lacsJ e l - 0
A4syla1d, H. LIE sC.taasu .ga <, .s.e.I,
SO firmly established is the idea that tn,
three states meet here however, tina
q ~ .fH.. 1. IL.
are ready to lEliym that it h8ars the ;ni
tails OF Pennsylvania, Maryland ant
Delaware. a mile south OF this stone, or
iae boundary line Of Mary land, isanothe
q liks sizs bearing on its eastern FACE
"P, =" on Its western faca an m Dow
Of the nose Of the "ti.t IRON" is a TRAN
gaiar granite monument, On the noIlh
eFn face i bears this inscriptions: