The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-02
LIVE IN TWO STATES.
An Odd Delvenia Boundary Line D.m-
Guilty.
From The Philadelphia Record.

Il
From the Philadelphia Record.
The fact that some Of Pennsylvania's peo-
pie have for years been paying taxes to the
treasury Of Delaware, under the belief that
their property lay in the little state, was
developed at yesterdays meeting Of the
commission appointed TO determine the
boundary line between the two states. The
meeting was held in the Office OF ex-Attor-
ney General Wayne MacVesgh at noon.
The commission is composed Of six men,
bers, three from Pennsylvania and three
| from Delaware. Tnis state is represented
| by Wayne MacVeagh, r. Z. Monaghan of
west Chester and William ID. Miller OF
/ Media. Delaware is represented by ex-
Secretary Thomas F. Bayard, John E. Hof-
fecker and B. L. Lewis.
At the first meeting the commission ap-
pointed Benjamin II. Smith and Daniel
/ Fora as the surveyors to represent Penn
sylvania and Delaware respectively. They
have made preliminary survey, and were
yesterday instructed TO begin the actual
work at once.
There is no dispute as to this boundary
line, but, as it was never properly marked,
people living on the border do not know in
which state they live. This has given rise
TO good deal OF annoyance, and it is said
| Newcastle county. Delaware. has for years
been collecting taxes from citizens of Penn
| sylvania.
When Charles H. occupied the throne of
England. exercising the right Of sovereign
to give away something he did not possess,
he bestowed upon his beloved brother,
James, Duke of York. tract of land CONS
| prlslDg the territory within a radius of
! twelve miles Of New Castle. Del. Subse-
quently the Duke of York conveyed this
| land to William Penn. and in 1701 survey
was made BY Isaac Taylor aud Thomas
Pierson to establish the boundary line be-
tween the states of Pennsylvania und Della
ware. This is che only survey of the line
ever made, and the marks, mostly made by
blazed trees, have long since disappeared,
aud 1t is now proposed to relocate the line
and mark 1t with stone posts, placed one
third OF mile apart.
Present maps show this line as semicircu-
lar. but the main trouble has arisen from
the fact that the circular line does not strike
directly at the southeastern corner of PENN
sylvenla, but runs down at its western ex-
tremity to the Maryland line, SO as TO in
clude in Pennsy vania long narrow strip
about 4, 900 feet wide at its northern ex-
tremfty and running south about three
miles TO point. 1t is this little strip of
land that has caused all the trouble. For
generations people living in this strip have
regularly paid their taxes TO New Castle
county, and have honestly believed them
selves citizens of Delaware.
Some years ago William Smith, who lives
at the northern extremity of the strip, was
elected a member Of the Delaware legisla-
ture, although a citizen OF Pennsylvania
AS a matter of fact the people living in the
strip would prefer, for the sake of con-
venience. TO be included within the terri
tory Of Delaware, but Of course it would
require an act of the legislature to cede that
territory. AS they do live in Pennsylvania,
however, they are exceedingly anxious TO
have the boundary line properly defined
and marked, and as the comm ission has now
got to work, it is quite probable that the
stone posts will be placed in position within
a very short time.