Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-04-28
THE TVELVE-MILE CIRCLE
Progress of the Preliminary
Survey Work.
WHAT THE SURVEY WILL SHOW
Markers to be Placed at
Every Half Mile.
Locating the Geodetio Positions OF veri-
fled Points Along the Boundary--C Com
tract Awarded for tho Stone Monu-
ments.

With the approach of spring weather
the preliminary resurvey of the Pennsyl-
vania-Delaware boundary line, the famous
twelve miles circle, has been commenced.
This work was begun last wear, and is be-
ing done under the direction of Joint
state commission appointed to determine
and permanently mark the boundary
The civil engineers appointed by the
commission, Messrs. Smith and Farra, one
from each state, went over the course of
the line before cold weather set in last
year, and verified the positions of several
points as being on the boundary, AS has
been stated, the natural marks left by the
original surveyors of nearly 900 years ago
have nearly all been obliterated
party of young surveyors are now at
work placing poles and flags on the United
states coast survey triangulation stations
nearest the line, which will be used as u
basis OF operations These points are
along the Delaware river, some, however.
being many miles inland. on hills and
elevated parts of the country. They are
marked by stones embedded beneath the
surface of the ground, and their geodctic
positions are us accurate as the finest in
struments of the coast survey can deter
mine.
LOCATING THE VERIFIED POINTS.
Vi L1t engineers
will be placed on these triangulation sta
lions, aud working from them trigo-
nometrical survey will be made for the
purpose of finding out the geodetic posi-
ton, or to be more plain the exact latitude
and longitude of each point on the old
boundary line that has been verified
These are the north east corner of Mary
land the New Castle court house, which is
the centre of the twelve-mile circle. a
point east of the Brandywine; peculiar
bend i'll the same river, and the original
patent lines between farms in two or three
places east of the Brandywine, which are
believed to be separated by the boundary
This survey will determine whether
these points are exactly II miles (the length
OF the circles radiusl from the spre of Tie
New Castle court house, and show how
near accurate was the work of Messrs.
Taylor and Picrson, the surveyors of 170l.
When Colonel Graham of the United
States engineers, resurveycd the western
boundary of Delaware in 1910, his meas
urement of the l2-mile line due west from
the New Castle court house came within
two feet Of the stone set up "a the terminus
OF the line by the original surveyors IL
lI0l. Colonel Graham computed the dis
lance from data secured by the best instrli-
ments, while the original surveyors meas
ured it by the chain.
After the location of the verified points
has been secured, which will be in about a
month, the engineers will report TO the
| commission. The final survey will be ruin
according the commissions instructions.
II there are any inaccuracies in the origi
nal survey, they will be brought out III
determining the geodetic position Of the
verified points on the line. Then the COM
! mission will decide whether the line shall
be run with radius Of II miles from the
| court house at New Castle as it was in.
a iAfar No Il 4.
pc run through the verified points. There
il precedent for the latter in boundary dis.
| putes where the original line has been III
doubt.
THE BOUNDARY STONES.
| At the last meeting of the commission
| the contract for tho stones that are to mark
| the boundary was awarded to Leiper Il
Lewis of Chester. These monuments are Ii
ne Of the most enduring character. Ridley
| Park gneiss is the stone selected 1t is Of
light color and very hard and will be cut
! into square posts.
| ON the shore of the Delaware river, Just
below the southernmost house Of Marcus
| Hook, will be placed the eastern stone. II
| VIII probably be planted on the site 81
Nathaniel Lampleighs old house at Chi.
| chester, given in the notes of Taylor 4
| Pierson as the eastern end 1T the line. This
stone will be nine feet six inches long, ant
. u.
| Will be Is inches square mt the surface Of
the ground, tapefing to a foot at the top
| on the north face the word "Pennsyl
vania" will be cut, with the names of thu
commissioners from this state The south
face will bear the word Delaware ant
the names of the Delaware commissioners
On the east face "1S92" will be inscribed
and on the west perhaps the latitude ane
longitude.
! About ! 900 feet due east from the north
eastern corner Of Maryland, where Mason
and biNon's line, il extended, would inter
sect the " mile circle, n similar stone +,
tlat to be put on the Delaware shore vii
be placed Il will bear the same inserip
ton, but viii come from the state Of Della
ware, being a post Of Brandywine granite
Tins Stone may eventually be the eorne
Of Pennsylvania and Delaware, the SUI,
gestion having been made that the COM
mission recommend that the disputed tri
angle, Of which it will form corner, b,
coded to Delaware.
MARKED EVERY HALE MILE.
Every mile between these two lars
stones will be marked by a post six and
half feet long, extending two and d hal
feet abpve ground and tapering from
Foot square To 10 inches ON the soutl
lace ID Will be cut. TN the north fac
a T., on the east "lSg2n and on the ives
the consecutive number Of the stone 3f
tween every mle stone will be place
stones six feet long, two feet above ground
lapeFng from 10 inches TO eight The onl
mark they Will bear Will be n on The Gus
face.
AS the final survey progresses, Inc lin
Will be marked BIZ Stakes, and the nos
tinns Of the stone monuments designated
The finishing work will be the setting d
these stone posts, the hardest labor Of al