Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-12-22

each taxable would have much larger
amount to pay annually to compensate
Tor the loss of the taxes of those trans
planted taxables. So they put their
heads together and concluded that their
district should not be deprived of reve-
nue. IN this way without a vigorous
objection, and they forthwith resolved
70 kick, "peacGably if we can; forciby
II we mus" remarked one venerable
farmer, dimly conscious he was quoting
an Old aphprism of some sort.
Letters Of complaint were then sent
10 the Delaware commissioners and con
terences were sought with the commits
sloners themselves, but these efforts
were in vain, But when the corner
stone came and was placed on the land
oil joel Thompson, they We're fairly
aroused and the warning to trcspassers
which caused those who sought to erect
the stone to desist were conspicuously
posted
Information of this coming to the at.
tention of the Delaware Commission,
ex-Speaker of the Senate B. l.. Lewis, a
member of the commission, visited here
recently and had u conference with
Joel Thompson and John Il. Johnston
i'SPSSlihS lllC lllhllGl. L he conference
was very nmicable one and the situa-
ton was explained thoroughly to DIR.
Lewis. The latter will likely call
the matter TO the attention of the Della
ware Commission, consisting Of Mr..
Bayard, Mr.. H0tlecker and himself.
NEwArK, Dec. 2O.-Delaware has at last
an established and defined boundary on its
northern side
The Pennsylvania and Delaware corner
stone which is the initial point of the -
mile circular boundary line was set yester-
day afternoon and John 4. Johnston Ellis
CroSaan, William Cullen, Thomas Seal,
Ct AZ, nave now no geographical authority
ior calling themselves belawarcans. That
is why there is weeping and walingn in
several border line households to-day.
The setting Of the stone yesterday was
quite local event, and from rumorS on
the streets here ON Sunday the impression
was gained that there might lie Il conflict
between the boundary people and those
loyal Delawareans who loved their State
SO much that they would fight for it. But
their patriotism, fortunately, did not carry
them thls far, though it probably would
have, done had they not been members Of
q religious body, whose cardinal principle
IS peace and good will toward oneunother.
Btit these Friends, for such most Of these
us they consistently could to prevent the
erection of this much talked Of corner
stone at Il point several thousand feet east
of the so-cnlcd traditional line.
The action of Joel Thompson. (who.
though not affected personally by the new
line hates to see his Delaware neighbors
and friends eNpatriatedl, in putting up a
NJ notice warming all people, under penalty
oil the law, from trespNssing on his land
as described in EVERY EVENING on Satur-
DAY. was entirely futile. The notice was a
deal letter yesterday, for the reason that
the Delaware commissioners became CON
Nnced that they We're acting entirely in
accordance with the legislative enactment
which appointed them, and which, if not
explicitly, did in intention, at least, au-
thorlze II or its servants to enter upon such
lands, to erect such signals, obseryatories
ana monuments as were necessary to sur
Ney and mark the new boundary Guided
ny these considerations and determined to
10 what II had been appointed and COM
mahded to do, the commission decided to
20 ahead and plant the stone at the point
ON Mr.. ThumpsOn's land designated by the
uhlted States COast and Guedetic Survey
as being exactly II miles from the New
castle court house. any "tresspass warm
lngs' to the contrary Notwithstanding.
esterday morning Mr.. Hodgtins and
his assistant Mr. Maupin, were on the
ground early preparing for the event by
taking final measurements, Nc. While en-
gagged III this MIR. Johnston, the leading
obJector 20 the new line, came up and
there was an interesting early morning
conversation between these two gentle
mch--the one representing the State Of
Delaware and incidentally the United
states Government, and the ether repre-
senling himself and his objecting neigh
bors.
;, Mr.; Johnston's final words were. "well,
Mr. llodgklnS, the only thing to do now is
to arrest You for trespiss. We are sorry to
do it, but il must lie done"
ANA OF Mr.. Johnston took himself to
get out a warrant. and Mr.. IIudgkins called
cut after him in his good-natured way,
"a IL right; I'm willing"
:. so over the hill went Mr. Johnston to
newark but whether he changed his mind
on the way or found no one in Newark TO
aid him in his plan, is not known. Here,
accompanied by MIR. Thompson, he met
llr. u. l.. Lewis, n member Of the commits.
sion, who had come up from his home Mt
Harrington, and Daniel Earra, who i file
surveyor for the Delaware commission in
the matter. These four had a conference
mere about ~ O'Clock and after long dis
clssion Mr.. Thompson said he would no
longer oppose the erection of the stone on
ms premises by resort To law or force, but
would allow it only under the most earnest
protest. lie was assured that the surveyed
line could only be changed by concur
renee Of Il majority of both the Pennsvl-
vania and Delaware commissions and the
matter could not be brought before them
for some little time; therefore the stone
must be set now before the ground became
too hard and if it was later the sense of
both commissions that it should he
changed the stone could be moved. This
was final and Messrs. THOMPSON ana
Johnston came from the conference with
very long faces.
The actual placing of the monolith was
undertaken and accomplished by Peter
Tyre, several other men and iack screw
the latter doing by long odds the greater
share OF the work. Its location is in
wheat field which is itself looked gently
down upon by several surrounding
hillocks. The stone itself is nine and q
half feet long, being over two feet square
at he bottom and tapering toward the top
With the upper half dressed. II weighs
about 1000 pounds and when planted
about i've feet remained above ground |
On its Hat top is carved circle with two
radll, one pointing due west, while the |
other points little east of north. being
the commencement Of the imaginary
boundary line,
The stone once in the hole was then to
DC Strengthened and twisted around until |
the little bore hole in the centre of the |
circle was exactly II miles from the centre
of the New Castle court house. MIR. lIudg. /
kins and his assistant were on the SUBMITS |
OF neighhoring hills, s,seyefal hundred Yards |
distant minutcly observing, through The. |
odulltes, every movement Of the big stone. |
II 1t moved merely q half inch out of |
plumb, the men tiigging with might and |
main at its base underground would be in |
formed Of it by the observers on the al. |
joining hills who had their glasses focused |
on the exact centre of the stone and could |
note the slightest movement, even to an |