Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-01-12
"DELAWARE'S UPPER CURVE"
Another Contribution to This Very
Interesting Subject.


The People Along the Line More Affected
by Changes Than Any others--Some Re-
marks Upon the Surveys Thus Far Made.
Editor Gazette O. Journal; notice in your
issue of January Sd, something more about
"Delaware's Upper Curve" There are two
Sides or more, to be looked at regarding
that circular boundary" business, and
we would be glad if, in fair play, You
would allow all sides to be presented
briefly in your columns.
The people along the boundary are more
affected by any changes proposed from
the old traditional marks, than any other
citizens and their side of the question
should be well weighed and considered.
Partisan considerations should not enter
into account.
They say that the original petition by
them, presented in 1889, was for restoring
and perfecting the old landmarks made
under warrant of William Penn, in 1901,
not for running new line presumed to be
more accurate; and, also, that the pre-
amble and body of the act passed in pur-
suance of said petition and under which
the commissioners are now acting, implies
the same thing, land only that), in au-
thorizing the commission to survey and
| re-establish the boundary line which"
now Separates this state fiom the com.
monwealth of Pennsylvania See page
5iI, Vol. NNlll., Part H., Laws OF Della
ware.
Especially do the people say this when
they observe i'll our Revised Code of 1874,
| page =, that "Dclaware's upper curve Gas
| your correspondent names it, is clearly de-
| fined to be the circular line between 1t
and Pennsylvania, surveyed and marked
| in 1901, under warrant issued by William
| Penn Y = rs the same has been held,
occupied and recognized by the SAID states,
respectively, ever since that time.
What better evidence can possibly he
| quoted that the old boundary onlv should
be restored and remarked, and that the
running and marking of 4 new line, is
outside Of the proper jurisdiction of the
| commissioners
The original petition of the people, The
| resultant act Of our Legislature, aud the
| definition Of our circular boundary in
| the Revised Code, inevitably gu To Cstnb-
| lsh that same conclusion. and the pcople
show no factious spirit but the fultlment
Of bnundon duty, when they ask that
the whole matter be revised.
! All but Mr.. llolgkins says Penn's sur
veyors made mistakes and did not run the
curve truly. Very probably that is the
case ] toresaw it at the first. But no
matter. The line marked in 1901, las the
same has been held, occupied and recog
nizcd BY the said states, respectively, ever
since that time Gas before quoted must
takethc precedence in law and equity of
any new tangled line. even though the
latter be more accurately located Of which
| we have ground to doubt.
Your correspondent Of the ID inst seems
| to speak anthoritativcly and if his state
| ments give q correct account of Mr..
| ltOigkins work, be too has made mis-
takes. Your present correspondent has Il
life time familiarity with circles, radii,
chords and ordinates. In the article Of the
ID it is twice clearly stated that the middle
ordinate to Il half,milG chord is u feet.
This is not true. 10 a l2-mile radius it is
ouly IL feet 8 inches plus very small
fraction tsay ~ part OF an inch). Here
we soc Il mistake of II per cent in stating
the length of the ordinates they were then
running in TO show the curve. We think
Pcnn's early surveyors could hardly do
worse than that.
Ii their ordinates are really Il feet to a
half-mile chart then the curve they are
running has a radius of II miles only.
That is II mistake OF one in l2-bad enough
really We hope to hear no more boasts Of
extra accuracy.
An authoritative correspondent of the
| Philadelphia Ltdgtr assures us that they
had to make q compound curve towards
the northeastern end Of the newly-laid
line, 50 rs to make il coincide with the old
marks. That means throw in portions OF
curves Of different radii. If that be true il
shows move towards common sense, and
nought is needed To satisfy the ncople and
the laws ~ the Same time. but to continue
the same remedy 10 tee end of the chapter
near the Maryland line. j. G. JACKSON.
liocKESStN, January 9Th, 1882.