Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-01-19
AGAIN THE UPPER CURVE.
MIR. Jackson Speaks to the Text of
the Old Marks.

Another Contribution TO the Public Dis
cussfon Over the Location of the New
boundary Linc--A Reply from John G.
Jackson.
Effto,, Ga=cttc and Journal. That the public
may not be misled by correspondence"
remarks in your last weeks ISSUE please
permit a brief response.
First: | will quote from your Newark
correspondent of January 3D. who seemed
to be writing by authority, to witt THE
work under way now is the determination
of the curvature of the line between each
of the half-mtle chords" "Ditficult as it
may be to believe the line does not curve
more than 10 feet in half mile, that is
line drawn northward at right angles from
tho exact middle of the half-mile chord
has to run only ID feet before it intersects
the true circle
Now, Mr.. Jackson was just weak enough
to understand by this that the ordinate
above described had been calculated and
found by the engineers to be 10 feet to the
intersection Of the true circle and he
thinks your readers have been just as
weak" us he was.
Aud further, since the circle of 12-mile
radius from New Castle has been quoted
in history, and remains alive in the minds
Of the people for more than 100 years, it
was very natural to accept that il was the
tINt NlIIlt lllt 4Ntnhih
was abiding to. So Mr.. Jackson made no
blunder in detecting an error Of II feet in
the calculations of true distance of l3I
feet. This is mistake of one foot and a
| fraction. not the fractional part of foot.
MIR. Hodgkins Tor some one for him) says
inyour yesterday issue that he has made
no boasts Of extra accuracy" We do not
| know that he has, but we have heard of
| abundant boasts made for him ito the
| l-l6 of an inch" In brief conversation
with him he stated that his calculations
| would be published and be "open for in
| spection." Mr.. Jackson's "animus' was
| Just enough to induce an examination of
the first instalment of numerical results
| published from Newark, and he was sur
| prised at the result.
But Mr.. Jackson cherishes no "animus"
against Mr.. Hodgkins, as remarked in last
article. His "animus' goes for sustaining
the constitution of the State of Delaware
in letter and spirit, (Which constitution
every member of the Legislature is sworn
to support when he takes his seat;l and for
aiding to protect her citizens from the
tyrancal action of IAN nnanthoritative
commission. composed of both political
parties which seems now to be operating
to the peoples injury, without sufficient
reflection as he is sufficiently charitabletC
believe. Mr.. Jackson wishes to thank Mr.
Hodgkins (or yesterdays correspondent fol
again strengthening his hands in main
tanning the right.
If that silly story extracted from tn,
Ledgcr, in regard to the compromising o.
the curve to fit the old landmarks at tht
desire of the people towards the eastern
end be not true, what does it matter, wheT
considered in connection with the ques
tons at issue, along other parts of thu
line? The Correspondent now tells II:
for sure, that they have had curve to
wards the eastern end with radius o
about Is miles, and II curve towards the
western end Of only III miles. What il
this but compromising" as stated in tn
silly story"
by what authority could they lay Is
mile curve, unless it were TO reach the OLE
marks? And if they did so, why do they
get away from the old marks at the othe
|, end and lay III mile curve?
have sufficiently shown in other pub
lished letters that the "old marks" consti
tute the basis of the only authority an,
commission can hold, and thanks to Cor
respondent" il comes more and NOR
down to dots every time the truth is told
did not expect at the first either one o
two curves to correspond to Penn's oil
! marks, and was not aware of assuming an
great degree of "profundty" in not dom
I SO. | saw the uselessness of all tn
tedious triangulation; but do not now pre-
/ pose to enlarge upon how readily am
{ simply the old line might have been re
stored with proper curvature in all it
, parts.
Gentlemen and the public, get bac
j all the time to the same text Old marks
Odd marks Respect the old tradtionar
. marks, and all will be well.
j. G. JACKSON.
HocKEssGN, DEL, Jan. 18th, 1893.