The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-11-30
THE MEXICAN BOUNDARY LINE,
The ,Arduous Task of the Corps
Of Surveyors.
A Monument Which Is Bolted to a
Mountain.
The Commission 10 Now Ready to Be-
gin tho Preparation ofa
Complats New
Map.

L. Seward Terry Of San Diego in the
San Francisco Chronicle OF Sunday, has
the following interesting article:
SAN Disco, Nov. l9.-The line OF
boundary between the United States
and Mexico. from the Rio Grande to the
Pacific, as established BY treaties OF
February 2. 1S49, and December 8. 1858,
was frat surveyed in the early fiities.
Major William Hensley Emory and
Senior Don Jose Salszar Ylarreoui were
the commissioners appointed by the two
governments for the work. The rail-
road had not yet been built to lessen the
difficulties of transportation, and the
stage routes across great stretches OF
burning sandg were strewn with the
bones Of men and animals who had mis-.
erably persisted OF thirst ana famine.
The sun glows con stsntly on these hope.
less desert wastes, where rain 10 mod
ern miracle. Then from Paso del Norte
to San Diego, 700 miles, there was not
half dozsn towns where supplies could
be obtained.
Laboring under the gfeatent obstacles.
boundary and marked it's position. the
task occupied over three years and only
81 monuments were set. Many OF these
were email piles OF stones; others we're
OF rough masonry, some were OF cut
stone, few were of iron and one was OF
marble.
The marble monument was that set
on the Pacific coast to mark the initial
point OF the line. 1t was fine shaft
about 10 feet high. with base and sub
base. and was deliberately inscribed in
English and Spanish, the legends set
ting forth the object OF the monument |;
its latitude aud longitude "a then found !;
the names OF the CO m missioners and the
authoritative treaties, and a carved ar
row ehowed the direction of the line.
The monument was constructed in Nav
York, carried around the Horn to San
Diego by the ship Helena and arrived in
the early spring OF 1851.
The convention OF July 30, 1882. be.
tween the United States and Mexico
provided for the resurvey Of the bound
ary between the two countries west Of
the Rio Grande. IL prescribed that q
preliminary Reconnaissance be made con-
Jointly to ascertain the condition Of the
monuments previously placed and to
determine what additional marks
we're required to properly define the line.
Accordingly First Lieutenant (now
Oaptain) Thomas W. Symons, Corps
United States engineers, and General
Ignscio Revueltse were appointed by
their governments to headthis expedi.
ton. Lieutenant Symons began the
examination of the boundary and its
marks at Ell Paso. Tex, in July, 1883.
His Mexican associates failed to Coop
crate with him, and he continued tho
work without them, reaching San Diego
the following September. OF the 81
monuments placed by Major Emory,
Lieutenant Symnns found but So re-
naming. On certain sections distances
as great as 90 miles intervcned between
authentic marks.
TO carry out the provisions Of the con.
vention in 1882, revived by that OF 1889,
the presidents OF the United States aud
Mexico in September, 1891, appointed
AN international boundary commission.
This com mission was to resufvey the
boundary and mark it with monuments
Of iron or stone. The monuments were
to weigh not less than 500 pounds and
were to be placed at distance apart not
greater than 5000 meters, about five
miles.
The American commissioners were
Lieut.-Col. J. W. Barlow and First
Lieut.. D. d. Gaillord. United States
engineers. and Assistant A. T. Moshan,
United States coast and geodetic survey.
Tie commissioners on the part OF Mex
leo were Eefors Don Jacobo Blenco and
Valentine Cana and Captain Gaspar
Martinez Oeballos. Colonel Barlow and
Sef1or Blanco were the engineers-in>
chief of the joint com mission.
The commission held its first meeting
ut Ciudsd Juarez in ber, 1891. A
general plan for carrying ON the work
was formed. The two sections agreed
to work in concert 30 far "a practicable.
The American commissioners met
again at Ell Paso about the LIST Of Feb
ruary. 1892. engaged employees to the
number OF about 60, organized the vari-
Gus field parties, procured necessary
animals, wagons. camp equipment and
supplies, and on February 18th went
into camp near the site of monument
on the Rio Grande.
Astronomical observations were made
TO determine the latitude and longitude
OF the first monument, and the precise
location of the boundary. Stellar OBJ
servations were also used to verify the
locations OF old monuments when found
The sites OF 43 OF the original monu-
ments were identified. These. with 2l5
other points, were marked either by re-
pairing the old or by erecting new
monuments. When completed they
were successfully numbered from to
258 inclusive. beginning at the Rio
Grande.
As soon as Q considerable portion of
the line was surveyed BY both sections
of the commission results Of field work
were compared. These agreed very
closely. The monument building party
then took up the line and erected the
monuments.
The iron monuments were all made in
Ell Paso and shipped westward along the
Southern Pacific railway "a the work
progressed. The greater number OF the
monuments were cast whole. There
were. however, many paints on the line
to which one of these 800-pound cast
lngs could not be conveyed. For such
tscations monuments we're made in sec
Iions and carried to their sites by pack
mulee,
The iron monuments are 6 feet high,
ieet square at base, and IL inches
square at top of shaft, with pyramidal
top. When put up they ore bolted to
concrete foundations or to solid rock.
On the north face is cast the inscrip.
tlon: 'Boundsry of the United States,
treaty oil 1858; re-esta bliehsd by treaties
;Oi 1887 1889. The destruction or dis