The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-08
SOME AMERICAN BOUNDARIES.
Mason and DfxOn's and Other State O,
National Frontier Lines.

Our new Alaskan boundary, If it is. as
that hitherto accepted, a meridian, will be
one of the longest of the many straight
boundaries between this country and her
neighbors. Boundaries by meridians and
parallels distinguish the political geography
of the new world and especially of North
is a meridian of about six hundred miles.
There is only one longer bit Of straight
boundary between this country and any
otner-tne parallel running along our Ca
madam border westward from the Lake of
the Woods to Puget sound. 1t is the longest
straight asgrhlooo boundary line in the world, though
Is nearly as long. and one British American
line is not more than $50 miles shorter.
a straight line, and the same is true of
South. American lines. There are few
straight boundaries in Asia or Africa.
The longest straight boundary line wholly
within the United States is the parallel run
ming westward from the southeastern cor
ner OF Kansas to the southwestern corner
and Utah on the north from Indian Terri
tory. Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona
on the south. This line is nearly LOO miles
longer than any other straight boundary
wholly within the United States. The next
longest is the parallel separating Idaho
and oregon on the north from Utah, Ne
vada and California on the south. 1t is
about seven hundred miles long. The long
States is that running southeast from Lake
Tahoe to the Colorado river, between Cali
fornia and Nevada. 1t is four hundred
miles long, and has recently been surveyed
and marked at frequent intervals with
boundary stones.
There is only one very long straight
boundary line east of the Mississippi. the
parallel running west from the northwest
ern border of South Carolina 10 that river
and separating North Carolina and Ten
nessee on the north from Georgia, Ala
baraa and Mississippi on the south. 1t is
nearly five hundred miles long. Carelessly
drawn maps seem TO indicate a consider
ahlu l0nO0r Gfnn ~ h line MO ta-f-
and Kentucky on the north, North Caro-
lima and Tennessee on the south. But this
line Is not t~hroughout its length a single
a more or less interesting diplomatic his
tory. There are half a dozen other straight
boundary lines east Of the Mississippi from
$50 to go miles in length. New York's
southern boundary is one Of these.
The most famous boundary between any
considered, one of the most notable in the
world. is the parallel. about 275 miles in
length. between PENNSYLVANIA on the north
south. 1t is for the greater part of its
length the Mason and Dixon's line of his
tory, first famous as concentrating q
quarrel between the Penns and the Cecils
dating back more than two hundred years
and having origin even earlier. and later
lar conception of the boundary etwee
the slave States and the free States. Not
even our long disputed Northwestern
boundary has been SO much in men's
mouths as Mason and Dixon's line.
1t Is entirely probable that the surve,
of this early line set the precedent fol
boundaries by parallels and meridians, fol-
although British kings had before, in theil
large-handed way, made grants in the
new world from parallel to parallel, Ma
son and Dixon's line was about the earlies
long boundary to be carefully surveyed
The first complete survey OF the line dates
to about 1867. though attempts had beer
made at 1t some years earlier. and TIL
western boundary of Delaware. which Il
to all intents and purposes part Of tn,
same line. had been surveyed with rar,
accuracy for that period.