Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-05-18

The New MEXICAN yesterday reproduced
from the Clayton Enterprise brief art
icle respecting the disputed boundary line
between New Mexico and Texas wherein
it was intimated that Texas cattle syn.
dictate had encroached on New Mexico
territory to the extent of two or three
miles and that no taxes we're being paid in
this strip to either New Mexico or Texas.
Touching this important subject the
NEW MEXICAN naturally resorted to Sur
veyor General Easley for authentic infor-
nation. 1t appears from the records in
the surveyor generals Office that the
boundary line between this territory and
Texas was originally surveyed and estab-
lished in 1858 by what was known as the
United States and Texas boundary COM
mission with Comr. John H. Clark at it's
head. The lines established or supposed
to have been established at that time ex-
tended from the southeast corner of New
Mexico north to the north boundary of
Texas and the south boundary of Okla
homa (then known as No Mans Land),
otherwise described as parallel 36 degrees
and 80 minutes north latitude and the
103d meridian of west longitude, which is
the boundary between Texas and New
Mexico.
The report of Comr. Clark shows that,
on account of lack of water on the plains
and the hostility of Indians, he was un-
able to establish the line except for about
thirty-slx miles north from the southeast
corner of New Mexico and for some dis
tance south of the Canadian river from
the northwest corner of Texas. The rest
of the line was traverse line. This sur
vey was subsequently approved by con-
gress.
The boundary between New Mexico
and Oklahoma was first established in
1874 by Deputy Surveyor John j. Major,
and it was re-established in 1881 by
Chany and Smith, deputy surveyors, who
we're also authorized to execute survey
of certain townships bordering on New
Mexico in Oklahoma and to establish
what is known as the Oimarron meridian
between New Mexico ard Oklahoma.
This meridian, as shown by the copy of
the field notes of the survey of the same,
is established upon the 1O3rd meridian
west, which as above stated is the bound
ary between New Mexico and Texas, and
the plat and field notes on file in the sur
veyor generals Office indicate that the
103rd meridian, as established by Chany
and Smith, is about two miles east of the 4
same meridian as established by Com
missioner Clark and approved by con-
gress. Hence the dispute in question.
In view of the doubt thus arising as to
the true boundary between New Mexico
and Texas, the surveyor general took the
matter up, reported the facts as near as
possible to the general land Office, and
recommended that the public surveys in
New Mexico be extended on the unsur-
veyed lands in fractional range 81 east
and closed upon the west boundary of
Texas and Oklahoma and south boundary
of Colorado. The recommendations were
adopted aud contract has been let to
Hiram P. Brown, of Golden, N. NJ, to do
the work indicated.
Mr.. Brown is now in the field and has
reported that he mas found the Cimar-
ron meridian, but has so far been un-
able to find the northwest corner of
Texas, which is the vital point in the
controversy. The probability seems to
be that the monument established the re
by Commissioner Clark in 1858 hes long
since been obliterated and new survey
may have to be made to find the 103rd
meridian and definitely establish the line
between New Mexico and Texas. II this
prove true the line will have to be run
by new United States and Texas COM
as the lands on one side belong
to the government and on the other to
the state.