Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-01-02

| 10 perform. lie eNpldlutu Ludb INo
meaning of his offer was to execute
the field work to the extent of mark
| ing the line upon the ground, but as
our instructions we're limited at that
time to the execution of preliminary
survey only, we referred the matter TO
| the joint commission. At a meeting
held May 9th the following resolution
was adopted:
Resolved, That Messrs. Smith and
Farra be instructed to secure the sur
vey of the line as soon as possible
in accordance with the suggestions of
| the superintendent of the United
States Coast and Geodetic Survey so as
to enable them to report the line ap-
proved by them, to the commission as
soon as feasible.
Mr.. Hodgkins thereupon continued
the field work, commenced in April and
on July Goth following, filed tracing
showing the proposed triangulation
scheme, and the relative position of
some of the points previously agreed
upon.
1t was at once apparent that circu-
lar arc could not be made to pass
through all Of the required points, and
that true twelve mile circle from the
spire of New Castle Court House
would not pass through any of them,
except the initial point. 1t would fall
entirely within the State of Delaware,
and intersect the Delaware river near
the mouth of Naaman's creek, about
three thousand feet below the point
agreed upon for the terminal monu-
ment, and thus cut off nearly five thou.
sand acres Of land claimed and recog-
nized as belonging to Delaware. A
curve from the initial point through
the stump at the corner Of Kennett,
and line hickory tree near the corner
of Concord would also intersect the
river several hundred feet below the
terminal point and curve from the
terminal point through the Concord
tree and corner of Kennett, would in
tersect the east and west line near the
northeast corner of Maryland and
transfer several hundred acres from
Pennsylvania to Delaware.
Being limited by our instructions to
the initial and terminal points above
mentioned, and the verified and accept
ed points along the line of 1701, we in
structed the engineer to mark upon the
ground and report compound curve
to be composed of two arcs, one Of
them to pass from the ''old house" at
the river through the line hickory tree
near the corner of Concord, to the
hickory stump at the southeast corner
of Kennett, and the other, with COM
mon tangent at the last named point
to extend thence to the point agreed
upon for the initial monument.
1t was expected that the survey and
inspection of the proposed line could be
completed before the end of the year,
but the field work was for various rea-
ons greatly delayed, and the temporary
marking of the line upon the ground
was not completed until January Goth,
1898.
In the meantime, by direction of the
joint commission the terminal monu-
ment near the Delaware river was set
under Mr.. Smiths supervision Decem-
Der 18th, and the initial monument
was set December Goth, 1892, under the
supervision of myself and Mr. w. q.
Hodgkins. By that time the mile and
half mile stones had been distributed
along the line from the initial monu-
ment as far as the Brandywine, when
further work had to be suspended until
the following spring on account of the
delay in the field work, and the sever.
ity of the winter.
The delivery of the stones was com
pleted by the contractors April 9th,
1893. The entire line was then inspected
by the Joint commission, and at a
meeting held in Philadelphia April 11th
was formally accepted and approved.
The setting of the mile and half mile
stones under the supervision OF the
surveyors was completed April Goth,
n 1893.
The initial monument is of Brandy
wine granite from the State of Della
ware and was furnished by Mr. p. P.
Tyre. All of the other stones are from
the gneiss quarries of Leiper & Lewis
on Ridley creek, near Chester, Pa.
The stones marking the initial and
terminal points are each 8 feet 6 inches
long by is inches square; the portion
above ground tapering from Is inches
square at the ground line to u inches
marked with the names "Pennsyl.
vania" and Delaware on the north
and south faces respectively. together
with the names of the three commits
sioners and surveyor of each State. the
words ''Field work executed by the
United States Coast and Geodetic Sur.
vey' on the west face and 1892 on the
east face. A circle is cut on top of each
stone with lines indicating the direction
of the boundary. Each stone is set feet
inches in tho ground and surrounded,
to near the surface; on all sides by two
feet of rubble masonry set in cement.
The twenty-five mile stones are each
6 feet G inches long by y inches square,
set 4 feet in tho ground, the portion
above ground tapering from - inches
square at tho surface to 10 inches
square at the top Each stone is
marked p on the north and d on the
south, 1892 on the east and the consecu-
tive figures l, 2, 3, &C., on the west
faces.
The twenty-five half-mile stones arc
each feet long by 10 inches square, sci
feet in the ground, the portion above
|, ground tapering from 10 inches square
at the surface, to inches square at the
top. Each stone is simply marked "1a''
on the west face.
All of the mile and half mile stones
have lines gravud on top, indicating
the directions of the boundary line and
| radius.
Prior to the inspection of the line by
the joint commission, the superinten-
/, dent deemed it necessary to include
MIR. Hodgkins in a party for duty in
Alaska, whereby the preparation OF
his field notes and reports was greatly
delayed.
knights OF Pythias.
Friendship Lodge, x. of p. elected
the following officers on Friday night
Chancellor Commander, LewisC. Grubb
Vice Chancellor, Thomas II. Buckley