Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1897-09-16
FIason and DixOn's Line.
Something About the Origin OF the
Two Men Whose Names 1t
Has Made Famous.

two highly scientific Englishmen came over
to this country from London on scientific
errand; and, being very particular person.;
they drew pretty sharp line between good
many things. The line they drew has gone
down into history, and has carried their names
with it; so, though il you go back to the pro-
ceedings OF the K ,yal Society Ct Great Brit
ain you will fud their names appearing often
enough, in this country they are known only
by their line Mason and Dixon's line, the
line between Pennsylvania and Maryland,
the north side of which before the war meant
freedom, the south side slavery, in the case
of negro.
Charles Mason was the more important
jeremiah Dixon's fame depends, like that OF
a great many other men, and Of some fishes,
upon his connection with line, Mason's
doesn't. lie was an +. X. s., and even now
adays, when Queen Victoria has invented or
ders that include anybody and everybody,
the letters f. X. :. stand for good deal
when they follow mans name. This was
how these scientific men came here. Between
the propreors OF Pennsylvania and the pro-
prietor of Maryland there had been dis
pute, and neither knew just where to shinnY
if he wanted 10 shiny on his own side, and
the other fellow wouldn't let him shinny on
his (the other fellow y side. Now, such a
state of affairs is troublesome; so Mr.. Thomas
Penn and the Right Honorable the Lord
Baltimore decided to have the line drawn
tight, and with the advice and consent of the
Royal Society hired Mr.. Charles Mason and
Mr.. Jeremiah Dixon to draw it. These gen
tlemcn had only recently returned from OBJ
serving the transit OF Venus at the Cape of
Good Hope; SO they were pretty well travelled
men for those days, and they were more trav-
eled yet when they came back from this
country. Two years at sea and in South AZ
RIGA and five years at sea and among the
American Indians must have been somewhat
Of a cycle Of Cathay 1870 years ago. 1t
hard TO conceive today exactly the enterprise
and courage of these two astronomers and
ma'hemAtcians in travelling so far in such
different directions.
Mason kept diary of his stay in this coun-
try, in which he incorporated his field notes.
This was found in pile of waste paper in
the Government House al Halifax in 1860.
The adventures, mshaps, and incidents Of
each day are set down in his diary together
with the statistical details Of the survey and
the astronomical observations. The names
of every halling place is put down, together
with that Of every person who offered them
hospitality, and botanical notes, remarks on
the country, its agricultural capabilities, and
geological structure are found continually.
Then some interesting papers were stitched
into book. One is a certificates
"Mr Charles Mason is duly admitted Il
corresponding member of the American So
clety, held in Philadelphia, for promoting
useful knowledge.
Signed by order of the society.
CHARLES THOMPSON,
Corresponding Secretary.
April IS, A. d., 1863"
The original instructions from the Penns
and Lord Baltimore are with the field notes,
together with certificate from the Royal So
ciety authorizing Mason and Dixon to meas
ure degree Of latitude and agreeing to pay
them b2oo for doing the work. 1t took them
nearly month to measure the degree; prob
ably that was the best paid month they spent
in Amelca, for though the field notes do not
disclose the compensation given by the Penns
and Lord Baltimore, it is hardly probable
that it was k2oo month for more than six
ty months.
Mason and Dixon reached Philadelphia
from England on November IS, 1868; they
had sailed September, probably. On Decem-
Der 3 they determined the situation Of house
in Cedar or South street, which the authori-
ties "dld verify believe from the time the said
city was first laid out to have, been deemed
and taken the southern boundary thereof"
They found Its latitude 10 be 80 uegrees, So
minutes and 2o seconds north.
After that they went to work, history shows
with what results. Up to June, 1867, they
were busy along the borders of Pennsylvania
and Maryland; thereafter they started to
trace the "west line to its western extremity"
Sir William Johnson having obtained the
consent of the Indians to their doing so.
They received instructions about treating the
Indians carefully, and got this in tip on
June IS.
"The commissioners recommended to
Messrs. Mason and Dixon that the spirituous
liquors to be given TO the Indians attending
them be in small quantities, mixed with wa
ter, and delivered to them not more than
three times a day." There is practical tenn
perance, vintage of 1867.
But the Indians objected finally to the lines
being run further than road called The wal
path, so in 1868 the surveyors stopped work
ing and prepared 10 return home. They set.
tied things very quickly, as the notes show:
"IT7oS.] August rs, 2o, 27-Attended the
Gent. commissioners at New Town, where
our accounts were settled, certificates given
US of the same, and the whole work. on oul
part, relating 10 the business we had been
engaged in for the honorable proprietors o
Maryland and Pennsylvania, are entirely fin
ished."
This is the last entry in the volume Of
notes:
September o.-At II:3o a. m. went or
board the Halifax packet, bound for Fal.
mouth. Thus ends my restless progress In
America. c. MASON"
Charles Mason was born in 1880, so thai
he was only thirty eight when he finished hi'
famous line. He returned to England ant
later to this country, where he died in Phila.
delphia in February 1857. "If you seek hl'
monument" look erst or west along the Penn
sylVania. Maryland State line, You won
see It; but II is there. As for Mr.. Dixon
who knowsf He came with Mason; he wen
with MOsorI and he is not.--JeIierson Cit,
Tribune,
A Question for the Skeptlc.
~ don't believe in anything
can't sce,' said the young man who
alma IN ho oonaiderod n aleantio.