The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-05-27
THE BOUNDARY DISPUTE
Importance of the Question at Issue Be
tween the States of Maryland
and West Virginia

supreme COuru Oh the united States
since 1890, is about to be taken. In
October, 1894, a line was run by the
State of West Virginia from the Fair
fax stone to the Pennsylvania line,
which, 1t is cOntended on the part of
West Virginia, is the true boundary.
1t is now proposed on the part of
Maryland to locate the Michler line in
order to show the claims of MARYLAND
to the territory in dispute. The survey
will be commenced within a short time
under the direction of the Attorney
General. The line as surveyed in 1894
by West Virginia where it strikes the
Pennsylvania line is about three
quarters of a mile eastward of the
Michler line
The original boundaries ofMaryland
as laid out in the charter were: The
fortieth parallel of north latitude, a
meridianline runningsouthto the first
or most distant fountain of the Poto-
mac; thence proceeding southwark to
the farther or western bank of that
river, and following that river to a
specified point at the mouth OF the
river; thence by a straight line across
the bay to Watkin'sPoint and onward
to the ocean and Delaware bay and
river to the fOrtieth PARALLEL.
The only one of these courses that
was uncertain at the time the charter
was granted was at the extreme west.
The point where the meridian line was
to begin had to remain underlined un-
til it should be found which was far
thest source or first fountain of the
Potomac or, in other words, which
of the branches of that river rose the
farthest from its mouth When the
question arose as to which Of the two
branches which united to form the
Potomac river was the longer COM
mission in 1916 appointed by Lord
Fairfax, who was the proprietor of the
Northern Neck of Virginia, and the
English crown, concluded that the
north branch were the longer, and
planted the Fairfax stone.
Maryland, not being party to the
commission, was not bound thereby
and Lord Baltimore did not recognize
the Fairfax stone as being located at
the first fountain of the Potomac In
1853 he protested against this invasion
of his territory, and direction Gov.
HOratiO Sharp to look into the matter
and to open correspondence withLOrd
Fairfax with a view to the settlement
of the boundaries beween Maryland
and Virginia.
Information was then obtained from
a survey made by Col. Thomas Cresap
which went to show that the South
Branch was the longer, but the out
break OF the French and Indian war
prevented further action.
The question was unsettled at the
time OF the Revolution, but in her first
constitution, adopted July %, 177G,
Virginia confirmed Maryland's claim.
In 1877, by resolution of the General
Assembly of Maryland, Col. Francis
Deakins was appointed to survey out
the reserved land belonging to the
State lying in Washington county
westward Of Fort Cumberland into
convenient lots of fifty acres each, and
upon the adoption of his report the
Legislature awarded these lands to
officers and soldiers of the Maryland
Line for their services. Colonel Dea-
kins ran provisional line ON the west
of his location, and the Legislature at
the time of the adoption of his report
passed resolution expressly disavow-
ing his line as the western boundary
of the State, and it is to this line that
West Virginia now claims jurisdiction
and control.
During the years 1895 and 1891 com
missioMers were appointed by the two
states to adjust the boundary, but
nothing come from them or other com
missioners appointed afterward until
the Michler line was run under the di-
rection OF Messrs. Macdonald and Lee,
commissioners Of Virginia and Mary
land, respectfully, in 1859
The Legislature of Maryland in 1866
adopted the report Of the commission
ers and ratified the Michler line as the
boundary running due north from the
Fairfax stone to thePennsylvania line
The State OF Virginia, however, instead
of adopting the report and thus SCI
Ting the question forever, passed a
resolution directing her commissioner
to go to Europe to collect document
airy evidence as to the boundaries be
tween the two States. The result OF
the civil war changed the statue Of
the question, the State Of West Viz
ginia being separated from the mo-
thor State and within the boundaries
of the new State the disputed territory
was included.
In t9CS the West Virginia Legisla-
ture authorized the Governor to APP
point commission to ascertain the