The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-11-11
THE STATES BOUNDARY.
A Readable Resume of the Work Done AMI
Yet to be ACCOMPLISHED
NARYLAND'S GAIN IN TERRITORY
VIII Be About Forty Square Miles Should
The Supreme Court OF The United
States Decide The Case In
Her Favor.
rn the EDITOR of The Republican.

Tothe Editor of The Republican.
learn that many citizens OF our
county would be interested to know
more in detail what has been done
upon the MarylandWest Virginia
boundary line survey and how the
work progresses. As | have know
ledge of what is going on ! will be
clad to make this object and charac-
ter of the work more fully understood
by yourreaders.
The survey now being made under
an order of the United States Supreme
Court originated from a suit in equity
brought before that Court by the
State of Maryland1 against the
State of West Virginia, this suit
being primarily to settle the question
of jurisdiction between these States
over lands lying between the lines in
controversy.
The State of Maryland was origl-
rally a part of the Colony of Virginia
and her territory was taken from the
latter by the British Crown and given
with well defined charter rights to
Lord Baltimore. Our State has re-
reatedlv, since the formation OF the
United States, endeavored to settle
a,nicablv with Virginia her Western
boundary and has made every con
cession. notably in the survey under
direction of the joint commission OF
the two states by Lieut.. w. Mlchlei
in 1859. Maryland at this time was
ready to accept the Fairfax Stone as
the point of beginning. The stont
was planted under this order by Lord
Fairfax OF the Colony of Virginia neal
one of the head streams of the Poto
mac river and that one most to the
advantage of has proprietary. Lore
Baltimore, of the Colony Of Maryland
not being party to its location, ant
never having entered into an agree
lnent in regard to it. When Michlel
was appointed he was instructed t(
proceed to the Fairfax Stone and tC
run a due north or meridion line fron
that point to Mason & DiXCn's line.
One of the witnesses called in thi
present case to identify the point a
which Lieut.. Michler began his surVe.
quotes him as having said that th
Fairfax Stone could not properly b.
considered as at the head of the 20
tomac river, or the proper place to be
Gin the line; his Instructions however
bound him to begin at that point
West Virginia now openly repudiate
any acceptance or approval of Lieut.
Michlers work.
The instructions to W. McCullo
Brown, engineer in charge OF the pres
tnt survey, were more general, an
that he locate by actual survey TN
spring of the first fountain OF the 70
tomac river, and from that point ru
A due north or meridian line to Maso
& Dixon's line, the southern borde
Of Pennsylvania.
When the party arrived upon rh
ground it was an easy matter to Il
cate the point upon the north branc
of the Potomac at which the Mlchit
line crossed the main stream. | Wis
here to make it clearly understoc
that the State line and territory
Maryland as claimed for her by We
Virginia does not begin at any Sprir
but at point. on the main st2ea
where the banks are about 30 fe
apart and over i miles by the strea
from this head spring, and in a dire
line 1000 feet north of the Falrfs
stone. In other words the line rul
north from Fairfax stone is not c
yiding stone at all, for 1000 feet, o.
wholly in territory claimed by We
Virginia. This anomaly arises fro
the fact that the river whose gener
course is northeasterly divides at
point about ! mile above the crossil
of the Michler line. The southern,
Fairfax stream, will be found to tlC
from it's source in southwesteT
direction, or exactly in the opposl
direction to the course of the rive
1t then forms great semicircle, ,cul
ing upon itself, to the west, mort
west, north and northeast, until
crosses the Michler line as have So
1000 feet north of the Fairfax Stol
The northern branch the engine
named the Potomac stream in G
tinction from the Fairfax, and plant
on the bank above the head sprln
large hat stone on which was cutth
letters, Potomac, 1885, The Po
mac stream heads at a strong spri
within 300 feet of the crest of
Great Savage mountain and flows
an easterly direction to the forks.
These two, the longest streams
the north branch of the Potomac h