The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-01-13

head of the North Branch, and the
weight of authority seems to support
her contention in that particular. 1t
has frequently been asked why the
surveys are being made from the head
of the North Branch if the State
claims to the source of the South
Branch. Without stopping to dis
cuss the numerous historical facts
which seems to indicate that Mary
land has abandoned her claim to the
South Branch beginning. suffice it to
say that the Maryland act of 1890,
under which the survey is being made
provides for fixing and determining
the true location of the boundary line
between Garrett county in the State
Of Maryland and Preston county in
the State of West Virginia. To settle
the line between these two counties,
therefore. the survey must necessarily
begin at the headof then North Branch.
THE F3CN AIN HEAD.
The perplexing question which con
fronted the Maryland authorities at
the threshold of their work was,
where is the head of theNorth Branch?
The contention of West Virginia is
that the Fairfax stone marked that
spot and that Maryland by her act of
1852 and 1860 adopted the Fairfax
stone. The act of 1852, however, pro-
vided that before the survey made
under it should be binding upon
Maryland it should be adopted by the
State of Virginia. The ratification
required by the act was not given,
and Maryland RENTED to her rights
acquired under her charter and dis
tinctly recognized by the first consti-
! tutiOnal convention of Virginia 1t
will be noticed that the act of 1890
does not limit M%yland to the Fair
fax stone, and hence the parties in
charge of the present survey, whilst
believing they We're required by said
act to begin at the head of the North
| Branch, believed also that il was
their dutyto ascertain and locate that
point.
In discharging their duty they have
abandon the Fairfax stone as the
source of the North Branch. Indeed,
some evidence has been obtained
which seems to indicate that the spot
from which Lieutenant Michler run in
1859 was not the spot where the stone
was originally planted. 1t is now be-
| lieved that the Fairfax stone was
| planted a considerable distance from
the beginning Of the Michler line, at
or near the spring where the survey
ors have now located the head of the
North Branch. There is tradition
in some of the old families in the
neighborhood that the stone was re-
moved from its original location and
planted where Michler found it in
1859. Be this as it may, several very
strong matters of evidence tending to
support the present survey have
recently come to notice.
THE POTOMAC STONE.
1t has been demonstrated that the
spring at which the Fairfax stone
stood and from which Michler run his
line is only what is known as wet.
weather spring. 1t was totally dry
during the past fall, while the spring
from which the last line was run was
not impaired or affected by tine
drought which dried up the other
Another thing which supports the
beginning last adopted is the fact that
by actual levies it is one hundred and
thirty feet higher than the spring al
the Fairfax stone. The spring which
has been adopted as the head of the
North Branch of the Potomac has
been permanently marked by large
stone monument inscribed Potomac
stone.n
One of the leading questions to be
decided by the court is: Which is the
head of the North Branch - 1.-THE
Fairfax stone" or the Potomac
stone?'