The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-08-16
Mason and Dfxon,s Line.

Mason and Dixon's line and the re-
storation of the landmarks, many of
which have been removed contrary
to Scripture. This work has been in
trusted to the Maryland Geological
Survey, at the head of which is Prof.
William Bullock Clarke, of the Johns
Hopkins. He has done much impor-
tant work for the State as geologist
and as head of the Bureau of High
ways, and his publications issued
from these two departments of the
public service rank, perhaps, as high
as those of a similar character in this
or any other country. The work of
restoring Mason and Dixon's line will
be done by the State Geological Com
mission in connection with a commits
sion appointed and paid by the State
government of Pennsylvania and by
the United States Geological Survey
Meetings of these have been held and
certain preliminary work has been
done.
The original running of the Mason
and DiXon's line was done according
to the terms OF the final agreement
! between the Calverts and Penns, con-
cluded in 1850 after protracted nego-
tiatiohs. There was conflict in the
grants of Maryland and Pennsylvania.
| The Penns had friends at court and
Calvert was finally coerced into con-
ceding everything Penn demanded,
and this concession cost him the rich
est portion of his domain. The line
between Maryland and Pennsylvania
was begun in 1850 by a commission
appointed for that purpose. The
proprietors of the two colonies be-
came impatient at their slow progress
and agreed to engage Charles Mason
and James Dixon to complete the
work. Both Penn and Calvert were
in London at the time, and they
there engaged those two men, whose
names have become so famous in COP
nection with this historic line, for so
many years the dividing line between
the free States of the Union. While
Mason and Dixon are described as
mathematician and surveyors, or
merely as surveyors they were men of
learning and of scientific attachments.
Both were elected members of the
American Philosophical Society. Mr..
Mason was at one time assistant at
the Royal Observatory at Greenwich.
Their work in America included, be-
sides running the line between Mary
land and Delaware and Pennsylvania,
the measurement of a degree of long
itude in Maryland. After returning
to England Mason and Dixon were
sent to the Cape of Good Hope to OBJ
serve transit OF Venus. Dixon died
in Durham, England, in 1771. Mason
came to this country to live in Phil
sdelphia and died there in 1887.
The two surveyors arrived in Phil
adelphia November 10, 1854, and be-
gan their survey early the following
spring. The most difficult part of
the survey was in fixing the line of
the circle around New Castle, Dele
ware, according to Lord Hardwick' 8
decision. They reported that this
line as fixed by them would not pass
lone inch to the eastward or west
ward of the points indicated by the
Colonial surveyors several years pre-
viously" and that the sighting along
poles and the rude chain measure
ments of 1861 and 1862 would have an
swered every purpose had the pro-
prietay so thought.
On January 4, 1866, the party had
crossed North Mountain, in Washing
ton county, and had reached the Lit
tie Allegany. There they quit work
because of the fear of Indians. The
French and Indian War was going on,
but the surveying party had been pro-
tected by the escort body of friendly
Indians of the Six Nations. When
they reached point PA miles from
the Delaware river and 80 miles short
of the northwest corner of Maryland
their Indian escort left them and they
abandoned the work. 1t was com
pleted many years afterward by 9th
; er surveyors.
Mason and Dixon did their work
with the utmost care. Through the
: forests they cut a vista eight feet
wide and set up stone at the end OF
each mile. Every fifth stone was
larger than the others and had or
the north side the arms of Thomas
and Richard Penn and on the south
face the arms of Frederick Lord Bal
timore. One of these is preserved in
, Baltimore by the Maryland Histori
= cal Society, and some yet stand in
their original places and are cared fol
by the authorities. The interme
date stones are smaller and have the
= letter "P' on the north and M or
e. the south face. These stone were moi
erected west of Sideling Hill, a ridge
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