New-York tribune., 1900-01-05
BOUNDARY LINE IN DISPUTE.
SUIT INVOLVING FRANKLIN AND HAM
ILTON COUNTIES,
IF SUCCESSFUL IT WILL ADD ABOUT SIX
THOUSAND ACRES TO THE GAME PRE-
SERVES OF E. H. LITCHFIELD. THE
PLAINTIFF AND A. A. LOW.

EA@rA1NllrF AMI a n. 14ON'
Edward H. Litchield. of Brooklyn. has just
begun action in the Supreme Court, involv-
ing the accuracy of the boundary line between
Franklin and Hamilton counties. This suit, II
he wins it, will add to his game preserve in the
southwestern part Of Franklin County between
six thousand and seven thousand acres Of heav-
lily timbered wild land. and will benefit A A
Low. of Brooklyn. whose game preserve is in
the southeastern part Of St. Lawrence County,
and, like Mr.. Litchfield's, on the border OF the
Hamilton line, to a similar extent Among
other novel and interesting features that may
be brought out In the suit, is the old story that
Totten and Crossfield, who obtained the original
grant now comprising Hamilton, Saratoga, War
and other counties, got the crown surveyors
royalty drunk on the day they set out to survey
the northern line of the grant. and induced them
to place 1t more than a mile further north than
1t should have been. Mr.. Litchfield is an exact
man. and as there never has been any fence on
the old Totten and Crossfield northern bound
airy. nor the boundary between Hamilton and
Franklin counties, he will press the suit in order
to establish the line according TO the original
stipulation If he can do this, he will bring the
southern boundary OF Franklin County. for its
entire length, a mile and a half to the south
The British held Crown Point when Totten
and Crossfield negotiated with them for their
great Adirondack grant According to the
original stipulation, the Totten and Crossheld
grant should have for its northern boundary
line running due west from point on Lake
Champlain ten miles north from Crown Point
The surveying party, thinking. no doubt. that a
little matter OF mile or so OF woodland made
no difference went due north from Crown Point
eleven and one-half miles before they started TO
run their line west. Coming 10 a mountain
where is the southern line Of Franklin County
the surveyors apparently went around IT, anu
on the other side generous TO Totten ana
Crossfeld in starting in the west side OF the
mountain about half mile further north than
where they had been working on the east side
The Totten and Crossfeld purchase became an
historic one and the Adirondack deeds have
reference to IT.
Several years ago Mr.. Litchfeld bought more
than twenty thousand acres of wild land near
Tupper Lake, in southern Franklin County for
a game preserve. Time went on. and in the
turning over of deeds Mr.. Litchheld's lawyers.
Wilson & Wallis of No. As Wall-st-, discovered
that there was probably no actual boundary be-
tween Franklin and Hamilton counties. and
that if Mr.. Litchfeld built fence on the south
ern line of his game preserve 1t would probably
have to be changed if some quarrelsome neigh
Dor should buy land the northern line of
Hamilton County. After going over the matter
carefully. Mr. Litchfeld's attorneys. ii seems.
advised the bringing of an action against a
landowner named Sisson. whose property ad-
Joined Mr. Litch1eld's land on the south
When Tribune reporter called at the office
Of Wilson & Wallis yesterday, it was impossible
to obtain a copy Of the complaint. Mr.. Ltch-
field and his family went to Egypt on the Furst
Bismarck on Wednesday. and although Mr.
Litchfeld was for few minutes before he
started. he refused to discuss the suit. further
than to admit that ii had been brought.
Incidentally, the inaccuracy of the surveying
instruments used at the time OF the Revolu-
tionary War will be brought up, and Mr.. Litch-
fields attorneys will prove. ii is said. that 1t
was impossible in ITO to run a line correctly
Not until the solar transit came into use among
surveyors. it is alleged. was it possible 10 run a
line with accuracy
Mr. Low does not to take part IN the
suit although, as before stated. he will be bene-
flied by moving the southern boundary OF St
Lawrence and Franklin counties one and half
miles southwark fully much as MIR. Litchheld
Just what the defence of the owners or land
on the northern line Of Hamilton County Will
be is not disclosed II is likely however, that
they will urge that there has been for more
than hundred years practical location or the
boundary line, with acquiescence by landowners
on both sides.