The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-24
STATE BOUNDARIES.
Controversies which Have Been in
Progress for "a Century.


! The controversy as 10 the boundary line
| between the States Of Virginia and Ten
! nessee. which has been in progress for
| more than hundred years and involves
| Jurisdiction over a strip of land in the
| Cumberland Mountains nearly 100 miles
| long. has at least reached the Supreme
| Court Of the United States. which has been
| asked to appoint a board Of commissioners
| TO survey and officially to declare where
! Virginia ends and Tennessee begins. This
| contest one Of the Oldest between the
! States, is one only Of several similar con-
| troversies which have been going on for
/ many years. Some Of the States involved
! are Maryland and Virginia, Maryland and
| Pennsylvania. Kentucky and Tennessee.
| West Virginia and Kentucky. Arkansas
| and Missouri. Texas and Arkansas. and
| California and Nevada.
| Tenne ssee was admitted into the Union
in 1896 At that time the surveys Of the
mountain districts which are partly within
Virginia and partly within Tennessee. were
imperfect. and. TO some extent, misleading.
and since then the controversy as to where
the line OF division runs has been con-
tinued steadily. but without. as yet. any
positive determination. Few American
States are separated by ordinary geo
graphical lines such as separate. for in
stance. New Jersey from its neighbori1g
States This line Of boundary is the Della
ware River. ard New Jersey lies between
the Delaware River and the Atlantic
Ocean. north OF Delaware Bay. But the
northern boundary OF the State. which
runs along the south boundary Of Orange
and Rockland counties. \. Y. is ildeh-
mite. and has long been the subject Of dis
pute In like manner, so has the boundary
line between New York and Connecticut.
Geographically, the line which would d.
vide New York from COunectir1- and
Massachusetts would be the Hudson River.
the head Of navigation OF which No Troy
is almost exactly opposite the boundary
line between Massachusetts, and Vermont.
But for other reasons more ccSeut than
th1se o. geography. the east bank OF the
Hudson is included in New York as well
as the west and like considerations ac-
count for sCme Of the divisions between
Western States.
New York's boundaries though appa-
rently settled in 1875. have been subject
20 critical examinations from time to time
by various commissioners and agents. and
have been re-exauined and established
under authority Of various legislative
eaactmeBts. An act was passed by the
Legislature. May %. 1915, directing the
commiz siOuers to resume the work OF eX-
animation OF the true location Of the mCn-
umeuts which mark the several boundaries
Of this State, as authorized by the Senate
resolution of 1861. and in Connection with
the authorities Of Pennsylvania and New
Jersey, respectively. to replace any m0nu-
ments which may have become duapidated
or been removed on the bour airy lines
Of those States. a committee was ap-
pointed for this purpose June 1. 1870. In
1850 the New York commissioners met
commissioners appointed By the States OF
PENNSYLVANIA and New Jersey f0T the pur-
pose Of ascertaiuing the boundary lines as
originally established and marked with
monuments The commissioners were au-
thorized to renew any Giiapidated or lost
monuments and to erect additional ones if
deemed necessary. Under the pTovis Ons OF
this law the New Jersey boundary line was
completed as recently as 1883 and the Penn
sylvania line in 1855.