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

| (from the New \ ork sum-
The controversy as to the boundary line
| between the States OF Virginia and Ten
| nessee, which has been in progress for
more than a 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 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-
troyersies 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.
Tennessee 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. we're
imperfect and. 10 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 neighborilg
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. n. Y, is iadeti
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 di
vide New York from Connecticr- and
Massachusetts, would be the Hudson River.
the head of navigation OF which ut Troy
is almost exactly opposite the boundary
line between Massachusetts, and Vermont.
But for other reasons more ccSent than
those OF geography. the east bank OF the
Hudson is included in New York as well
as the west and like considerations &C
count for scme Of the divisions between
Western States.
New Yorks boundaries. though appa-
rentIy settled in 1875. have been subject
to critical examinations from time to time
by various commissioners and agents: and
have been re-examined and established
under authority of various legislative
enactments An act was passed by the
Legislature May rs. 1875, directing the
commissioners to resume the work OF ex-
animation OF the true location If the mon
uments which mark the several boundaries
OF THIS state, as authorized by the Senate
resolution of 1857. and in conection with
the authorities OF Pennsylvania and New
Jersey. respectively, to replace any monu-
ments which may have become dilapidated
or been removed, on the boun AIRY lines
OF those States committee was ap-
pointed for this purpose June l. 1875. In
1880 the New York commissioners met
appointed by the States OF
and New Jersey for the pur-
pose of aseertaining the boundary lines as
originally established and marked with
The commissioners were au-
thorized to renew any Giiapidated or lost
monuments and to erect additional enes if
deemed necessary. Under the pIoyis ons of
this law the New Jersey boundary line was
completed as recently as 1888 and the Penn
sylvania line in 1855.