The Somerset reporter., 1901-03-28
The Northwestern Boundary.

at one time principal Of Skowhegan high
school, has an editorial position, has AT
article In regard to an important expedi.
tion that Is to be fitted out early this
eason for the survey Of the far north
western boundary between the UniteG
States and Canada.
One OF our own townsmen, George O
Smith of the L. S. Geological Survey, l.
one OF the three geologists detailed for
that feature Of the survey. He IL to
have charge Of the party that is to work
across the Cascade Range from the
Okanogan River westward to Puget
Sound, distance of about $50 miles.
We quote from the paper above named !:
At the direction of the State Depart
ment an expedition Is being organized b>
the Geological Survey to start from hi.
city s-sn early date for the purpose OF
surveying and marking the far North
western boundary between the United
States aud Canada. This is the line over
which England and this country were
once on the verge of war. Mr.. T.. G..
Secretary of the Interior as topographer
to run the line, in which work he will
cooperate with Mr.. c. II. St, Clair. al
astronomer from the Coast and Geodetic
Survey. The State Department request.
ed that three biologists be sent from the
Geological Survey, and Mr.. Bailey Willis.
Mr.. f. l.. Ransom and Mr.. G.. O. Smith
have been named for that portion OF the
expedition. They will have little, il
anything, to do with the actual work OF
marking the boundary, but will under.
take to study the geology of the country
in the vicinity of the dividing line be
tween the two countries.
The task before the expedition is
very difficult one and the results will
necessarily be somewhat tentative. The
State Department will notify the Englisl
government of the organization of tn,
expedition and it is hoped that Canad,
twill send u similar expedition to CO
operate with the Americans in determin
ing the exact boundary. But this pre-
liminary work will eventually, of neces
sity, be followed by a treaty between
the United States and Great Britain de
scribng 10 detail the location of thit
portion of the Northwest boundary anC
the monuments by which it is marked.
The Northwestern boundary, extend
ing from the eastern coast of Maine t
the Lake of the Woods, was agreed upol
by the treaty Of peace at Client, pecem
Der 81, 1914, and was eventually survey
ed and marked in a satisfactory manner
Granite posts, for the most part, wer
used to mark the boundary, and the
were placed at intervals of about on
mile. The portion of the boundary be
tween the northwest point of the LAX
of the Woods and the summit of tn
Rocky Mountains, along the fortv-nintl
parallel, was the subject of the seconi
article of the convention between tn
United States and Great Britain, Oct. 20
1878. This was surveyed by the north
ern boundary commission in 1872 ant
1870, and marked in a substantial man
ner, 1888 monuments having been estab
lished in a distance of about SCI miles.
The water boundary at the extreme
western end of the line was settled in
treaty proclaimed August s. 1916, ant
defined by Emperor William of Ger
many, as arbitrator, in 1871, as extend
ing from Point Roberts through tn,
waters of Georgia, Haro, and Juan d.
Fuca straits to the Pacific Ocean. II,
decided in favor of the United States.
The actual survey OF the land portion
of this northwestern boundary, which
is 40 miles long, was undertaken abou
1886 by Joint commission. The Amer
leans on the commission included Mr.
Archibald Campbell, AS commissioner
and the late Gen. John G. Parke, as as
tromoner and surveyor. They did no
actually begin work till the summer O
1857. There was large party O
scientists and others attached to tn,
commission. The commissioners of tn,
two countries found 1t inexpedient Il
cut track through the dense forests
because of the great expense, the con
sumption of time, and the impracticablt
nature of the country. 1t was agreed t.
designate certain astronomical stations
along the boundary, within a half mile
of which on either side track not les:
than twenty feet in width in each coun
try should be cleared. 1t seems thai
about 1870 miles of the whole 40 mile:
were marked according to the agreement
The civil war followed soon after the
completion of what field work the com
mission accomplished, but probably or
account of the active hostilties between
no report of the operations of the survey
was published. There is evidence thai
such report was prepared, but no trace
of the manuscript can be found, although
| careful search has been made through
all the departments and the files OF
| Congress.
The difficulties before the new expe.
dit0n are much the same as confronted
the commission before the civil war
when it was decided as impractical tt
attempt to mark the boundary through
some of the widest and most ruggeC
parts of the Rockies and Cascades
Much of the country to be traversed il
without roads or trails. Mr.. Richard t.
Goode, in charge Of arrangements OF
the part of the Geological Survey, say,
that the summit of the Cascades, ada.
cent to the boundary, is above the tim
Der line. and immense glaciers lay
athwart the boundary. Turgid and i'm.
passable streams, born of the glaciers
flow between PERCEPTIONS ridges and
lofty granite peaks, making long detour.
necessary To an advance in any direction
On either side of the summit, below THE
timber line, is thick mantle OF vegeta
ton, with great frs and cedars growing
up from mass of tangled underbrush
The same difficult conditions exist in s
somewhat less degree along the remain.
ing unsurveyed portion of the line.
Meanwhile contests are becoming more
and more frequent, as that section oil
the country is penetrated, as to which
nation jurisdiction over property be.
| longs. A recent controversy Is over
valuable mines, claimed 10 be both il