The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-01-02
SURVEYING A BOUNDARY.
Summer Work of the United States
Geological Authorities Among
the Rocky Mountains.


During the past summer the United
States geological survey and the coast
and geodetic survey have been CO.
operating in a work of unusual i'm
portance and interest in redetermin-
ing the line of the international
boundary between the United States
and Canada from the crest of the
Rocky mountains to the Pacific ocean.
The original treaty, signed in 1876,
which established the boundary at
the forty-ninth parallel, did not pro-
vide for its immediate survey over
this section. This was due partly to
the extreme difficulty and even danger
of conducting surveys in this region
at the time, and partly to the prevail
ing opinion that so rough and distant
a region would be settled only in a
very remote future. This view still
prevailed to a certain extent when in
1857 to 1861 surveys were actually
carried out, for it was then agreed by
the commissions representing both
governments that it was ineXpedient
to incur the expense of locating and
marking the boundary continuously
because, as they say in their official
report, the country would not be oc-
cupied for generations to come. These
commissions did, however. determine
the fOrty-ninth parallel by astronom-
zeal observations, and esta blished
monuments accordingly on each large
stream and every important trail that
crossed the boundary, says a WASH
ington exchange.
Exploration and settlement have far
outstripped the expectations enter
tanned 40 years ago; in those sections
where valuable mineral deposits are
supposed to exist the location of the
boundary has for several wears past
been a question. of more or less inter
esting dispute. The old cuttings and
monuments have become obscured.
and in some instances rumor has with
purpose circulated false reports that
the monuments placed by the old
commission were incorrect. Canada
and the United States are both inter
ested in having the line precisely fixed
and steps are being taken toward the
Enlistment of commission whose
determination shall be final In the
meantime provisional but accurate
work has been done by the Joint par
ty of the geological and coast and
geodetic surveys to redetermine the
forty-ninth parallel in the sharply
disputed sections, while three other
parties of the geological survey have
reconnoitered the entire stretch of
40 miles from the crest of the
Rockies to the Pacific coast.
The line traversed two mountain
districts, the Rocky mountains and
the Cascades, and an intermediate
country which though billy is not so
high. The mountains carry heavy
forests, and along the line are diff
cult of access because the trails. once
kept open by the Indians, are now
greatly obstructed by fallen timber.
The surveyors frequently find the
game trails worn by bear and deer
the easiest routes to follow. The ex-
IRENE eastern range of the Rockies
is OF Alpine character, and glaciers
and precipices lie across the boundary
line. The work of the parties has
been arduous, but has been success
1ully carried out, and report will
shortly be made through the interior
department for the information of
our state department.