The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-19
FAMOUS BOUNDARY REMARKED.


Mason and Dixon line has just been
surveyed for the nrst time since the sci
entists whose names it commentaries
traced it, 10 years ago. The work now
completed was done under the direction
of joint commission representing Penn
sylvania and Maryland. This line, which
became historic as the division between
the slave states and the free states, was
originally marked by stones or other des-
ignations placed one mile apart. But in
the course of time many of the markers.
disappeared, and disputs as to local boun-
daries arose. Pennsylvania and Maryland
each appropriated 5000 for a new sur
vey of the line, and work was begun in
April. 1901, w. G. Hodgkins. of the United
States Coast and Geodetic Survey. being
in charge of the corps of engineers.
AS was the case with most of the land
grants made by the British crown in the
seventeenth century, William Penn ana
Lord Baltimore found that their respec-
tive provinces of Pennsylvania and Mary
land apparently overiapped each other
For fifty years much lawlessness pre-
vailed along the border because Of the
boundary disputes, and the settlers did
not know to whom they owed allegiance.
Finally, in 1860, the proprietaries OF the
two provinces employed Charles Mason
end jeremiah Dixon, to fix the boundary
line. They began work in 1863 In June,
176 when the party had reached the top
of the Little Alleghaney Mountains, leo
miles from the starting point. the Indians
assumed a threatening attitude. Although
the surveyors seemed to Ie peaceable, the
red men could not understand why the
paiefaces should cut this road through
the forest or why some of them spent
much of the night in grazing at the stars
through brass cylinders. Finally the In
dams forbade further progress. Then at
a cost Of 600 council of the Six Ma
tons was convened in New York. in June,
1867, and permission was secured to con-
tinue the work. The council sent party
of braves to act as escort TO Mason and
Dixon and the survey was resumed; but
in September. when the Monongahela
was reached the Indians again grew rest
less, and Mason and Dixon were Obliged
from their goal In 1873 other engineers
to abandon their task twenty-four miles
completed that part of the line between
Pennsylvania and what was then Vir-
ginia, but is now West Virginia.
Mason and Dickson were both elected
members of the American Philosophical
Society They returned to England. and
later were sent to the Cape of Good Hope
to observe the transit Of Venus. Dixon
died in England in III, but Mason came
to philadelphia. where he died in 1857.
1t is the portion of Mason and Dixous
line that extends as far as the western
limits of Maryland, which has just been
resurveyed Some Of the original boun-
dairy stones were found 10 be stil In
place. They had been chiselled in Eng
land from limestone and weigh 900 pounds
each. being four and One-half feet high
and one foot square. On one side IS the
letter "P." and on the other the letter
M" Every fifth stone bore the coat-of-
arms OF the two proprietors.
Mr.. Hodgkin's men endeavored 70 trace
the stones that were missing and succeed
ed in recovering a large number Some
were doing duty as docrsteps, some were
in bakeovens, one served as a curbsione
in Clearspring. Nd. and two had been
used in building a church along the ma
tional pike The old markers in many in
stances bore curious Inscriptions. some
carved by soldiers OF the Federal ana
Confederate armies during the campaigns
Of the civil war Ever one Of these
stones that could be secured was placed
in position on the boundary line II brok-
en-. the pieces were olamped together.
The stones were set in 4 bed Of concrete.
70 guard against future removal
In a few localities a half dozen or moro
OF these stones were found IN proximity.
This leads TO the belief that possibly they
were not put to actual use as boundary
markers. X is known that the fun num-
ter OF stones required BY Mason AMI
Dixon was imported bat in conveying
them westward through the forests. 90
many difficulties were encountered. b is
supposed. fhat . portion Of the cousisn-
merit and abandoned along the road and
IL the course of years settlers found those
stones useful for a variety % purposes
other than that for which they we're tn
tended. This theory is substantiatet -
the fact that the western part % Mason
and Dixon's lire vas found 70 be married.
principally b. mounds ~ ~ooaen pests.
few stones being discovered
sufHcieu. OF the original stones Ee-s r.
GOV q n.ar.- d ea &c
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