Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-01
Meanderings of the Missouri
River Sometimes Defeats
Ends of Justice,
THE BOUNDARY IN DISPUTE
Nebraska and Iowa Courts Clash as to
Where It is Located = Next Leeis-
iature May be Appealed to for Some
ReIief-commission is Suggested -
Other News. !.

Special to Tf1nes-Republican.
Des Moines, Jan. 1.-When the leg
islature of Iowa meets again it is pretty
certain that a move will be inaugurated
for an amendment to the constitution
changing the boundary line or allowing
some tlexibility in the boundary line or
making provision for keeping up with
the changes wrought by the Missouri
river along the western border. AT the
last session start was made to pro-
vide for a commission to meet with A
!similar commission from Nebraska and
effect changes in the boundary line. The
bills We're sent to a committee and the
committee commenced an investigation.
The necessity for some changes was
recognized by all. The river will not
remain stationary. But the committees
reported that, the Iowa boundary line
could not be changed by the legisla-
ture nor be moved about at the will of
some temporary commission. The
most that has ever been done has been
to provide commission for surveying
and locating boundary line. But the
boundary lines are fixed by the const
tuition. Recently the Missouri river
made a big cut off near Nebraska City
and placed large acreage of Iowa over
on the western side Of the main stream.
Then there has been much trouble be-
cause some of the land near Council
Bluffs is in Nebraska and part of
Omaha is in Iowa, and criminals take
advantage of this to evade punishment.
a lawsuit has brought this matter into
prominence again and the surveyors
have been called in to decide where the
boundary line is located. The Nebraska
people want to effect trade and
will be started in the legis-
lature to accomplish this result, but
the Nebraska constitution is under
stood to be little different from that
of Iowa. Before the next legislature
ing the difficulty, and if constitutional
is necessary 1t will be urged
before the people. 1t has been sug-
gested that the proper thing to do is to
provide that the boundary line may be
with the vagaries of the Mis-
souri, river at stated intervals and thus
provide for the future.
To Draw New State Line.
Omaha, Jan. 1.-The FRANKS at the
Big Muddy have made it necessary that
County Surveyor Gdquist go to its
other side next week with his instru-
ments and find out where Nebraska
ceases and Iowa begins. This action is
the result of an alleged offenders es-
Gaping arrest last summer by the Pot
.awattamie county authorities on the
ground that he wasn't within their
and its result may be Il
swap Of land there for the Iowa land
IN this side of the river occupied by a
cart of East Omaha. Surveyor Ed
luist says:
I'm 1854 Iowa traced the meander line
# the Missouri and fixed the states
western boundary accordingly. Two |
ears later Nebraska was sectioniZed, |
he meander line of the river as it then
an was traced and the states eastern I
boundary fixed. During those two I
ears the whimsical old river had been
hitting itself, and the result was that
he two lines overlapped each other
~ quarter to half mile. In the
survey next week shall seek the
curse equi- distant from each line and |
eport that as the correct boundary line. !