Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-11-28
council of the Six Nations was con-
vened in New York. in Juue, 1867, and

a council of the Six Nations was con-
vened in New York. in Juue. 1867. and
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 Monongahe-
la was reached, the Indians again grew
restless, and Mason and Dixon were
obliged to abandon their task twenty
four miles from their goal. In I779
other engineers completed that part of
the line between Pennsylvania and
what was then Virginia, but is now
West Virginia.
Mason and DIXON 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 1777,. but
Mason came to Philadelphia. where he
died in 1787.
1t is the portion of Mason and Dixon S
line that extends as far as the western
limits of Maryland, which has just been
re-surveycd. Some of the original bound
ary stones were found to be still in place.
They had been chiselled in England
from limestone, and wei gh 500 pounds
each, being four and one-half feet high
and one foot square. On one side is the
letter "P," and OH the other the letter
en-" Every fifth stone bore the coat
of-arms of the two proprietaries.
Mr.. Hodgkin's men endeavored to
trace the stones that were missing, and
succeeded in recovering a large mum ber.
Some were doing duty as doorsteps.
some were in bake-ovens, one served as
curbstone in Clear Spring, Md, and
two had been used in building a church
along the national pike. The old mark
ers in many instances bore curious in
scriptions, some carved by soldiers of
the Federal and Confederate armies dur
ing the compaigns of the civil war. Every
one'of these stones that could be secured
was placed in position on the boundary
line. IT broken, the pieces were clamp
ed together. The stones were set in a
bed of concrete, to guard against future
removal
In few localities half-dozen or
more of these stones were found in prox-
unity. This leads TO the belief that pos
sibly they were not put to actual use as
boundary markers. 1t is known that
the full number of stones required by
Mason and Dixon was imported, but in
conveying them westward through the
forests, so many difficulties were en-
countered. it IS supposed, that portion
of the consignment was abandoned along
the road; and in the course of years set
tiers found these stones useful for va
riety of purposes other than that for
which they were intended. This theory
is substantiated by the fact that the
western part of Mason and Dixon's line
was found to be marked principally by
mounds or wooden posts, few stones be-
ing discovered.
Sufficient of the original stones were
recovered to mark the entire line, with
the exception of about seventy-five
miles. Where none Of the old markers
was available. new marble monuments
were erected.
During the survey many interesting
stories came to light in connection with
Mason and Dixon's line. In Hartford
County, Maryland, where one of the
stones was found to be broken. it is gen.
orally believed by the people that the
stone was suddenly severed ON the day
when South Carolina seeded from the
Union.