The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-26
OUR NORTHWEST BOUNDARY.
Commissioner TO Mark II From the Rockies
10 the Pacinc.

Our Government has appointed Otto H
Tittmann, Superintendent OF the United
State. Coast and Geodetic Survey. and the
British Government has appointed W. F.
King, Chief Astronomer, as Commissioners
to mark definitely the boundary between
the United States and Canada along the
forty-ninth parallel of latitude in the
places where the boundary has not yet
been delimited. from the Rocky Mountains
to the Pacific Coast.
Three years ago Richard L. Goode called
attention In the Bulletin OF the American
Geographical Society to the fact that it
was still impossible In many localities
among our Western mountains to tell where
the boundary line between Canada and
the United States was really fituat ed
Everybody knows that in the western
part Of the country the forty-ninth par
allel is the boundary between the two
countries. But unfortunately the position
OF this imaginary line had been determined
only in part.
The result Is that not few men who have
mining and other interests on or very near
the boundary really do not know whether
they are in one country or in the other.
Controversies have arisen in consequence
such as that IN the Mount Baker mining
district In western Washington several
years ago. Some contended that certain
mines were in the United States, while
others asserted that they were In Canada.
This particular dispute was settled by an
authoritative deter mination OF the geo
graphical position OF tho mines and 1t was
found that they were actually over the
border a few hundred yards in Canada;
so the assertion that they were a part Of
the gold diggings OF the United States
fell to the ground.
The unsurveyed part OF the boundary
is not continuous, but consists OF fourteen
or fifteen gaps in the surveyed line, the
whole unsurveyed distance aggregating
200 mics. All our land frontiers are now
clearly marked excepting these gaps in
the Northwest.
The International Commission OF 1885,
appointed 10 survey the Northwest boun-
Diary, did not attempt to do thorough work.
Great difficulties were presented by lofty
mountain ranges, tangled underbrush,
dense forest regions and almost impass-
able streams. The members. therefore.
agreed 70 confine their work 10 determine
ing points on the boundary line. the forty
ninth parallel. at places where IL crosses
streams Of any size, permanent trails. OF
any striking natural feature OF the coun-
try." and at other places where IL was
convenient TO determine astronomical
points. The result was that along the
boundary through the mountains they
surveyed and marked 1870 miles Of the
line, while go miles were not surveyed
or marked in any way.
This Incomplete work answered very
we'll for the time. for when the fragmentary
survey was made there was no develop
ment whatever along the line: but to-day
tho mining and other interests of the two
couua ries are meeting along the boundary.
When the Geological Survey determined
the boundaries between Idaho and Mon
tana, and Idaho and Washington they
were unable to connect their north and
south lines with any monuments on the
boundary because these monuments wero
too far away on either side. In other
words, It In not yet precisely known whether
the northern terminal points Of these
boundaries between our States are prop
erly located on the International line.
There is now great need that the
boundary DO carefully traced and marked
throughout it's length. The, commits
sioners appointed will take their par
ties into the field aud thoroughly carry
out this work.
II is expected that they viii mark the
linz Ivy stone and iron monuments. to he
placed not more than mile spGrt, 30 that
arv ordinary surveyor will t- able 10 ascer-
tain the exact position OF any point with
frrpsrt to the boundary between the two
cp;,triss.