Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-03-23
CLARK'S SURVEY
MUST GOVERN
OfficialInfornation
From Governor
on Subject.
ERROR IN FIRST SURVEY
Must Stand Until Corrected
in Accordance With
New Legislation.

| Ascertaining that Governor Her
bert j. Hagerman was we'll posted up
on the status of the New Mexico. .Tex-
as boundary liae from the southeast
ern corner of New Mexico to the point
where the southeastern corner of
Oklahoma strikes New Mexico's east
ern frontier, the Governors opinion
and information upon the subject was
| asked. To a representative Of the
New Mexican, the Governor said that
from official sources and from per.
sonal knowledge he was quite we'll
posted In the matter and gave the fol.
lowing information, which will be of
great interest to the people residing
along the eastern line of the Territory,
to this paper
The boundary lines established be-
tween New Mexico and Texas In 1859.
60, by the boundary commission, un
der the act of June S, 1858 I'll Stats
300 were confirmed as the true boun.
dary lines by the act of Congress ap.
proved March 8, 1891 (26 Stats. 971)
These lines were established by
boundary commission upon which John
Fl. Clark was appointed as commits
sioner on behalf Of the United States.
and the lines established have usually
been referred to as the CLARK lines"
The 32d parallel Of north latitude was
first established as the south boundary
OF New Mexico from point on the Rio
Grande to the one hundred and third
meridian west longitude which
latitude formed the last boundary
Of the Territory. Portions only Of
this meridian were actually establish.
ed and marked in the field, that be.
tween the 32d and 33d parallel of lati-
tude from the south end of the meri'
dian and that from the northwest cor
ner of Texas latitude 36 deg. 80 min)
south as far as the 34th parallel, leav
ing distance of some seventy-five
miles not marked in any manner.
Public land surveys have recently
been made in the locality of Texico
and in these surveys the conditions
along that part of The 103d meridian
have been found to be In accordance
with previous general reports concern,
ing the same, i. e., although no Clark
monuments were found In that local.
ty, line OF fence, known as the "Syn.
dicate fence had been constructed by
parties owning land In Texas as the
west boundary of their holdings, and
while this fence could not be consid,
cred as an official line. yet 1t was
found to be In the position where 9th.
er surveys referred to Clark monu.
ments to the north would indicate its
existence as. approximately defining
the line established by Clark.
Under authority from the Secretary
of the Interior, an investigation was
made of these boundary lines and Of
the Tooth meridian by Arthur D. Kid
der. examiner of surveys of the gen
eral land Office in 1903. with q view
of determining the astronomical loca-
tions Of the various lines defining the
common boundaries Of New Mexico
and Texas, and a report thereon was
submitted April 10, 1904, to the Secre-
tary of the Interior, with the view OF
having the same submitted to Con,
gress, as basis for such further legis.
lation, If any, as might be deemed
necessary to define with exactness
these boundaries upon the ground. So
far no such legislation has been had.
It was found by Mr. Kidder that at
the intersection of the parallels defined
as the boundaries, there were dis
crepancies between the Clark survey.
Of the 103d meridian and the Kidder
location thereof, varying from az
miles at the northwest corner Of Tex.
as to 384 miles at the southest corner
Of New Mexico.
Until further legislation is had, the
general land Office will continue to rec.
ognize the Clark lines as establishing
the east and south boundaries Of New
Mexico