The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-01-02

suIt OF Olsputes-1"o umOus Oon-
troversies--Present Survey.
After a period of uncertainty
stretching over about one hundred and
ninety-three years. and after many a
controversy in which the disputes
were both long and loud, the bounda-
ry line between the states of Connecti-
cut and Massachusetts has at last
been agreed upon, the official maps
showing that the line have been duly
signed by authorities representing
both states, and to avoid any boppi-
bility of the line arising in the night
and fleeing for parts unknown, it will
be weighted down with stones sunk
deep into the soil so that future gene
rations may see that those of the
present day builded firmly and well.
1t Is long and interesting story
that led up to the permanent settle
ment of the boundary line which was
effected Wednesday night, when the
state boundary commission Of Con-
necticut met the board IF harbor and
land commissioners of Massachusetts,
in the Worthy house Of Springfield,
Mass, and after jointly disposing of
a bountiful repast, cleared the boards
and reviewed, discussed and signed
the maps which had been drawn up as
the result of an eight months survey
by Eugene e. Pierce, assistant engi-
neer for the Massachusetts commits
sion, and Henry Robinson Buck, state
engineer of Connecticut.
hedre were present at this meeting
all the members of both commissions,
as follows: Governor Henry Roberts,
Attorney General William "A. King,
Frank c. Sumner and State Engineer
Buck of the Connecticut commission,
and Chairman George r. Smith, Hen
ry ]. Slletfington, General Samuel N.
Mansfield, Chief Engineer Frank W.
Hodgdon and Assistant Engineer
Pierce Of the Massachusetts commits
sion.
LINE BUT LITTLE CHANGED.
There were no disputes over the re-
suits of the survey, all the most sue
cessfully and amicably, taken care pf
by the engineers during the survey.
here were of course discussions as to
the adviseabiity Of changing the sur
vey here and there, but in the end the
maps were signed as presented and
the line is fixed today at approx
mately the same points where 1T was
originally fixed in the year 1918 by the
first survey ever made to establish the
boundary The present survey was be-
~eeellne early last April by a party COM
roseS of Connecticut and Massachu-
sets enrinssrs, working tnder the d.
rection Of Enginesrs -F fis &c and Buck
When the summer came Oh ana coi-
lege men were available for the SVP PS.
three parties were formed and the
work was pushed rapidly along. In
September the parties Joined forces
again and from then. until October
one large party was at work compile
ting the task. Fa
ERROR in F1RSST SURVEY.
The first colonial survey established
an error in the line which has remained
to the present day and which has been
perpetuated in the confirmation of the
recent survey. According to this pro
visions of the royal grant, establishing
I the limits Of Connecticut the line from
Rode Island to New York should have
begun at a point three miles south of
4 the most southsrly point Of the Charles
river. In establishing such point the
engineers who made the survey con-
fused with the river proper the south
erly shores of body of water known
as Wrenthan pond, which connects in
northerly direction into the Charles
river, and to point from which the
survey took its rise was established
! three miles south of the most souther-
| ly point of this body of water or six
/ miles south of the river, Had the line
been run due west from this point, as
It should have run, this error would
/ have cost the state of Connecticut sew
eral hundred square miles ef land, but
| fate seemed to intervene to adjust
matters a little more fairly Through
| this imperfections Of Instruments or by
reason of faulty rtadings, very proba-
4 bly, for both reasons, the boundary line
! WAS IudIC " IWllg liOL fluG NN9L ~ q
straight line, but in a straight norther-
| ly direction, so that It joins the New
York state line almost two miles
north Of the proper point. This still
| gives to the state of Massachusetts d
considerable area of territory that
rightly belongs to Connecticut, but the
line has been appropriately fixed for SO
long that no suggestion WAS made by
either commission to have 1t righted
and the chances are that this original
error will be perpstuated for all time.
After the survey Of 1719, when the
line was supposed by those who con-
Quoted the survey to be absolutely
straight and running due east and
west, it seemed for more than half a
century the line of demarkation b:-
tween the colonies was clearly fixed.
But not so. Those pioneers who had
broken through virgin forests and
crossed uncropped valleys in the
achievement of their work, had marked
their line with but temporary -mon-
uments. The trees they blazed along
the route of survey fell under the on
slaughts of the settlers axes, the slope
heaps they had built on hills and in the
open fields were converted into rude
but serviceabe pasture fences and be-
fore two generations had passed, sharp
and sometimes violent disputes arose
between neighbors and between Off
Gals principally ever Jealous tax col
I lectors) as to the exact boundary.
THE SURVEEY OF 1926.
SO pressing did these disciples be-
come that in 1903 survey was made OF
J tha limo from the New Yorlt bounda ry