Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-18
SURVEYORS COSTLY BLUNpER.
Mistake Deprives Michigan Of Vast
Tract of Land.

Tract Of Land.
1t Is because a government survey
or in the early days Of the Lake Su-
perior region Is alleged to have taken
a wrong terminal in running the boun-
Diary line between the two states that
Michigan Is laying claims to an area
of several hundred square miles of
territory now included within the linn
its Of the Badger commonwealth, says
a Marquette, Mich, dispatch to the
Chicago Chronicle.
1t appears that congress, in 1888,
authorized the boundary survey.
Michigan had been admitted as a
state; Wisconsin was still a territory.
In 1910 Captain Cram, of the topo-
graphical engineers, was assigned by
the war department to the work of
mapping out the boundary line. Lit
tie was known of the region and his
instructions were necessarily vague.
In general terms they were to mark
as the boundary the channel Of the
Montreal river from the mouth at
Lake Superior to the headwaters.
thence in a direct line through the
wilderness to Lax Vieux desert (Lake
Of the Desert).
Captain Cram came into the region
by way of the Menominee and Brule
rivers to Lake Brule, where he COM
menced his operations, and for two
seasons he worked on the survey.
From a synopsis Of his report to the
department 1t appears that his conclu-
sion was that there was not to be
found in nature any conditions Of a
natural boundary between the head
waters of the Montreal and Menomi-
nee rivers and, therefore, 1t became
necessary to make a delineation Of the
country between those headwaters
and along the intended route Of the
boundary.
Accordingly the survey was COM
menced from Lake Desert and con-
tinued westward. When within a dis
tance of some 20 miles Captain Cram
came to river two rods in width
which he thought might be the Mon
treal, and carrying the survey to the
mouth, found that the Ontonagon had
been reached and that the Montreal
must be many miles to the westward.
Continuing the survey westward
for 80 miles or more a good-sized
stream was intersected which later
proved to be the east branch Of the
Montreal river, but which the sur
veyor deemed to be the real Montreal
river, the object of his quest.
In brief, Captain Cram marked the
boundary mistakenly along the So
called east branch Of the Montreal
river instead of the main river. 1t Is
certain that the point where the pres
ent boundary line strikes the east
branch of the Montreal river Is far
from being the "headwaters" Of that
stream, as described in the enabling
act. II the east branch Is the main
river, then Pine lake Is the head
waters" and If the west branch is the
main river the "headwaters" are at
Island lake.
Some 20 years later when the lin
ear surveys were extended over the
region it became apparent for the
first time that the point selected by
Captain Cram was on the east branch
of the Montreal and not on the head
waters of that river. Captain Cram
evidently never saw the Montreal riv-
er, or, at least only that portion from
where the east branch formed a juno
ton near Lake Superior.
In 1846, when Wisconsin came into
the union, it's boundary was desig-
mated as follows: From Lake Of the
Desert, thence in a direct line to the
headw, tors of the Montreal river as
marked IN the survey made by Cap
tain Cram"
Thus, through the error Of Captain
Cram, 1t is contended that a consid-
erable area, including the city OF Hur-
lev, now in Wisconsin, in realty be-
longs to Michigan. Eventually, 1t Is
understood, the boundary dispute Will
reach the United States Supreme
court for adjudication.