West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-12-30
WHERE Am | At?
PreStOUian Sadly PerpleIsd REGARD
log His Whereabouts.
HIS TOWN NOT EVEN ON THB MAP
Courthouse Controversy and State
Line Wrenele Confusing to
Valley Pointer
HIS TOWN NOT EVEN ON THB MAP
VALLEY PotNr which is COR was } in !
Preston county, W Va. Dec. ~

L. ). Geological Survey and is accurate. -
He further hopes that it will bc tho pleas.
urc OF every one in the county To study
the map and see the location thereon of
the various towns.
Noting this invitation took up the
study of the map. have made several
discoveries and here are some of them:
First, being a citizen and one of the
legal voters of the Valley Point section, |
began my observation with my home
town, or rather, tried to- | looked on
the map for Valley Point. could not
find IL. | thought knew where il ought
to he. could find our near neighbors-
Guscman, Hudson, Morgans Gladc-and
thought | knew that Valley Point should
bc somewhere inside the triangle formed
by drawing lines between these points.
but | have looked in vain for il.
Then it began To dawn ON me that per
haps this map was presented for examin-
alton IN connection with the controversy
now going on with reference 10 the rclo-
cation OF the county seat.
had heard that the journal and sun
dry good citizens OF Kingwood, since that
controversy began, were inclined 10 con
sign certain portion of Our good county
and yeral ui ,"r best towns to the state
OF Maryland. So ircked along and across
the eastern boundary Of our county 10 see
whether Valley Pont had been moved.
can't find it anywhere. II may be that
because Of the fact that many OF our voters
have signed Terra Atlas petition asking
the county court 10 permit us to have the
perfectly fair and natural right TO vote on
the matter OF relocation that the Journal
simply decided 10 blot us of the map.
Anyway, we're of.
And now, while ! am kind OF on the
subject OF this Maryland line controversy,
! want to say just few words on that
subject. notice another short editorial
in the Journal mentioning the treason of
Benedict Arnold the reasons lac gave for
his justification, and then the assertion
that Kingwood holds number Of citizens
no better than that man Of shameful
memory. am vastly puzzled to know
to whom the journal may refer. be-
lieve ] saw IL stated in the journal since
this controversy arose that Terra Alta
would wake up some morning and find
herself in Maryland At least read a
whole lot of stuff in one article that would
seem 10 give you the notion that such
would be the case. And further. have
heard that several Of the Kingwood bar
have made the assertion that a whole lot
OF our good Preston county farms and
towns were going to be turned over bag
and baggage to the state Of Maryland.
They have even gone so far, / am told,
IA 10 assert that Terra Alta, the town that
is asking for the county scat, and which
~ by the way the largest, lyclicst, best,
and most progressive town in the county,
would shortly find herself in Maryland,
and am told that they said it in a man
ner that would indicate that they would
get good deal Of satisfaction out Of the
fufllment Of their prediction.
Now hardly know which is worse the
attempt 10 surrender the army Of the
American colonies tO the British or the
desire 10 surrender lot Of our best terri
tory and people 10 the state Of Maryland,
and all for no better reason than the one
assigned by the traitor Of revolutionary
times
And 10 make the matter worse ! am
persuaded that the makers Of this ayscr-
tion know better. They are men Of in
clligeucc ] think that they know that
Maryland las never seriously set up 80
wild a claim, and that sho could not sus
tain IL il she did. And, moreover, II She
did get mp such a claim these same attor-
neys and the Journal ought to be tine ones
10 defend ne in every way against such
CncrOachment
J note that The Journal in the map
printed has two parallel lines on our east
crn side which ! presume is intended b.
convey 10 us the geological surveys con-
ccptiou Of the lines now in controversy.
] DO not think this is correct. As un-
dertaud it, the real controversy is ~ fol-
lows Many years ago, think more than
O. hundred, a line vas run by a man
named Deakius by mutual agreement Of
The states Of Maryland and Virginia to
determine the boundary between the two
states This line began alta stone planted
nt thc most westerly source Of the north
branch Of the Potomac and was supposed
20 Doe run due north io the Pennsylvania
line. Somewhere between 1850 and 1860
Maryland seemed b. discover that the
line ran by Dcakins bad not followed a
due north course, but that it had varied
somewhat toward thccast from due north.
They then put corps Oi engineers to run
The line, this corps being headed by an
engineer named Michlcr, and hc began at
tie Fairfax stone and ran what is claimed
10 be- due north line. This line grad
uaIIy diycrgcd from the old or Doakins
linc to thc west Of II, and am told that
ihe two lines where they touch tho Pom.
sylyania line are about half a mile apart
Where they cross the y. 4 o. railroad
nearly four miles cast Of Terra Alta they
are about forty rods apart. The Michler
line crosses the b. & O. about half mile
east Of TIE town of Corinth.
Now, a. = understand h fhe rnal con.