New-York tribune., 1911-04-16

Rhode Island and COnncctlcuJJ' n'"''',
C;tv missouri and Kansas, Guthrie ana
Fulton (cach partly in Kentucky ana parIGy
in TENNESSEE, Harrison and Union City Vl
Indiana and Ohio, and Great faliS NEW
Hampshire and Maine) What IS virtually
one town on the border boundary OF Tenn
essee and Virginia is legally known as brls, IS,
toI ON the Tennessee side and GoodSon on
the Virginia side. A number OF Sinaller
towns might be added to the list.
Queer Shaped Boundaries
THERE are ecccntricities in State lines c, as as
L we'll as in those which limit the confines
e tho limited States Thus the line that
eonarates Delaware from pennsylvania
Newcastle and Chester Counties rcspec-
tivclv) suddenly curves upward ana iorihS
= semicircle lust above the ancient town OF
Newcastle. .,:..,
The exclamation may be found IN history.
4, tho fine Delaware was set out there were
fcr noints Of latitude and longitude den
nitelv established in the Colonies; 50 tfat
boundaries were generally expressed, not by
latitude and longitude but by reference 70
some known location. In the deed by whicn
Delaware was transferred there was ccded
all the land for twelve miles round NeW-
castle. together with certain other areas. IN
establishing the boundaries OF the present
state Of Delaware this description was taken
literally, and part Of circle, with the cen
fer at Newcastle, was surveyed upon a
twelve-mlc radius.
No other State has an arc in its boundary
line: but many Of the counties OF hentucNy
and Tennessee do. Warren County, Iennc-
see, is almost a complete circle. In many IN
stances counties formerly circular have been
expanded into irregular polygons.
Two curious irregularities may be holed
in the dividing line between Massachusetts
and Connecticut. One occurs at Granny
Township, a little northwest OF Hartford
the other at Enfield Township, on the Con-
necticut River south of Springfield. lnaS-
much as the line is a purely imaginary one
the reason for these irregularities does not
lie on the surface; in fact you must seek 1t
far down in the deeps of the human heart'
II happened that these spots belonged IN
colonial davS to farmers who had Sentl-
mental preference for Massachusetts over
Connecticut. and when the boundary line
was being adjusted, fought for their prefer
ences. The controversy began in lIl3 and
lasted for more than a century. Up to the
time of the Revolution both Colonies would
levy taxes and send notices Of fast days and
elections TO the occupants Of the disputed
tracts At last the farmers revolted and
declared their allegiance 10 Massachusetts
alone. Connecticut protested, the matter
was again brought up in the courts, com
missioners were appointed by each State,
and finally in 1922 a compromise was reached
Massachusetts, conscnting to surrender her
claim to a strip Of territory in Woodstock
and Suficld County, provided Connecticut
would Withdraw from other disputed tracts
along the same boundary line
Glad to Be Moved
COUTHERNERS seem to be more flexible
~ than Yankees. At least there is current
the story Of one Southern woman whose
homestead Law several feet south Of the
dividing line Of Virginia and North Carolina.
Whom that section of the country was re-