Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1911-06-02
BOUNDARY MARKS
Limits a Fiery Orator Once Gave
the United States.
THE CANADIAN LINE FENCE.

L. sI I+ s.'|
Monumonts That cIsavs the TIVE
Countries West From the Lake of the
Observation-Disclosures in State and
County Boundaries
The fates OF empires and Of dynas-
lies have been Involved In the struggle
for boundaries The fgment thar the
Rhine was the natural frontier Of
France ended in the downfall OF the
Bonapartes and the exaltation OF the
Hohenzollerns, thus rearing the neo-
German empire upon the ruins Of the
npstart French empire.
In our own country the cry Of eff
y-four- forty or nght" held threat
If the mighty conflict that eventually
proved irrepressible. And In our own
day the dispute over the Venezuelan
boundary nearly precipitated q war
between the two greatest nations Of
the earth Is fF
1t was startling figure of speech.
that Of the western orator who, mount
Ing higher and higher to a climax Of
buncombe. described the United States
MS bounded on the east by the Atlantic
ocean. on the north by the aurora bo-
realIs, on the west by the setting sun
and on the south by the gates Of he'll.
Still. 1t was only a figure Of speech.
Canada lies between us and the boreai
aurora The Latin American states
to the south hardly deserve the infer
nal comparison. As to the oceans to
the east and the west OF us. they may
| be left to themselves. Not mine the
task OF determining what the wild
waves are saying.
The Canadian boundary presents Its
idiosyncrasies and eccentricities. The
eastern part Of II follows naturally
and spontaneously the regular water
line formed by the great lakes and
their outlets. Thence from the Lake
| Of the Woods on the north Of Mime
sofa more direct course. man made
and mechanical. is taken through the
wilderness and over the mountains OF
the west to the Pacific coast Nor has
this course been suffered to remain a
mere imaginary line, Man. having
made it. has marked 1t well. Between
the Lake Of the Woods and the Red
river cast iron pillars have been
placed one mile apart alternately by
the English and the American govern
ments. These are hollow castings In
|pyramidai form eight feet high. with
La base eight inches square. an octa-
gon fange one inch thick and top
four inches square surmounted by a
solid. cap.
Into these hollow posts are fitted
well seasoned cedar joists. with spikes
driven through holes made In the cast
ling. The pillars are firmly fmbedded
In the ground. Inscriptions In raised
letters face north and south. The
north side reads. Convention Of Lon
dom" the other. October 20. 1Sl8r
Beyond the Red river the boundary
line is generally denoted by earth
mounds and stone cairns by s feet
though these are occasionally diversi
fed by wooden posts OF the same
height as the iron pillars and painted
red above ground Through forests
|clearings have been made a rod wide
Where hodies of water are crossed
monuments Of stone rise several feet
abcvr Iiisa tide Over the mountains
shaiis OF granite supersede the pillars
f;s'islds and cairns
There are eccentricities IN state
ilnes as Wen as in those which limit
me connnes of the United States
linus tns line tnaf separates Delaware
from PENNSYLVANIA sNewcastie ana
Cnester counties respectiveiyl sudden