Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-12-23
SOUTH PARIS, MAINE TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3d. 1913
WashIngton's Survey Gets o. K.

Washlngton's Survey Gets o. K.
Government surveyors, who have just
been checking up some of the lines re-
puted to have been run by George Wash
iugton In bis days of chain and compass
work, have found them good.
About 1751, according to tradition,
George Washington, then 10 years old,
ran out for Lord Thomas Fairfax the
line between what was then to be Au-
gusta and Frederick counties, Virginia,
this being only part OF great deal OF
surveying which he is said to have been
engaged upon at that time. These two
counties were separated from what was
then Orange county, and the grant to
westward to the Pacific ocean. Subse-
quently these large tracts were further
subdivided, 80 that the "Fsirfax line,"
as 1t Is generally known, runs now be-
tween Rockingham and Shenandoah
counties, with the original Augusta and
Frederick counties to ths south and
north respectively.
In the organic act for the formation Of
/ the two counties, or ''psrishes" as they
were then called, 1t was required that
the line should be a straight one from
the head spring of Hedgman river, one
of the sources of the Rsppahanpock, to
the head spring of the Potomac.
Since it was required that the line
should be straight, 1t was first necessary
to get the approximate course by build
ing large bonfires on the intervening
high points. Then starting from the top
of the Massanutten mountains, the line
was run straight away over intervening
mountains and rivers toward the north
west.
THE FAIRFAX STONE.
Away off across part of what is now
West Virginia there is large rock
known today as the Fairfax Stone. 1t is
the monument which marks the south.
west corner of Gsrret county, Nd, the
southeast corner of Preston county, w.
Va, and prominent points in the boun-
daries in two other West Virginia coun-
ties. A line from Orange court house,
coinciding with the Shenandoah and
Rockingham county line, passes through
this Fairfax Stone. which gives the name
to nearby station, Fairfax, on the West
ern Maryland railroad. 1t has been as
sumed that, in running this line, high
peak northwest of Orange court house
was the starting point, and that from
here it was possible to see distant peak
| in the North mountain range over the
top of the intervening Massanutten
mountain.
Washington, of course, used simple
compass, and his line could not be ex
pected to check absolutely with that OBJ
tanned by the government surveyors who
have retraced his survey, using high
power trapsits and all the refined and
accurate methods which modern instru-
ments allow. Nevertheless, the line was
run so carefully in the first place that
but little variation has been found in 1t.
Even without instruments it is possible
to distinguish the course of the line with
surprising distinctness. From the top
Of Middle mountain in the Massanutten
range, the Shenandoah Rock ingham, or
Fairfax, line can be readily followed by
means of the boundary fences dating
from earliest days, and by the blocks of
timber, alternately cleared away or left
standing, which come up from either
county and stop at the line, like squares
| in checkerboard. Then If one turns to
the southeast the same demarkations
are plain across the valley of the south
fork of the Shenandoah, cutting through
the present Page county, which is made
of land formerly in Shenandoah county,
belonging to the Fairfax grant, and partly
from land formerly in Rockingham.
Thus, as far as the eye can see in either
direction, this old line shows plainly.
The Washington compass, now to be
seen at the U. S. national museum in the
city named for its owner, is presumed to
be the same one used in running this line
more than 100 years ago.
wAsHINGToN's SURVEY MARKS.
The Fairfax Stone stands as a perma.
nent monument. In addition, there are,
throughout that section of the country,
various other records of these Washing
ton surveys. For example, large white
oak which stands at the corner Of a farm
about one and oue-half miles from Lost
City, Hardy county, w. Va, was, ac.
cording to persistent story of that sec
tion of the country, marked by Wash
ington.
Survey blazes cut into trees, and since
grown over, have been cut away, and
count of the annual layers of growth
over the old wounds shows them to have
been made at the time Washington was
surveying. One strange thing about
these blazes is that they are several feet
higher than those put on trees by woods
men of to-day. This fact has given rise
to sort of superstition that Washing
ton, known to have been very tall, was
actually giant. Other authorities have
said that Washington did much of his
work on horseback, and made his blazes
with long handled axe from the saddle.
The town Of Whitepost, Clarke coun-
ty, Va, takes it's name from post pre-
sumed to have been set by Washington
as one OF his survey marks. The post,
formerly exposed, is now covered by
protecting case which shelters it from
the weather, and from the despoiling
hand of the vandal tourist.
WHY THE LINE IS RETRAcED.
The reason that this old Washington
survey line Is being retraced is because
the federal government is purchasing
lands in this neighborhood, in connec-
ton with the new Appalachian forests
which are being acquired at the head
waters of navigable streams, under the
terms of the Weeks law, designed to
protect these watersheds from the evils
Of deforestation. The government re-
quires clear title before the land can be
paid for. In making sure Of the titles 1t
is necessary, in many cases, to 60 back
IN original roval pranfa or IN colonial
records, and to have recourse to resur-
veys before the facts of ownership can
be indisputably established.
Pixies Peak Not Sinking.