The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-09-06
T0 MEET WEDNESDAY
TO SETTLE DISPUTE
VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND BOUN-
DAIRY COMMISSIONERS TO
GET TOGETHER
IS ANCIENT ST OR Y
TROUBLE BETWEEN STATES DE-
GAN WHEN CALVERT SETTLED
IN MARYLAND-wAsH
IS GREATLY INTERESTED

The boundary commission named by
tho Virginia and Maryland legislatures
to settle the. boundary dispute be-
tween the two States, now two CEN
turtles old, will meet on the Potomac
river next Wednesday to designate de-
nnitely the headlands on the Virginia
aide, marking under compact the ter
rltorial boundary.
State Senator Benson, OF Maryland.
ID chairman OF the Maryland commits
sion. State Senator Walker and Dele
gates r. o. Norris and Thomas Brown
are the Virginia commissioners me
commission will be accompanied on
its survey by State Commissioner OF
Fisheries Lee and Commander How
ard, aboard their respective steamers
Long Drawn Out Dispute.
This dispute involves not only the
boundary line between the two states.
but the regulation OF the oyster sea-
son on the lower Potomac. BY ac-
ton of the legislatures Of the two
States in 1912 an agreement was made
possible by the appointment o. the
commissions. which are to meet Wed
nesday to reach a settlement.
The controversy dates far back
into colonial times, beginning Mt the
time Lord Baltimore settled in Mary
land. Open wars between the citizens
OF the two States were frequent be-
tween temporary settlements and when
the colonies gained their freedom from
Great Britain.
General Washington was president
of the Potomac company, the pre-
decessor of the Chesapeake and Ohio
canal. and II was a matter OF direct
concern to the plans of that COM
pany that there should be an agree
ment between the two States in regard
10 the navigation of the Potomac ana
the Chesapeake bay. In l7S5 com
missioncrs appointed by the two states
were to meet at Alexandria General
Washington invited them to his resi-
dence. Mount Vernon. There In his
par1or w. framed the compact Of
1885" modification of which is the
purpose of the negotiations now 60
ing on.
Trouble Continues.
This did not end the dispute, how
ever. and another settlement was made
in 1877 by the award of an arb;tra-
ton commission by which IL was de-
cided that the dividing line between
the two States is at Iow-water bark on
the southern shore.
Thus the Potomac river through
out Its entire length between
ginia and Maryland belongs wholly
TO Maryland. and yet Maryland Is re-
strained p$ the compact vi J % Atphf
legislating In regard TO fishing rights
In the Potomac except by the consent
Of Virginia. as otherwise the law liz
practically void.
The result Is that the Potomac
river had become a mo mans land.
where people may fish or oyster in
season or out of season without Ia
hllity. and when an Illegal cargo OF
oysters IN overhauled anywhere In the
hay the ready excuse may be offered
that they come from the Potomac.
Settlement I'm Sight.
The joint committee, of which Sem
atnr Linthicum is chairman. has the
difficult task OF negotiating settle
rrent of the question. The effort has
been made before many time without
any practical result
Hope OF greater success now rests
Chiefly on the fact that with the
spread OF oyster culture in Virginia
II has now become desirable 10 that
E!Rte also To bring the oyster indus
try in the Potomac under legal con-
tEel.