The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-10-08
BOUNDARY DISPUTE
LEFT UNSETTLED
Vermont Commission Unable to Reach
Settlement with New Hampshire
Over Line Between the States.

l
Vermont's boundary line commission
! consisting of Alexander Dunnett, Freder
lex Fl. Babbitt and Porter II. Dale. ha
reported to Governor Fletcher its faiur
TO reach an agreement with officials o
the state of New Hampshire. The at
tempt at agreement was reached as tn,
result of an attempt by New Hampshr,
to collect taxes on property located OF
the west bank of the Connecticut river
II is likely that the question of the dis
puted boundary will be taken to the
United States supreme court.
The report of the Vermont commission
including q letter from the New Hamp
shire commission. is as follows;
st. Johnsbury, VT, Sept. 20, 1914.
His Excellency,
The Governor,
Sir: The boundary line commission
appointed by you under the Joint resolu.
tion relating to boundary commissions
approved February l3, 1913, respectfully
report that after our appointment we
devoted our attention to gathering in
formation bearing upon the question of
the true location of the boundary line
between Vermont and New Hampshire
and thereafter succeeded in negotiation
with like commission representing the
state of New Hampshire, looking toward
an agreed boundary line that should be
made certain.
| The true boundary line between the
two states has been subject Of con
troversy and disagreement during the
entire life of the state of Vermont the
state of Vermont having claimed that
the boundary line was in the middle of
the river, and the state of New Hamp-
shire having claimed that the line was
somewhere on the west bank of the river.
Considerable activity was manifested
and different commissions were appoint
ed to adjust this matter down to the
time when railroads promised to displace
water carriage (about 1899. and since
that time the matter has received no at.
tention from the respective governments
until the act was passed providing for
the appointment OF this commission. In
the meantime many public bridges, toll
bridges, railroad bridges dams and man
utacturing structures, have been erected
on the river, part of the manufacturing
structures being on the Vermont side
and part on the New Hampshire side;
and now the question has become acute.
chiefly by reason of the large taxable
property upon the river and its banks
and the conflicting claims respecting the
exercise of sovereignty over property on
the river, and particularly on it's west
bank, for the purpose of taxation.
We attempted to negotiate the es- |
tablishment of the most convenient and |
desirable boundary line between the two |
commonwealths without entering partic- |
ulafly into the question OF where the |
true boundary line now is. We regarded |
the most desirable boundary line be-
tween the two commonwealths 10 b. the l
middle Of the Connecticut river. and at.
tempted to negotiate the establishment
Of such a line, and proposed that so far
~ the state of New Hampshire had in
vested money in structures, like high Il
way bridges westerly of the middle OF 4
The river TO have the state of Vermont
make compensation in some way. Ac-
'ordingly on the fifth day of November.
1913, We met the commissions appoint
ID by the state of New Hampshire at
he Parker house in Boston. and after
luite full discussion il was decided bv
he commissioners OF New Hampshire
hat they would not consider a boun-
larry line IN the middle of the river. This /
ommission then proposed 10 agree upon !
ow water mark on the west side of the /
liver as boundary line Considerable I
consideration was given this line, and il I
ooked a. though an agreement might be I
cached respecting It. but tho commits.
ion from New Hampshire had not at !
hat time gone over the line to see where 1
would ~ drawn with respect 10 exist. ?
1g properties on the bank and proposed !
laking an examination of the same to !
2 followed by a Joint meeting Of the !
Ho commissions Judge Chase, the 4
hairman OF the New Hampshire com. | 4
llssion, was man ot great age and did
ot feel able 10 make an examination n
ntil the warm weather OF this wear. II O
as expected that the commissioners d
ON both states would 90 over the pro II
osed line together. but arrangements 4
ere finally made for separate views Of 4
ie premises. a
After these examinations had been 4
Nftff NfhAA ANf t#ttAi NAtN Ht the New u
ampshire commission had fallen il n
70 meetings were had between tie n
iairman 81 this commission and the \
on. John H. Albin. acting chairman OF n
'e New Hampshire commission. In
ese meetings II became apparent that r.
the light Of the view which had been
ado by the New Hampshire commits. 81
Bn. no agreement could h. reached ~
'on any line 80 far east IS low water ~
ark On the west side Of the river. w
After conference upon this subject y
'ur commission vas Of one mind that Y
would not agree upon q line farther "
Z than l0w watcr marx on the west e.
b " tho ryer.and that inasmueh "a d
p NeW Hampshire commission would ~
{ aCfar upon q line - far east a. that a.
ua- e waste 81 time and money - q
lffuue tie negotiations. ard the chair
~ 1f tins commission addressed com. 81
Iunaffan 70 Mr. Aibu cnbofriur po
81 suggestion. and rrreited from Rim %
ettrf of the following tenor co
fonr1rd ~ ~frt - Ipfa u1
I'm AlrKsn3er Dunnptt. al
~ 1ohnsiulrr NJ
SIR Rrr'rine e. fo1rs of tl.s fsfF
q sui sat that grr eorfuiss,rn has RI.
rags claimed ttst thr uaat h-rh ~ -
tprnfeti,aa rltef 3 ttf 13nf ~ t8l
aezu Nfu HamrsHire ana rrmgrf ana ia