Middletown transcript., 1916-01-29
MASON & DIXON Line
Miss Morton Read Very Inter-
esting Letter at The Meeting Of
THE new CENTURY CLUB

udy afternoon:
A short account of the Mason ant
Dixon Line was the result of man
years disputing over the boundaries be
tween Maryland and Pennsylvania. Tht
Penns had succeeded in getting tha
part of Maryland that is now Delaware
away from Lord Baltimore, because
! they wished to have the advantage Of
bordering on the Delaware river anC
bay as well as the ocean. The boun-
daries were not we'll defined and all the
surveys ordered made had proven fruit
less. The surveyors giving up their
work owing to the great difficulties en-
countered in passing through the dense
forests and much swampy land. In Nc
vember 1853 Charles Mason and Jere-
mlah Dixon who had been employed by
the commissioners, at the instance of
the proprietors of the two provences,
landed in Philadelphia, and Immediately
commenced work to ascertain the lati-
tude of the most Southern part of that
city, in order to determine the location
OF the due East and West line that was
to divide the two provences, which by the
agreement was to be run at a distance
of Is English statute miles south of the
most southern point in Philadelphia.
These preliminary observations and
arrangements kept them in Philadel-
phia from November 18th, 1853, until
January 1854. Having completed their
work in that city. they took down the
rude observatory erected there placed
it and some other of their equipment in
three wagons. The telescope and some
other fragile articles We're packed in
their beds, and these We're placed on the
springs of an old fashioned two wheeled
chaise. Thus they started Westward
to the forks of the Brandywine. At
this place the observatory was again
set up. They also placed a stone here
to mark the beginning of the Is mile
line. This stone is known by the
people Of the naigdborhood as the star
gazers' stone. At the time the sur
veyors were working on this line the
people called them the star-gazers, and
many feared them as sorcerers and
soothsayers, and considered them not
safe to meddle with. They were seen
at all hours of the night observing the
stars which to the ignorant mind could
only mean some mysterious conjury
As soon as they got located here they
procured axmen and guides and started
so clear vista in the forest in order to |
trace and measure the line Is miles |
south, which they completed on the 18th |
CT the following April. This line term
mated in Mill Greek Hundred in what |
is now New Castle Co. Del. After YER
flying their work they went to New |
Castle. From there they proceeded by |
wagon to locate the middle point in the |
peninsular line wnich required four
days travel. When we consider that
the distance from New Castle to the
river is only about 80
miles, one may have some idea of the
difficult travelling to require four days
to go half that distance. They at frs
used the points of former surveys to To-
cate this middle line, but finding them
they were obliged to again
go over the work in order to locate the
tangent line. This was their second
to locate this line and though
it was failure, the two astronomers
without showing any Encouragement at
once proceeded to trace another They
then computed the difference between
the lines they had run so that when the
stones that were to mark the line were
set they could be accurately placed.
The hardships though great in doing
this work, did not seem to discourage
these two dauntless men who went
Oravely on. One historian describes
them as well as those in their employ
as jolly set. He also says that they
fingered long while at work in the
North East corner of Cecil Co. where
they found some fine springs of cool
clear water, but suggests that the
ength of their stay might also be ac-
counted for by the fact that this part
If Cecil Co. was famous for its apple
Jack and peach brandy. However these
men accomplished what all the others
lad failed in, and that they were well
qualified for the work was proven by
heir success. They cut vista about
feet wide through the forest which
showed in the timber growth as long as j
he forests stood. Along this vista the
stones were set up to mark the line of
survey. These stones were brought
rom England, and are of a formation
Known as oolite which has greater ca
1acity to resist the elements than any
,ther available. They still stand with
heir inscriptions unimpared. A stone
vas placed every mile with the letter NJ {
IN the side next to Maryland and P
lext Pennsylvania. Except at every
fifth mile when the stone had on the {
Maryland side Lord Baltimore s coat of
lrms, while those of Penn were on the !
Pennsylvania side. One stone which
vas set in the North East corner of I
Jecil Co. was lettered differently from
he others as the work was done in
England. BY some accident it was
broken in two, and was mended by drill {
ing holes in it and inserting iron /
clamps. then filing the holes with mol !