Milford chronicle., 1921-10-28

tion was thus raised as to the legal
ity of the new line.
This injunction was sustained by
court, on the ground that the Commits
sion was empowered merely to Ere
establish" the original line, and not
to run a new one, and that the COM
promise line adopted by them would
not be the legal one until ratified by
both States and by Congress. The OPP.
inion of Judge Hemphill in this case,
reported in 6 Pa. Dist. Reports, page
1874. is a most. interesting and learned
one. reviewing the history of the con-
troversy, and should be read by any
one interested in this subject.
Delaware Ratified Last March
AS a result of this decision, mat
ters were again relegated to the old
condition of uncertainty, and all the
elaborate markers and expensive work
of the Commission seemed, for the
time, to have gone for nothing. Penn
sylvania, however, in a few years rat
flied the new line, by the Act OF June
%. 1897. Efforts were made from time
to time, notably by DR.. G. M. Philips
and others, to get Delaware also to
ratify, but always in vain. Finally IN
1920, officers of the Chester County
Historical Society, realizing that un-
less something were done promptly
if would soon become a forgotten
thing. took up the agitation for the
new line, and after considerable ell
fort. succeeded in having Delaware
mass an act of ratification March zS'
1921.
Under the provisions of the United
States. Constitution it was necessary
finally, to have Congress also ratliy
this agreement between the TWO
States. and again at the instance OF
the Chester County Historical Society,
Congress has just passed the act ot
ratification above referred to, and the
new line was thus adopted and made
secure for all time. Not only the map
makers, but also the assessors, school
directors, Supervisors and other Of
fcials should take notice and act ac-
cordingly.
A Checkered Career
MANY interesting developments OF
the boundary dispute have been notea
from time to time. 1t has been stated
that at one time Il resident OF NO
Mans Land was elected to memDer-
shin of a Delaware school board, ana
was refused seat; while on the
other hand a member of the Delaware
legislature named Smith came from
the disputed territory, and by ms
vote tradition says, this State was
once prevented from freeing her
slaves. ,a
Likewise, the tiny point. Oh Ianu
where the three states meet was once
the scene of prize fights when tnls
tvpe of sport was absolutely prohlD-
led Pugilists and their followers
would come to this point, pitch their
ring and if a sheriff interfered, move
a few steps onward and be beyond
tbeir jurisdiction in another State. IL
ranuired three sheriffs to stop prize
6ght. one from each state.
The late William Herbert, once
sheriff of New Castle, by heroic ac-
tion and firmness, though single
handed. prevented fight there nIty
Years AGO between noted battlers. The
nartv finally capitulated, though the
bout was held later across the lille'
500 Acres in Plot
No Mans Land contains about 800
acres, and in it are located several
fine farms and fine residences. Tne
tract would belong to London Britain
township, Pennsylvania, but for many
years, it was not even assessed Oh
that townships books.
At any rate, the famous sectlon' the |
scene of much dispute and the occa-
SION of much learned law and vexa-
tious ouibblings, is now Delaware SOIL
through the action of the legislatures
of Delaware and Pennsylvania anu Wy
formal ratification of the Congress Oh
the United States.-Sunday Star.