The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-07-09

shire over the boundary line be-
tween the two states fixed by Con-
gress back in 1871 when Vermont
was admitted into the Union; that
Officers acting under and by the
authority of the laws of the State
of New Hampshire have recently
asserted and are now asserting a
claimed right to levy and collect
taxes on lands and property situa-
ted on the west side of the Con-
necticut river, and are now threat
ening to enforce such levy of
taxes upon such property by force
and legal proceedings under the
authority of the State of New
Hampshire to the great damage
and loss of the citizens of this
tatSe and in defiance of the juris-
diction of this State long exercis-
ed; and that "the Governor of
this State has attempted to neg
otiate with the Governor of the
State of New Hampshire for the
determination and location of the
true boundary line between the
two states, but which attempt has
been futile because the State of
New Hampshire has refused to do
So" Accordingly. the resolution
further sets forth that the Cover
nor authorizes and directs the At
torney General of the State of
Vermont "to institute and prose-
cute such action and proceedings
in the Supreme Court of the Unit
ed States in the name of this State
VS.. the State of New Hampshire
as may be necessary for the set
Element and demarkation of such
boundary line" Governor Allen
M. Fletcher put his signature to
that resolution.
Under the second resolution the
Governor appointed three Commits
sioners in the suit, namely, Hon.
Porter H. Dale. Hon. Alexander |
Dunnett, and Hon. Frederick H.
Rabbit. Three Commissioners
were also appointed by the Cover
nor of New Hampshire.
According to the declaration on
file in the Supreme Court, the Yer
mont Commissioners forthwith set
lp the claim specifically that "the
center of the Connecticut river as
t ran in the period from 1850 to
Its is the true boundary" while
e New Hampshire representatives
we're equally positive that "the top
IF the west bank of the river is the
rue boundary"
1t is further set forth that the
disputed territory, tract "about
200 miles in legnth and from a few
'eet to several rods in width" and
bounded "on the east by the
bread or center line of the chan
lel of the Connecticut river. ?.
md on the west by the top of the
vest bank of the said Connecticut
1ver, on the north by the State of
New Hampshire, and on the south
" the Commonwealth of Massa-
contains "many large /
md valuable manufacturing plants
md large amounts of other valua-
lie taxable property"
But the "oratrix," though stead
asty adhering to the contention
hat the true line is the center of
he stream as it ran from 1850 to
IT'S, is willing to leave the honor
lble Supreme Court some leeway
n the premises, and the declara-
ion goes on to offer an alterna-
i've as a possible compromise.
But if the Court shall be of the
opinion that this (the 1750-1775
hanneD is not the true construc-
ion," the oratrix goes on to "aver"
md "allege" that the boundary line
is the westerly edge of the wat
rs of the Connecticut river at its
Iverage and mean stage during the
ntire year, without regard to the
Extraordinary freshets or extreme
and such line lies to the
asst, in some places few feet and
n some places several rods, of the
ocation now claimed by the State
f New Hampshire to be the true
oundary line named, the top of
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