Evening journal., 1922-06-14

though always occupied by Della
ware.
Wedge Given 10 Delaware.
THE map and report OF this work
of Colonel Graham was signed by
the Commissioners OF the three
States. including George r. Riddle,
Esq. the Commissioner from Del
aware. This would have pushed
back the Delaware boundary TO the
theoretical twelve mile circle, and
would have given all the Wedge TO
Pennsylvania. However, as Della
ware had always occupied the
Wedge, the Commission of 1892
wishing to disturb the landowners
as little as possible. now decided to
recognize Delaware's title thereto
and gave the Wedge absolutely to
Delaware. at the same time adopting
the other feature OF Colonel era
hams map, viz-accepting az the
western end of the new western arc
the point where the north line of
Maryland, projected eastward, would
intersect the true twelve mile circle.
This they found to be 4169 feet east
OF the Maryland corner, and there
the Commission planted the initial
Stone" OF the new boundary line.
The net result so far as this
western end of the curve is con-
cerned. is that Delaware gets the !
Wedge, while Pennsylvania gets a !
narrow curvdDg strip of land north |
of the Wedge tapering to a point at
the corner of KeDnett and Penns-
bury. AS Judge Hemphill said.
when passing on the legality of the
new line. this in his opinion was
fair and equitable exchange" II
is in this horn-shaped strip that
the properties of the few protesting
land owners lie.
How the Commission could have
acted otherwise than they did, or
done better under all the conditions
imposed upon them and the con-
hicting claims made and at the same
time run any kind of a true curve,
Il seems hard to see. II Mr.. Kim
mey or others can enlighten the
public upon this point, 1 for one.
should be glad to hear from them.
The above information is taken
largely from Capt Hodglins' ac- {
count of his work for the Commits
iion. published in part II. Of the {
-eport for 1893 of the U. S. Coast I
md Geodetic Survey, pages III s
md 2O2. which any Congressman ,
will send upon application.
The idea was expressed by some '
me at the public meeting at Union, g
hat the running of the new line a
vas due largely to the Chester a
,ounty Historical Society. of which Q
happen to be an officer. It had !
nothing whatever TO do with the
of the Commission or I
Of the NDe. which was en- t
irely de to the agitation on both Y
sides of the line renewed from time d
o time as the land in dispute grew Z
IN population and wealth. d
THE only connection of our His 2
-orical Society with the matter was d
not until 1920 and 1921. when we /
aided in trying to get Delaware and :
Congress TO ratify the new line. J
Pennsylvania having already ratified v
it in 1897.
THE whole matter was apparently I,
in danger Of being utterly forgotten
and the careful and expensive work !
Of this commission and their placing ,
Of these permanent markers in dan ,
ger of going for nothing Apart from
these markers there was no record .
Of the interstate boundary either on /
he ground or in the public records
Df either State. AS between two
great commemorative, in these mod
,rn days. did not such a state of
hings seem an anomaly? Soon the
,eneration that saw the new line
un would have passed along. and
With less and less knowledge OF the
istory OF this long-standing contro- :
crsy. It would have been harder and ,,
arder TO set It right in the future.
ur Historical Society. realizing this.
nd that ii was a matter OF public
ltc-est IN which no private citizen ,
ould be apt to move took the in
iahve in having the new line rati- c
ed I have letters from several b
fading Delawareans highly approv- s
ng our action" s