Evening star., 1927-11-08
BOUNDARY FIGHT
UP TO BIOLOGISTS
Report to Be Submitted to
Virginia and Maryland -.eg-
isIatureS and to Congress.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

BALTIMORE. November S.-Settle-
ment Of the disputed boundary line on
the Potomac River between Maryland
and Virginia has been placed in the
hands of committee consisting of DR..
Edward B. Mathews. State geolOgist of
Maryland, and Wilbur A. Nelson.
State geologist of Virginia. This was
decided at hearing held at Gov.
Ritchies office here yesterday at
which Virginia was represented by
State Senator A. O'Connor Goolrick
and Judge William S. Snow of the
State game department of Virginia.
while Maryland's claim was presented
by f.. Lee lie Compile, State game
warden: Swepson Earle, State commits
sioner: Thomas r.. Robinson, attorney
general, and DIR. Mathews, State geolo-
gist.
Frankly, I do not feel that Mary
land has the light TO arbitrarily set q
boundary line between Maryland and
Virginia and then enforce its laws
without the State of Virginia agrees
to the boundary line" Gov. Ritchie
declared after the hearing, While
IT, bou, diary line between the two
States on the Potomac River was laid
out by the United States Coast and
Geodetic Survey at the suggestion OF
a commission appointed by Gov. Lee
OF Virginia and Gov. Jackson of Mary
land in 1877. there is no record show
ing that it was ever accepted by the
Legislature of Virginia, and in the an
sence of any such agreement l do not
feel that Maryland has the right to
arbitrarily enforce its laws over the
entire river"
Maryland Controls River.
l>,f,,
States in the Potomac River gives
MARYLAND the right to enfor laws on
practically the entiro river. according
to Lieut.. Col. Claude II. Birdseye oil
the United States Coast and Geodetic
Survey, who, with +. N. Douglas OF
the War Department, also attended
the hearing and presented maps ana
charts showing the line as laid down
by the survey of 1877.
This survey places the Maryland
line at the ''low-water mark on the
Potomac River. to which point var
ginia has a right, and which is to
be measured from the low-Water marx
at one headland to the low-water mark
at another headland. without includ'
ing the indentations. bays. creeks or
waters of affiuent rivers.
Hunting Fees Involved.
The question in dispute between
{, two States is in regard to the
payment of hunting license fees. as
we'll as to enforcement Of Maryland
game laws on what the Virginia rep.
resentatives claim is Virginia terri
tory. The line as laid down by the
Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1877
follows closely the shore line of Nir-
ginia and consequently brings a num-
ber of Virginia marsh lands under
Jurisdiction Of Maryland, and it is
due to this that Gov. Byrd pro-
tested against enforcement OF the
law by Maryland officials. Senator
Goolrick. in presenting Firginia's
claim. said that hunters in that State
had heen cunning i'm these sections
without molstation since 1875 and
resented what they considered in.
fringement on the rights of their
State when Maryland attempted to
enforce its laws there.
After the committee makes its re.
port those areas to which Virginia
now takes exception will be submit.
ted TO the United States Coast and
Geodetic Survey for arbitration. The
final report Of the committee will
ti,en he presented to the Legislatures
of both States and to Congress for
approval.
The original charter to Lord Balti-
more embraced the Potomac River
to high.water mark on the south. or
Virginia. shore. according to records
of the Coast and Geodetic Survey. but