The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-01-06
Mason And Dixon Line
Warren Bornscheur In
Baltimore Sun

The Mason and Dixon Line, be-
tween Pennsylvania and Maryland
which never had anything to- do
originally with the question of slave
and free States, but achieved an ac-
cidental association at the time OF
the Missouri Compromise in 1920,
when John Randolph, in Congress,
referred to it as separating freedom
from slavery-this year celebrated
the one hundred and seventy-ifth
anniversary of its surveying.
It was ON November 15, 1858,
that Charles Mason and Jeremiah
Dixon reported for work, after
long and unsettling transatlantic
passage. They disappeared into the
bushes just southwest of Philadel-
phia, dragging chains and surveyors
levels. Four years later they were
back, sun-tanned and tattefed, with
their Job not quite finished.
Toiling through dense woods, they
had reached a point in the virgin
forest 233 miles west of the Della
ware. There a wandering group of
Iroouo1s ordered them to halt and
shot a few arrows into the trees near
their heads for emphasis.
There was nothing to do hut obey.
The representatives of the two lords
proprietors were beyond any exist
ing Indian purchases, and their
escort of Delawares warned them
against crossing the Catawba war
trail, the Iroquois' north-south "su-
per-highway" for scalping expedi-
tions. So Mason and Dixon, having
their share of common sense turned
east again near what is now Mount
Morris, Green county. They worked
their way slowly back, broadening
the trail into vistas and planting
the markers.
One OF Important Boundaries In
History OF Hemisphere
But their accomplishment stands
today as one of the most important
boundaries in the history OF the
Western Hemisphere. The line runs
on parallel 80 degrees 43 minutes
and 1858 seconds, and must be dis
tinguished from the line of the Mis-
souri, Compromise, which follows
parallel SO degrees and 80 minutes.
Before the running of the Mason
and Dixon Line constant and bitter
dispute arose between the inhablt-
ants who dwelt along the border OF
the two provinces of Pennsylvania
and Maryland, and the line itself
was established as peace measure.
The most prominent of these border
feuds was the one which led to ar
rest of one Thomas Cresap, citizen
of Maryland, accused of numbering
Pennsylvanian. The Sheriff of Ian
caster county and a posse OF twenty
four men crossed the SusQuehanna
with the purpose of taking Cresap
by surprise. Cresap, however, learn
ed of the plot and, with his wife,
children and friends barricaded him
self in his home.
When the Pennsylvanians arrived
he refused to surrender and fired
furiously at the attackers, who had
called in more aid. Being unable to
storm the house, the Sheriff threat
ened to set fire to it. Still Cresap re-
sisted. The house was fired and, at
last, just few minutes before the
roof was about to fall in Cresap, his
family and friends rushed out,
shooting at the Pennsylvanians as
they ran.
Cresap was arrested and taken to
Philadelphia, where crowds lined
the streets to catch a glimpse of the
Maryland Monster" But Cresap
was equal to the occasion, turning
to the crowds, he tainted them by
declaring, "Why, this is the finest
city in the Province of Maryland"
Lord Baltimore originally claim
ed the entir peninsula between the
Chesapeake and Delaware bays,
while Penn declared his own grant
from the crown extended southwark
to the headwaters of the Chesapeake
where he wanted to build q. port.
Penn was more highly favored in
London, and won more than did Bal
timore in the settlement. Together
they agreed to pay Mason and Dixon,
English astronomers, $4,000 to
make a de luxe survey.
Parts of the line, blazed by
woodsmen under the surveyors d.
rections, are still visible from cir
planes. Stone blocks marked every
mile, and some of the weightier
five-mile markers still stand. Each
bears the arms OF William Penn on
the north and of Lord Baltimore on
the south side. The intermediate
milestones were marked simply with
p. and M.
Very little is known concerning
Mason, but Dixon came OF an old
colliery-owning family Of Cockfield,
in Durham. That he was self
taught astronomer we know from
an incident in his interview with the
committee of the Royal Society
which selected hime to go to Sum-
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