Glass ELU5- Book > Ol I S UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY J. W. POWELL DIRECTOR BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THE SEVERAL STATES AND TERRITORIES WITH A HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TERRITORIAL CHANGES HENRY GANNETT CHIEF GEOGRAPHER WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1885 47420 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAIi. Depaktment of the Interior, United States Geological Survey, Washington, D. C, October 16, 1884. Sir : I have the honor to submit herewith a sketch of the boundaries of the United States, the several States, and the Territories, as defined by treaty, charter, or statute. Besides giving the present status of these boundaries, I have en- deavored to present an outline of the history of all important changes of territory, with the laws appertaining thereto. This matter was in great part prepared under the direction of the Superintendent of the Census, and it is herewith presented for publica- tion with his full concurrence. I have been greatly assisted in this work by Mr. Franklin G. Butter- field, who was formerly connected with the Census Office, by whose labors most of the material relating to the boundaries of the States upon the Atlantic borders has been compiled. Very respectfully, yours, HENRY GANNETT, Chief Geographer. Hon. J. W. Powell, Director. (461) CONTENTS. Page. Letter of transmittal 5 Chapter I. — Boundaries of the United States, and additions to its territory 9 Boundaries of the United States 9 Additions to the territory of the United States 19 Louisiana purchase 19 Florida 21 Texas V '-^1 First Mexican Cession r 22 Gadsden Purchase li2 Alaska 23 Chapter II. — The Public Domain and an outline of (be bistory of the cbauges made therein • 24 Cessions by the States 24 Territory northwest of the River Ohio 27 Territory south of the River Ohio 29 Louisiana and the territory acquired from Mexico 30 Chapter III. — Boundary lines of the States and Territories 32 Maiue 32 New Hampshire 40 Vermont 45 Massachusetts 47 Rhode Island 65 Counecticut 66 New York 71 New Jersey 76 Pennsylvania 78 Delaware 80 Maryland • 82 District of Columbia 85 Virginia 88 West Virginia 92 North Carolina 92 South Carolina 96 Georgia 97 Florida 101 Alabama 102 Mississippi 103 Louisiana 104 Texas 105 Arkansas 106 Tennessee 108 Kentucky , 109 (463) 8 CONTENTS. Page. Chapter III. — Bouudaiy Hues of the States and Territories — Continued. Ohio 110 Indiana Ill Illinois 113 Michigan 113 Wisconsin 114 Missouri 116 Iowa 117 Minnesota 118 Kansas 119 Nebraska 120 Dakota 121 Montana 122 Wyou)ing 123 Colorado 123 New Mexico 123 Utah 124 Arizona 125 Nevada » 125 Idaho 127 Oregon 128 Washington 128 California ^ 129 (464) CHAPTER I. BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES, AND ADDITIONS TO ITS TERRITORY. BOUNDAKIES OF THE UNITED STATES. The limits of the United States were first definitely laid down in the provisional treaty made with Great Britain in 1782. The second article/ of that treaty defines the bouudary between the United States on the! one hand and the British Possessions on the other, as follows : i From the uorthwest angle of Nova Scotia, viz, that angle which is formed hyaline drawn due north from the source of St. Croix river to the highlands ; along the High- lands which divide those rivers that empty themselves into the river St. Law'rence, from those which foil into the Atlantic Ocean, to the northwesternmost head of Con- necticut River ; thence down along the middle of that river to the forty-fifth degree of north latitude ; from thence, by a line due west on said latitude until it strikes the river Iroquois or Cataraquy (St. Lawrence) ; thence along the middle of said river into Lake Ontario, through the middle of said lake until it strikes the commu- uication by water between that lake and Lake Erie ; thence along the middle of said communication into Lake Erie, through the middle of said lake until it arrives at the water communication between that lake and Lake Huron ; thence aloug the middle of said water communication into the Lake Huron ; thence through the middle of said lake to the water communication between that lake and Lake Superior ; thence through Lake Superior northward of the Isles Royal and Plielippeaux to the Long Lake ; thence through the middle of said Long Lake, and the water communication between it and the Lake of the Woods, to the said Lake of the Woods ; thence through the said lake to the most northwestern point thereof, and from thence on a due west course to the river Mississippi; thence by a Hue to be drawn along the middle of the saidriver Mississippi until it shall intersect the northernmost iiart of the thirty- first degree of north latitude. South by a line to be drawn due east from the determina- tion of the line last mentioned, in the latitude of thirty-one degrees north of the Equator, to the middle of the river Apalachicola or Catahouche; thence along the middle thereof to its junction with the Flint River; thence strait to the head of St. Mary's River; and thence down along the middle of St. Mary's River to the At- lantic Ocean. East by a line to be drawn along the middle of the river St. Croix, from its mouth in the Bay of Fundy to its source, and from its source directly north to the aforesaid highlands which divide the rivers that fall into the Atlantic Ocean from those which fall into the river St. Lawrence ; comprehending all islands within/ t wenty leagues of any part of the shores of the United States, and lying between lines \ i to be drawn due east from the points where the aforesaid boundaries between Nova j Scotia on the one part aud East Florida on the other, shall respectively touch the Bay 1 of Fundy and the Atlantic Ocean ; excepting such islands as now are, or heretofore | have been within the limits of the said province of Nova Scotia. 9 (465) 10 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bulu13. The boundary between the United States and the Spanish Posses- sions, known as the Florid as, is reaffirmed in the treaty between the United States and Spain, made in 1795, in the following terms : The southern boundary of the United States, which divides their territory from the Spanish colonies of East and West Florida, shall be designated by a line beginning on the river Mississippi, at the northernmost part of the thirty-first degree of latitude north of the equator, which from thence shall be drawn due east to the middle of the river Apalachicola or Catahouche, thence along the middle thereof to its junction with the Flint ; thence straight to the head of St. Mary's River, and thence down the middle thereof to the Atlantic Ocean. The definitive treaty of peace with Great Britain, concluded Septem- ber 3, 1783, defines the boundaries of the United States in terms similar to those of the provisional treaty. The northern boundary became at once a fruitful source of dissension between the two countries. From the time of the conclusion of peace almost up to the present day this line has been the subject of a series of treaties, commissions, and surveys for the purpose of interpreting its terms. The following is in outline a history of the settlement of this boundary: The fourth article of the treaty of London, signed November 19, 1794, provided that — Whereas it is uncertain whether the river Mississippi extends so far to the north- ward as to be intersected by a line to be drawn due west from the Lake of the Woods in the manner mentioned in the treaty of peace between His Majesty and the United States, etc., the two parties will proceed by amicable negotiation to regulate the boundary line in that quarter. This matter was not settled, however, until 1818. The fifth article of the same treaty makes provision for settling another doubtful point, as follows : Whereas doubts have arisen what river was truly intended under the name of the river St. Croix mentioned in the said treaty of peace, and forming a part of the boundary therein described, that question shall be referred to the final decision of commissions to be appointed in the following manner, viz. Here follow provisions that His Majesty and the President of the United States should each appoint a commissioner, and that these two commissioners should agree on a third, or, they failing to agree on the third, he was to chosen by lot in their presence. Which was the true St. Croix River had been a matter of controversy between the governments of Massachusetts and Nova Scotia since the year 1764. The commissioners appointed under the foregoing provisions decided, on the 25th October, 1798, the river called Schoodiac and the north- ern branch thereof (called Cheputnaticook) to be the true river St. Croix, and that its source was at the northernmost headspring of the northern branch aforesaid. A monument was erected at that spot under the direction of the commissioners. (See Memoirs of Ti^ortheastern Boundary, Gallatin, pages 7, 8.) (466) GANNETT] NORTHERN BOUNDARY. 11 By the treaty of peace concluded at Ghent, December 24, 1814, it was agreed to provide for a final adjustment of the boundaries described in the treaty of 1783, which had not yet been ascertained and determined, embracing certain islands in the Bay of Fundy and the whole of the boundary line from the source of the river fSt Croix to the most north- western point of the Lake of the Woods. By article 4 provision was made for a board of commissioners to settle the title to several islands in the Bay of Passamaquoddy, which is a part of the Bay of Fundy, and the island of Grand Menan iu the said Bay of Fundy. The fifth article made provision for a board of commissioners to settle the boundary from the source of the river St. Croix northward to the highland which divides those waters that empty themselves into the river St. Lawrence from those which fall into the Atlantic Ocean, thence along said highlands to the northwesternmost head of Connecti- cut River, thence down along the middle of that river to the forty-fifth degree of north latitude, thence due west on said latitude until it strikes the river Iroquois or Cataraquy (St. Lawrence). The sixth and seventh articles provided for commissioners to con- tinue the line to the northwestern j)oint of the Lake of the Woods. (For further details see treaty. Statutes at Large, vol. 8, pages 220-2.) It was provided by this treaty that in case any of the boards of com- missioners were unable to agree, they should make separately or jointly a report or reports to their respective. Governments stating the points on which they differed, the grounds on which they based their respective opinions, etc. These reports were to be referred to some friendly sovereign or state for arbitration. The first and third boards of commissioners above mentioned came to an agreement, and those portions of the boundary were thus finally set- tled ; but the commission appointed under the fifth article, after sitting nearly five years, could not agree on any of the matters referred to them, nor even on a general map of the country exhibiting the boundaries respectively claimed by each party. They accordingly made separate reports to their Governments, stating the points on which they differed and the grounds upon which their respective opinions had been formed. The first of these commissions awarded Moore, Dudley, and Freder- ick Islands to the United States, and all other islands in the Passama- quoddy Bay, and the island of Grand Menan, to Great Britain. The following is the text of the report of the third of these commis- sions which had under consideration that portion of the northern boundary between the point where the forty-fifth parallel of north lati- tude strikes the St. Lawrence and the point where the boundary reaches Lake Superior: (467) 12 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. Decisiou of the commissioners under the sixth article of the treaty of Ghent, done at Utica, in the State of New York, 18tli June, 1822. We do decide and declare that the following-described lino (which is more clearly in- dicated on a series of maps accompanying this report, exhibiting correct surveys and delineations of all the rivers, lakes, water communications, and islands embraced by the sixth article of the treaty of Ghent, by a black line shaded on the British side with red and on the American side with blue ; and each sheet of which series of maps is identified by a certificate, subscribed by the commissioners, and by th^. two principal surveyors employed by them) is the true boundax'y intended by the two be- forementioned treaties, that is to say : Beginning at a stone monument, erected by Andrew Ellicot, esq., in the year 1817, on the south baijk or shore of the said river Iroquois, or Cataraqui (now called the St. Lawrence), which monument bears south 74° 45' west, and is 1,840 yards dis- tant from the stone church in the Indian village of St. Regis, and indicates the point at which the forty-fifth parallel of north latitude strikes the said river; thence run- ning north 35° 45' west into the river, on a line at right angles with the south- ern shore, to a point 100 yards south of the opposite island, called Cornwall Island ; thence turning westerly and passing around the southern and western sides of said island, keeping 100 yards distant therefrom, and following the curvatures of its shores, to a point opposite to the northwest corner or angle of said island ; thence to and along the middle of the main river until it approaches the eastern extremity of Barnhart's Island ; thence northerly along the channel which divides the last- mentioned island from the Canada shore, keeping 100 yards distant from the island, until it approaches Sheik's Island ; thence along the middle of the strait which divides Barnhart's and Sheik's Islands to the channel called the Long Sault, which separates the two last-mentioned islands from the lower Long Sault Island ; thence westerly (crossing the center of the last-mentioned channel) until it approaches within 100 yards of the north shore of the Lower Sault Island ; thence up the north branch of the river, keeping to the north of and near the Lower Sault Island, and also north of and near the Upper Sault, sometimes called Baxter's Island, and south of the two small islands marked on the map A and B, to the western extremity of the Upper Sault or Baxter's Island ; thence, passing between the two islands called the Cats, to the middle of the river above ; thence along the middle of the river, keeping to the north of the small islands marked C and D, and north also of Chrystler's Island, and of the small island next above it, marked E, until it ap^Droaches the north- east angle of Goose Neck Island; thence along the passage which divides the last- mentioned island fro mthe Canada shore, keeping 100 yards from the island to the upper end of the same; thence south of and near the two small islands called the Nut Islands ; thence north of and near the island marked F, and also of the island called Dry or Smuggler's Island ; thence passing between the islands marked G and H to the north of the island called Isle an Rapid Piatt ; thence along the north side of the last- mentioned island, keeping 100 yards from the shore, to the upper end thereof; thence along the middle of the river, keeping to the south of and near the islands called Coussiu (or Tussin) and Presque Isle ; thence up the river, keeping north of and near the several Gallop Isles numbered on the map I, 2, ;{, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, and also of Tick, Tibbits, and Chimney Islands, and south of and near the Gallop Isles num- bered 11, 12, and i:$, and also of Duck, Drummond, and Sheep Islands ; thence along the middle of the river, passing north of island No. 14, south of 15 and 16, north of 17, south of 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 28, and north of 2(5 and 27; thence along the middle of the river, north of Gull Island and of the islands Nos. 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, Bluft" Island, and Nos. 39, 44, and 45, and to the south of Nos. 30, 31, 36, Grenadier Island, and Nos. 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 46, 47, and 48, until it approaches the east end of Well's Island ; thence to the north of Well's Island, and along the strait which divides it (468) GANNETT.] NORTHERN BOUNDARY. 13 from Rowe's Island, keeping to the north of the small islands Nos. 51. 52, 54, 58, 59, and 61, and to the south of the small islands numbered and marked 49, 50, 53, 55, 57, 60, and H, until it approaches the northeast point of Grindstone Island ; thence to the north of Grindstone Island, and keeping to the north also of the small islands Nos. 63, 65, 67, 68, 70, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, and 78, and to the south of Nos. 62, 64, 66, 69, and 71, until it approaches the southern ijoint of Hickory Island; thence passing to the south of Hickory Island and of the two small islands lying near its southern extremity, num- bered 79 and 80 ; thence to the south of Grand or Long Island, keeping near its southern shore, and passing to the north of Carlton Island, until it arrives opposite to the southwestern point of said Grand Island, in Lake Ontario; thence, passing to the north of Grenadier, Fox, Stony, and the Gallop Islands, in Lake Ontario, and to the south of and near the islands called the Ducks, to the middle of the said lake; thence westerly along the middle of said lake to a point opposite the mouth of the Niagara River; thence to and up the middle of the said river to the Great Falls ; thence up the Falls through the point of the Horse Shoe, keeping to the west of Iris or Goat Island, and of the group of small islands at its head, and following the bends of the river so as to enter the strait between Navy and Grand Islands ; thence along the middle of said strait to the head of Navy Island ; thence to the west and south of and near to Grand and Beaver Islands, and to the west of Strawberry, Squaw, and Bird Islands to Lake Erie; thence southerly and westerly along the middle of Lake Erie in a direction to enter the passage immediately south of Middle Island, being one of the easternmost of the group of islands lying in the western part of said lake ; thence along the said passage, proceeding to the north of Cunningham's Island, of the three Bass Islands, and of the Western Sister, and to the south of the islands called the Hen and Chickens, and of the Eastern and Middle Sisters; thence to the middle of the mouth of the Detroit River in a direction to enter the channel which divides Bois Blanc and Sugar Islands; thence up the said channel to the west of Bois Blanc Island, and to the east of Sugar, Fox, and Stony Islands, until it approaches Fighting or Great Turkey Island ; thence along the western side and near the shore of said last-mentioned island to the middle of the river above the same ; thence along the middle of said river, keeping to the southeast of and near Hog Island, and to the northwest of and near the island Isle h laPeche, to Lake Saint Clair; thence through the middle of said lake in a direction to enter that mouth or channel of the river St. Clair, which is usually denominated the Old Ship Channel ; thence along the middle of said channel, between Squirrel Island on the southeast and Herson's Island on the northwest, to the upper end of the last-mentioned island, which is nearly opposite to Point an Chenes, on the American shore; thence along the middle of the river Saint Clair, keeping to the west of and near the islands called Belle Rivifere Isle and the Isle aux Cerfs, to Lake Huron ; thence through the middle of Lake Huron in a direction to enter the strait or passage between Drummond's Island on the west and the Little Manitou Island on the east ; thence through the middle of the pas- sage which divides the two last-mentioned islands ; thence, turning northerly and westerly, around the eastern and northern shores of Drummond's Island, and proceed- ing in a direction to enter the passage between the island of Saint Joseph's and the American shore, passing to the north of the intermediate islands Nos. 61, 11, 10, 12, 9, 6, 4, and 2, and to the south of those numbered 15, 13, 5, and 1 ; thence up the said last-mentioned passage, keeping near to the island Saint Joseph's, and passing to the north and east of Isle iila Crosse* and of the small islands numbered 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20, and to the south and west of those numbered 21, 22, and 23, until it strikes a line (drawn on the m.a\} with black ink and shaded on one side of the point of intersection with blue and on the other with red) passing across the river at the head of Saint Joseph's Island and at the foot of the Neobish Rapids, which line denotes the termination of the boundary directed to be run by the sixth article of the treaty of Ghent. And the said commissioners do further decide and declare that all the islands lying (469) 14 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. in the rivers, lakes, and water communications between the before-described bound- ary line and the adjacent shores of Upper Canada do, aud each of them does, belong to His Britannic Majesty, aud that all the islauds lying in the rivers, lakes, aud water communications between the said boundary line and the adjacent shores of the United States or their territories do, aud each of them does, belong to the United States of America, in conformity with the true intent of the second article of the said treaty of 1783, and of the sixth article of the treaty of Ghent. By the second article of the convention with Great Britain — 1818 — the boundary line was extended westward along the forty-ninth par- allel of latitude to the "Stony" (Rocky) Mountains, while beyond these mountains the treaty provided that the country should remain open to both parties. The terms of the treaty are as follows : Article 'i. It is agreed that a line drawn from the most northwestern point of the Lake of the Woods along the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, or if the said point shall uot be in the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, then that a line drawn from the said point due north or south, as the case may be, uutil the said line shall intersect the said parallel of north latitudi?, aud from the i)oint of such intersection due west along and with the said parallel, shall be the line of demarkation between the territories of the United States and those of His Britannic Majesty, and that the said line shall form the northern boundary of the said territories of the United States and the southern boundary of the territories of His Britannic Majesty from the Lake of the Woods to the Stony Mountains. Article 3. It is agreed that any country that may be claimed by either party on the northwest coast of America, westward of the Stony Mountains, shall, together with its harbours, bays, and creeks, and the navigation of all rivers within the same, be free and open, for the term of ten years from the date of the signature of the i)res- eut convention, to the vessels, citizens, and subjects of the two powers; it being well understood that this agreement is not to be construed to the prejudice of any claim which either of the two high contracting parties may have to any part of the said country, nor shall it be taken to affect the claims of any other power or state to any part of the said country ; the only object of the high coutractiug parties in that re- spect being to prevent disputes and differences amongst themselves. In 1824 negotiations were resumed between the two countries for the settlement, among other things, of the boundary west of the Eocky Mountains, but no conclusion was reached •, the claim of the English Government being that the boundary line should follow the forty-ninth parallel westward to the point where this parallel strikes the great northwestern branch of the Columbia River, thence down the middle of that river to the Pacific Ocean. In 1826 negotiations were resumed, and several compromises were proposed by both parties, but without satisfactory results. After this the whole matter remained in abeyance until the special mission of Lord Ashburton to this country in 1842. Meanwhile the unsettled questions regarding the northeastern bound- ary again came up. The case having reached that stage at which it became necessary to refer the points of difference to a friendly sovereign or state, the two powers found it expedient to regulate the proceedings and make pro- visions in relation to such reference, and on the 29th September, 1827, concluded a convention to that effect. (470) OANNETT.) NORTHERN BOUNDARY. 15 The respective claims of the United States and Great Britain were as follows, viz : Boundary claimed hy United States. — From the source of the river St. Croix (apoiut of departure mutually acknowledged) the boundary should be a due north line for about 140 miles, crossing the river St. John at about 75 miles. At about 97 miles it reaches a ridge or highland which divides tributary streams of the river St. John, which falls into the Bay of Fundy, from the waters of the river Ristigouche, which falls through the Bay des Chaleurs into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In its further course the said due north line, after crossing several upper branches of the river Eistigouche, reaches, at about 140 miles, the highlands which divide the waters of the said river Ristigouche from the tributary streams of the riv^er Metis, which falls into the river St. Lawrence. Thence the line should run westerly and southwesterly along the high- lands which divide the sources of the several rivers (from the Metis to the St. Francis) that emjity themselves into rhe river St. Lawrence — from the sources of the tributaries of the rivers Ristigouche, St. John, Penob- scot, Kennebec, and Connecticut, all which either mediately or immedi- ately fall into the Atlantic Ocean. Boundary claimed hy Great Britain. — From the source of the river St. Croix the boundary should be a due north line about 40 miles to a point at or near Mars Hill ; thence it should run westerly about 115 miles along the highlands that divide the sources of the tributaries of the river St. John from the sources of the river Penobscot to a spot called Metjar- mette Portage, near the source of the river Chaudiere. From this point the line coincides with the line claimed by the United States until the northwesternmost head of the Connecticut River is reached. Great Britain claimed one of several small streams to be the northwesternmost tributary of the Connecticut River, and the United States another. The King of the Netherlands was selected in 1829 by the two Gov- ernments as the arbiter, and each laid before him, in conformity with the i)rovisions of the convention, all the evidence intended to be brought in support of its claim, and two separate statements of the respective cases. These four statements, which embrace the arguments at large of each party, respectively, have been printed, but not published (1840). The award of the King of the Netherlands, made in 1831, was as fol- lows, viz : **♦•»«#« We are of the opinion that it will be suitable {il convimdra) to adopt as the bound- ary of the two states a line drawn due north from the source of the river St. Croix to the point where it intersects the middle of the thalwej^ of the river St. John; thence the middle of the thalweg of that river, ascending it to the point where the the thalweg of the river Saint Francis, ascending it to the source of its southwest- river St. Francis empties itself into the river St. John; thence the middle of (471) 16 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. (bull. 13. ernmost branch, which source we indicate on the Map A by the letter X, authenti- cated by the signature of our minister of foreign affairs ; thence in a line drawn due west to the point where it unites with the line claimed by the United States of America and delineated on the Map A; thence said line to the point at which, according to said map, it coincides with that claimed by Great Britain, and thence the line traced on the map by the two powers to the northwesternmost source of Connecticut River. » # #*•*■* We are of the opinion that the stream situated farthest to the northwest, among these which fall into the northernmost of the three lakes, the last of which bears the name of Connecticut Lake, must be considered as the northwesternmost head of Connecticut River. « # » # # # # We are of the opinion that it will be suitable (il conviendra) to proceed to fresh operations to measure the observed latitude in order to mark out the boundary from river Connecticut along the parallel of the forty-tifth degree of north latitude to the river Saint Lawrence, named in the treaties Iroquois or Cataraquy, in such a manner, however, that, in all cases, at the place called Rouse's Point the territory of the Uni- ted States of America shall extend to the fort erected at that place, and shall include said fort and its kilometrical radius {rayon hilomeirique). However disposed the Goveriimeut of the United States might have been to acquiesce iu the decision of the arbiter, it had not the power to change the boundaries of a State without the consent of the State. Against that alteration the State of Maine entered a solemn protest by the resolutions of 19th January, 1832. And the Senate of the United States did accordingly refuse to give its assent to the award. The arbitration of the King of the Netherlands having failed, fruit- less negotiations ensued for a period of eleven years. Unsuccessful at- tempts were made to conclude an agreement preparatory to another arbitration. The subject became a matter of great irritation, collisions occurred in the contested territory, and for a time it seemed certain that the controversy would result in war between the two powers. In 1842, however, Great Britain gave unequivocal proof of her desire for the preservation of i)eace, and an amicable arrangement of the matter at issue, by the special mission of Lord Ashburton to the United States. The subject of this mission was the settlement, not only of the northeastern boundary, but the northern boundary west of the Rocky Mountains. Eegarding this object of his mission, Lord Ashburton's instructions gave as the ultimatum of the English Government the boundary as above sketched (p. 14), and, naturally, his mission had no result, as far as this portion of the boundary was concerned. An agreement was reached, however, in regard to the northeastern boundary, which, the consent of the State of Maine having been ob- tained, was embodied in the treaty concluded August 9, 1842. The following is the text of the portion of this treaty relating to the boundary : Article I. It is hereby agreed and declared that the line of boundary shall be as follows : Beginning at the monument at the source of the river St. Croix, as desig- (472) GAJTOKTT] NOETHEASTEEN BOUND AEY. 17 uatecl and agreed to by the commissioners under the fifth articleof the treaty of 1794, between the Governments of tho United States and Great Britain; thence north, fol- lowing the exploring line run and marked by the surveyors of the two Governments ill the years 1317 and 1818, under tho fifth article of tho treaty of Ghent, to its inter- section with the river St. John, and to tho middle of the channel thereof; thence up the middle of the main channel of the said river St. John, to the mouth of the river Saint Francis; thence up the middle of the channel of the said river St. Francis, and of the lakes through which it flows, to the outlet of the Lake Pohenaga- niook ; thence southwesterly, in a straight line, to a point on tho northwest branch of the river St. John, which point shall be ten miles distant from the main branch of the St. John, in a straight line, and in the nearest direction, but if the said point shall bo found to be less than seven miles from the nearest point of the summit or crest of tho highlands that divide those rivers which empty themselves into the river St. Lawrence from those which fall into the river St. John, there the said point shall be made to recede down the said northwest branch of the river St. John, to a point seven miles in a straight line from the said summit or crest ; thence in a straight line, in a course about south, eight degrees west, to the point where the i^arallel of latitude 40° 25' north intersects the southwest branch of the St. John's; thence southerly, by the said branch, to the source thereof in the highlands at the Metjar- mt tte i)ortage ; thence down along the said highlands which divide the waters which empty themselves into the river Saint Lawrence from those which fall into the Atlantic Ocean, to the head of Hall's stream ; thence down the middle of said stream till the line thus run intersects the old line of boundary surveyed and marked by Valentine and Collins, previouslj' to the year 1774, as the 45th degree of north latitude, and which has been known and understood to be the line of actual division between the States of New York and Vermont on one side, and the British jirovince of Canada on the other ; and from said point of intersection, west, along the said dividing line, as heretofore known and understood, to the Iroquois or St. Lawrence Eiver, Article II. It is moreover agreed that, from the place where the joint commis- sioners terminated their labors under the sixth article of the treaty of Ghent, to-wit, at a point in the Neebieh channel, near Muddy Lake, the line shall run into and along the ship channel, between St. Joseph and Saint Tammany islands, to the division of the channel at or near the head of St. Joseph's Island; thence turning eastwardly and northwardly around the lower end of St. George's or Sugar Island, and foUow- ng the middle of the channel which divides St. George's from St. Joseph's Island; thence up the east Neebish channel, nearest to St. George's Island, through the mid- dle of Lake George; thence west of Jonas' Island, into St. Mary's Eiver, to a point in the middle of that river, about one mile above St. George's or Sugar Island, so as to appropriate and assign the said island to the United States; thence, adopt- ing the line traced on the maps by the commissioners, through the river St. Mary and Lake Superior, to a point north of He Eoyale, in said lake, one hundred yards to the north and east of He Chapeau, which last mentioned island lies near the northeastern P9Jnt of He Eoyale, where the line marked by the commissioners terminates; and from the last-mentioned point, southwesterly, through the middle of the sound be- tween He Eoyale and the northwestern mainland, to the mouth of Pigeon Eiver, and up the said river, to and through the north and south Fowl Lakes, to the lakes of tho height of land between Lake Superior and the Lake of the Woods; thence along the- water communication to Lake Saisaginaga, and through that lake ; thence to and through Cypress Lake, Lac du Bois Blanc Lac la Croix, Little Vermillion Lake, and Lake Namecan, and through the several smaller lakes, straits, or streams, connecting the lakes here mentioned, to thatpoint inLacla Pluie,or Eainy Lake, at the Chaudiere Falls, from which the commissioners traced the line to the most northwestern point of the Lake of the Woods; thence, along the said line, to the said most northwestern point, being in latitude 49° 23' 55" north, and in longitude 95° 14'' 3b" west from the observatory at Greenwich; thence, according to existing treaties, due south to its in- (473) 4596— Bull. 13 2 18 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. (bull. 13. tcreection with the forty-uinth parallel of north latitude, and along that parallel to the Rocky Mountains. It being understood that all the water communications and all the usual portages along the line from Lake Superior to the Lake of the Woods, and also Grand Portage, from \^c shore of Lake Superior to the Pigeon River, as now actually used, shall bo fice and open to the use of the citizens and subjects of both countries. AnxiCLK VII. It is further agreed that the channels in the river St. Lawrence, on both sides of the Long Sanl^islauds, and of Baruharfc Island ; the channels in the river Detroit, on both sidos of the island Bois Blanc, and b( tweeu that island and both the Auierican and Canadian shores, and all the several channels and passages between the various islands lying near the junction of the river St. Clair with the lake of that name, shall be equally free and open to the ships, vessels, and boats of both parties. Bet'iveen 1843 and 1840 there was considerable negotiation regard- ing tlie boundarj- west of the Eocky Mountains, resulting finally in the Webster-Ashbnrton treaty, which defined the boundary as far west as the straits of Juan de Fuca. The following is that portion of the ti^aty which defines the boundary. TREATY WITH GREAT BRITAIN, 1846. Article I. From the point on the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, where the boundary laid down in existing treaties and conventions between the United States and Great Britain terminati«, the line of boundary between the territories of the United States and those of Her Britannic Majesty shall be continued westward along the said forty-ninth parallel of north latitude to the middle of the channel which sejiarates the continent from Vancouver's Island, and thence southerly through the middle of the said channel, and of Fuca's Straits to the Pacific Ocean : Provided, however, That the navigation of the whole of the said channel and straits south of the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude remain free and open to both parties. Article II. From the point at which the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude shall be found to intersect the great northern branch of the Columbia River, the nav- igation of the said branch shall be free and open to the Hudson's Bay Company, and to all British subjects trading with the same, to the point where the said branch meets the main stream of tho Columbia, and thence down the said main stream to the ocean, with free access into and through the said river or rivers, it being understood tliut all the usual portages along the line thus described shall, in like manner, be free and open. In navigating the said river, or rivers, British subjects, with their goods and produce, shall be treated on the same footing as citizens of the United States; it be- ing, however, always understood that nothing in this article shall be construed as' preventing, or intendiugto prevent, the Government of the United States from making any regulations respecting the navigation of the said river or rivers not inconsiste^tf; with the present treaty. The above treaty extended the line westward from the Rocky Mount- ains to the Pacific along the forty-ninth parallel of latitude. This set- tled the northern boundary with the exception of the islands and pas- sages in the straits of Georgia and of Juan deFuca, the English claim- ing that the boundary should properly run through the Rosario strait, the most eastern ])assage, whilf^the United States claimed that it should naturally follow the Canal de Haro. This matter was finally settled by a reference to the Emperor of Ger- many as an arbitrator, who decided it in favor of the United States on (474) GANNETT.] LOUISIANA PURCHASE. 19 the 21st of October, 1872, thus finally disposing of our boundary mth Great Britain. ADDITIONS TO THE TERRITORY OF THE UNITED STATES. THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE. The region subsequently known as the territory of Louisiana was ^ originally claimed by France, by virtue of discovery and occupation. In 1712 France made a grant to Antoine de Crozat, of the exclusive right to the trade of this region. As this grant makes the first, and indeed the only statement of the limits of this vast region, as they were understood by France, a portion of it is here introduced. We have by these presents sii^incrl witli our baud, authorized, and do authorize the said Sieur Crozat to carry ou exchisively the trade in all the territories by us pos- sessed, and bounded by New Mexico and by those of the English in Carolina, all the establishmoutR, ports, harbors, rivers, and especially the port and harbor of Dauphin Island, formerly called Massacre Island, the river St. Louis, formerly called the Mississippi, from the seashore to the Illinois, together with the river St. Philip, formerly called the Missouries River, and the St. Jerome, formerly called the Wabash (the Ohio), with all the countries, territories, lakes iu the land, and the rivers empty- ing directly or indirectly into that part of the river St. Louis. All the said terri- tories, countries, rivers, streams, and islands, we will to be and remain comprised under the name of the Government of Louisiana, which shall be dependent on the general Government of New France, and remain subordinate to it, and we will, more- over, that all the territories which we possess on this side of the Illinois, be united, as far as need be, to the general Government of New France, and form a part thereof; reserving to ourself, nevertheless, to increase, if we judge proper, the extent of the government of the said country of Louisiana. From this it appears that Louisiana was regarded by France as comprising the drainage basin of the Mississippi as far north as the moiTth of the Illinois, with those of all its branches which enter it be- low this point, including the Missouri, but excluding that portion in the southwest claimed by Spain. It is moreover certain that the area now' comprised iu Washington, Oregon, and Idaho was not included. i Crozat surrendered this grant in 1717. I On November 3, 1762, France ceded this region to Spain, defining it ' only as the i^rovince of Louisiana. A few months later, ou February 10, 1763, by the treaty of peace between Great Britain, France, and Spain, the western boundary of the former's possessions in the Kew World, was placed in the center of the Mississippi River, thus reducing the area \ of Xouisiana by the portion east of the Mississippi River. ! By the treaty of San Ildefonso, October 1, 1800, Spain transferred, back to France the balance of the province of Louisiana. Immediately after this transfer became known, which was on No- vember 30, 1803, measures were set on foot by President Jefferson for (475) 20 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. fBtLL.13. secaring in some way free access to tbe sea by way of the Mississippi Eiver. Circnmstances favored this negotiatiou. Bonaparte was at that time in almost daily expectation of a declaration of war by Great Britain, in wliicli case the lirst act of the latter would be to seize the mouth of the Mississippi, and with it the province of Louisiana. Under these circumstances Bonaparte offered to sell the province to the United States, and the oiier was promptly accepted. The consideration was CO.(H)0,000 francs and the assumption by the United States of the ** French spoliation claims," which were estimated to amount to 83.750,000. The treaty of cession, which bears date April 30, 1803, describes the ter- ritory only as being the same as ceded by Spain to France by the treaty of San Ildefonso. From this it appears that the territory sold to the United States com- prised that part of the drainage basin of the Mississippi which lies west of the course of the river, with the exception of such parts as were then held by Spain. The want of precise definition of limits in the treaty was not objected to by the American commissioners, as they probably foresaw that this very indefiniteness might prove of service to the United States in future negotiations with other powers. In fact, the claiin of the United States to the area now comprised in Oregon, Wash- ington, and Idaho in the negotiations with Great Britain regarding the northwestern boundary, was ostensibly based, not only upon prior oc- cupation and upon purchase from Spain, but also upon the alleged fact that this area formed part of the Louisiana purchase. That this claim was baseless is shown not only by what has been already det:iiled re- garding the limits of the purchase, but also by the direct testimony of the French plenipotentiary, M. Barbe Marbois. Some twenty years after the purchase he published a work upon Louisiana, in which he detailed ■ at some length the negotiations which preceded the i^urchase, and, re- ferring to this question said : '• The shores of the western ocean were certainly not comprised in the cession, but already the United States are established there." There is also contained in this work a map of the country between the Mississippi and the Pacific, on which the extent of Louisiana to the westward is indicated by a line drawn on the one handred and tenth meridian, which is not far from the western limit of the drainage basin of the Mississippi in Wyoming and Montana. That part of the country now comprised in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, which, it has been claimed, formed part of the purchase, bears the following legend: " Ter- ritories and countries occupied by the United States, following the treaty of cession of Louisiana." From this it appears that the limits of the Louisiana purchase can no longer be a matter of discussion : but although the United States certainly did not purchase Oregon, as a part of Louisiana, it is no less (476) GANNETT.] LOUISIANA PURCHASE— FLORIDA TEXAS. 21 certain that that great area west of the Eocky Mountains fell into their hands as a direct consequence of such purchase. FLOEIDA. The second addition to the territory of the United States consisted of the Floridas, purchased from Spain on February 22, 1819. From the . date of the Louisiana purchase in 1803, the territory bounded by the Mississippi Eiver on the west, the Perdido on the east, the parallel ot 31° on the north, and the Gulf ou the south had been in dispute between the two countries. Duriug this time it had been practically in the pos- ■ session of the United States. This purchase settled these conflicting ' claims. The following is the clause in the treaty with Spain ceding the Flor- idas which defines the cession: Art. 2. His Catholic Majesty cedes to tlie United States, in full property and sov- ereignty, all the territories which belong to him, situated to the eastward of the Mississippi, known by the name of East and West Florida, the adjacent islands de- pendent upon said province, etc. A further article in this treaty defines the boundary between the United States and the Spanish Possessions in the southwest, as follows: The boundary line between the two countries, west of the Mississippi, shall begin on the Gulph of Mexico, at the mouth of the river Sabine, in the sea, continuing north, along the western bank of that river, to the thirty-second degree of latitude; thence by a line due north to the degree of latitude where it strikes the Rio Roxo of Nachitoches, or Red River ; then following the course of the Rio Roxo to the degree of longitude 100 west from Loudon, or about 23'' west of Washington ; then crossing the said Rio Roxo and running thence, by a line due north, to the River Arkansas ; thence, following the course of the southern bank of the Arkansas, to its source in latitude 42 north ; and thence by that parallel of latitude to the South Sea, the whole being as laid down in Melish's map of the United States, published at Phila- delphia, improved to the Ist of January, 1818. But if the source of the Arkansas River shall bo found to fall north or south of latitude 42, then the line shall run from the said source due south or north, as the case may bo, till it meets the said parallel of latitude 42, and thence along the said parallel to the South Sea, all the islands in the Sabine and the said Red and Arkansas Rivers, throughout the course thus de- scribed, to belong to the United States ; but the use of the waters, and the naviga- tion of the Sabine to the sea, and of the said rivers Roxo and Arkansas throughout the extent of the said boundary on their respective banks shall be common to the respective inhabitants of both nations. TEXAS. The next acquisition of territory was that of the Eepublic of Texas, which was admitted as a State on December 29, 1845. The area which Texas brought into the Union was limited as follows : All the land lying east of the Rio Grande and embraced within the limits of the Rio Graude on the west and south and the boundary between the United States and Spain nuder the Florida treaty of 1819, on the east, viz, the Sabine River, thence north to the Red River, thence up the Red River to the one hundredth meridian west of Greenwich, thence due north to the Arkansas River, thence up the Arkansas River to its source and down the Rio Grande. (477) 22 BOUNDAEIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. TEE FIRST MEXICAN CESSION. In 1848 a further addition was made to our territory by the treaty of Guadahipe-Hidalgo. This added to the country the area of California, Kevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, while the Gadsden purchase, which was effected in 1853, added the remainder of Arizona and another part of New Mexico. The treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo was concluded February 2, 1848, and proclaimed July 4, 1848. The clauses in it defining our acquisition of territory are as follows : Article V. The boundary line between the two republics shall commence in the Gulf of Mexico, three leagues from land, opposite the mouth of the Rio Grande^ otherwise called the Eio Bravo del Norte, or opposite the mouth of its deepest branch, if it should have more than one branch emptying into the sea ; from thence up the middle of that river, following the deepest channel where it has more than one, to the point where it strikes the southern boundary of New Mexico; thence westwardly along the whole southern boundary of New Mexico (which runs north of the town called Paso) to its western termination ; thence northward along the western line of New Mexico until it intersects the first branch of the river Gila (or if it should not intersect any branch of that river, then to the point on the said line nearest to such branch, and thence in a direct line to the same) ; thence down the middle of the said branch and of the said river until it empties into the Rio Colorado ; thence across the Rio Colorado, following the division line between Upper and Lower California, to the Pacific Ocean. The southern and western limits of New Mexico, mentioned in this article, asp those laid down in the map entitled, "Map of the United Mexican States as organized and defined by various acts of the Congress of said Republic, and constructed according to the best authorities. Revised edition. Published at New York, in 1847, by J. Dis- turnell ; " of which map a copy is added to this treaty, bearing the signatures and seals of the undersigned plenipotentiaries. And. in order to preclude all difiiculty in tracing upon the ground the limit separating Upper from Lower California, it is agreed that the said limit shall consist of a straight line drawn from the middle of the Rio Gila, where it unites with the Colorado, to a point on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, distant one marine league due south of the southernmost point of the jjort of San Diego, according to the plan of said port made in the year 17S2, by Don Juan Pautoja, second sailing-master of the Spanish fleet, and published at Madrid in the year 1302, in the atlas to the voyage of the schooners Sutil and Mexicana ; of which plan a copy is hereunto added, signed and sealed by the respective i)lenipotentiarie8. GADSDEN PURCHASE. Subsequently, on December 30, 1853, a second purchase was made of Mexico, consisting of the strip of land lying south of the Gila Eiver, in New Mexico and Arizona. The boundaries as established bj' this, known as the Gadsden purchase, were as follows: Article I. The Mexican Republic agrees to designate the following as her true limits with the United States for the future: Retaining the same dividing line be- tween the two Califoruias as already defined and established, according to the fifth article of the treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, the limits between the two republics shall be aa follows : Beginning in the Gulf of Mexico, three leagues from land, opposite the mouth of the Rio Grande, as jjrovided in the fifth article of the treaty of Guadalupe- Hidalgo ; thence, as defined in the said article, up the middle of that river to the point where the parallel of 31° 47' north latitude crosses the same ; thence due west one (478) GAX.xErr.] GADSDEN PURCHASE— ALASKA. 23 liuuclretl miles ; thence south to the parallal of 31'^ 20' north latitude ; thence along the said parallel of 319 20' to the one hundred and eleventh meridian of longitude west of Greenwich; thence in a straight line to a point on tho Colorado River twenty English miles below the junction of tho Gila and Colorado Rivers; thence up the middle of the said river Colorado until it intersects tho present line between the United States and Mexico. ALASKA. There remains but one acquisitiou of territory to the Uiiited States from foreign powers, viz, that of Alaska, purchased from Russia. The treaty of purchase was sigued on March 30, 18G7, and proclaimed June 20, 1807. The boundaries of the territory are described in the accom- panying quotation from the treaty' : Commencing from the southernmost point of the island called Prince of Wales Island, which point lies in the parallel of 54° 40" north latitude, and between the one hundred and thirty-first and one hundred and thirty-third degree of west longitude (meridian of Greenwich), the said line shall ascend to the north along the channel called Portland Channel as far as the point of the continent where it strikes the fifty-sisth degree of north latitude; from this last-mentioned i^oint, the line of demai'kation shall follow the sum- mit of the mountains situated i)ara]lel to the coast, as far as the point of intersection ef the ono hundred and forty-iirst degree of west longitude (of tlfo same meridian) ; and, finally, from the said point of intersi.ction, the said meridian lino of the«oue hundred and forty-first degree in its prolongation as far as the Frozen Oct^an. IV. With reference to tho line of douiarkation laid down in the preceding article, it is understood — 1st. That the island called Prince of Wales Island shall belong wholly to Russia, (now, by this cession, to the United States). 2d. That whenever the summit of the mountains which extend in a direction par- allel to the coast from the fifty-sixth degree of north latitude to the point of intersection of the oue hundred and forty-first degree of west longitude shall jirove to be at the distance of more than ten marine leagues from the ocean, tho limit between the Brit- ish possessions and the lino of coast w^hich is to belong to Russia, as above mentioned (that is to say, the limit to the possessions ceded by this convention), shall be formed by a line parallel to the winding of the coast, and which shall never exceed tho dis- tance of ton marine leagues therefrom. Tho western limit within which the territories and dominion convoyed are con- tained passes through a point in Behriug's Straits on the parallel of G5° 30' north lati- tude, at its intersection by the meridian which passes midway between the islands of Krusenstern or Ignalook, and tho island of Ratmanoff, or Noonerbook, and proceeds due north Avithout limitation into the same Frozen Ocean. The same western limit, beginning at the same initial point, proceeds thence in a course nearly southwest through Behriug's Straits and Behring's Sea, so as to pass midway between the northwest point of tho island of Saint Lawrence and tho south- cast point of Cape Choukotski to tho meridian of oue hundred and seventy-two west longitude, thence from the intersection of that meridian in a southwesterly direction, so as to pass midwaj' between the island of Attore and the Copper Island of the Kor- maudorski couplet or group, in the North Pacific Ocean, to the meridian of one hun- dred and ninety-three degrees west longitude, so as to include in tho territory con- veyed the whole of the Aleutian Islands west of that meridian. The consideration paid for the Territory of Ahiska was $7,200,000, in gold. (479) CHAPTER II. THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AXD AN OUTLINE OF THE HIS- TORY OF CHANGES MADE THEREIN. CESSIONS BY THE STATES. At tbe time the Constitution was adopted by the original thirteen States, many of them possessed unoccupied territory, in some cases en- tirely detached and lying west of the Appalachian Mountains. Thus, Georgia included the territory from its present eastern limits westward to tlie Mississippi River. Xorth Carolina possessed a narrow strip ex- tending irom latitude 35° to 36o 30', approximately, and running west- ward to the Mississippi, inckiding besides its own present area that of the present state of Tennessee. In lil^e manner, Virginia possessed what is now Kentucky, while a number of States, as Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, laid claim to areas in what was after- ward known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, a region which is now comjjrised mainly in the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michi- gan, and Wisconsin. Tbese claims were to a greater or less extent con- flicting. In some cases several States claimed authority over the same area, while the boundary lines were in most cases very ill-defiued. Tlie ownership of these western lands by individual States was op- posed by those States which did not share in their possession, mainly on the ground that the resources of the General Government, to which all contributed, should not be taxed for the protection and development of this region, while its advantages would inure to the benefit of but a favored few. On this ground several of the States refused to ratify the Constitution until this matter had been settled by the cession of these tracts to the General Government. I\Ioved by these arguments, as well as by the consideration of the conflicting character of the claims, which must inevitably lead to trouble among the States, Congress passed, on October 30, 1779, the following act: Whereas tho appropriation of tbe vacaut lands by tho several States during the present war will, in the opinion of Congress, be attended v. ith groat miscbiefs : There- fore, Eeaolved, That it ho earnestly recommended to the State of Virginia to reconsider their late act of assembly for opening their land office; and that it be recommended to the' said State, and all other States similarly circumstanced, to forbear settling or issuing warrants for unappropriated lands, or granting the same during the contin uance of the present war. 24 (480) QANXETT.] CESSIONS BY STATES. 25 This resolution was trausmitted to the different States. The first to respond to it by the transfer of her territory to the General Government was Xew York, whose example was followed by the other States. Tiiese cessions were made on the dates given below : Kew York, March 1, 1781. Virginia, March 1, 1784. Massachusetts, April 19, 1785 Connecticut, September 13, 17SG. The Connecticut act of cession reserved an area in the northeastern l)art of Ohio, known as the Western Eeserve. On May 30, 1800, Con- necticut gave to the United States jurisdiction over this area, but with- out giving up its property rights in it. v^ South Carolina,' August 9, 1787. North Carolina, February 25, 1790. ^ Georgia, April 24, 1802. The following paragraph from the deed of cession hy New York defines the limits of its cession to the General Government : Now, therefore, know ye, that we, the said James Duane, William Floid, and Alex- ander M'Dougall, by virtue of tlie power and authority, and in the execution of the trust reposed in us, as aforesaid, have judged it expedient to limit and restrict, and ■we do, hy these presents, for and in behalf of the said State of New York, limit and restrict the boundaries of the said State iu the western parts thereof, with respect to the jurisdiction, as well as the right or pre-emption of soil, by the lines and in the foi'm following, that is to say: a line from the northeast corner of the State of Penn- sylvania, along the north bounds thereof to its northwest corner, continued due west until it shall he intersected by a meridian line to be drawn from the forty-fifth degree of north latitude, through the most westei-fy bent or inclination of Lake Ontario; thence by the said meridian line to the forty-fifth degree of north latitude ; and thence by the said forty-fifth degree of north latitude ; but if, on experiment, the above-described meridian line shall not comprehend twenty miles due west fr6m the most westerly bent or inclination of the river or strait of Niagara, then we do, by these presents, in the name of the jteople, and for and on behalf of the State of New- York, and by virtue of the authority aforesaid, limit and restrict the boundaries of the said State iu the western parts thereof, with respect to jurisdiction, as well as the right of pre-emption of soil, by the lines and in the manner following, that is to say : a line from the northeast corner of the State of Pennsylvania, along the north bounds thereof, to its northwest corner, continued duo west until it shall be intersected by a meridian line, to be drawn from the forty-fifth degree of north latitude, through a point twenty miles due west from fho most westerly bent or inclination of the river or strait Niagara ; thence by the said meridian line to the forty-fifth degree of north latitude, and thence by the said forty-fifth degree of north latitude. The deed of cession fey Virginia gives no limits, further than to specify that the lands transferred include only those lying northwest of the river Ohio. The following paragraph from the deed of cession by Massachusetts gives the limits of the area ceded : » # * \ye (Jo \yy these presents assign, transfer, quitclaim, cede, and convey to the United States of America, for their benefit, Massachusetts inclusive, all right, title, and estate of and ia, as well the soil as the jnristlictiou, which the said Com- (481) 26 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. fBLLL. 13. mouwealtli Lath to the territory or tract of country within tlie limits of Slassachu- 8etts charter situate aud lying west of the following line, that is to say, a raoridian line to be drawn from the fortj'-fifth degree of uorth latitude through the westerly bent or inclination of Lake Ontario, thence by the said meridian lino to the most southerly side line of the territory contained in the Massachusetts charter; but if ou experiment the above-described meridian line shall not comprehend twenty miles due west from the most westerly bent or inclination of the river or strait of Niagara, then v.-e do by these presents, by virtue of the power and authority iitore^aid, in the name and on behalf of the said Commonwealth of Massachusetts, transfer, quitclaim, carallel of latitude, on the east by the States of Virginia. North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, and on the west by the Mississippi River. The different (jessions from the States which made up this region are as follows: 1. The region ceded by Virginia, which lay between the Ohio River on the North and, nominally, the parallel of 30° 30' on the south, and be- tween the Mississippi River and her present western boundary on the east, being the region which is now the State of Kentucky. 2. The area ceded by North Carolina, which extended from 36° 30' north latitude southward to 35°, and from the western boundary line of (485), V £0 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [nrLul3. the present State to the Mississippi Eivei'. This is now the State of Tennessee. 3. Tlie area ceded by South Carolina, which formed a narrow belt, 12 or 14: miles in width, lying south of the thirty-fifth parallel, and extending from her western boundary to the JMississippi Kiver. It is doubtful whether under the terms of the original charters South Carolina pos- sessed this strip, or whether it was not included in the possessions of Georgia. 4. The area ceded by Georgia, which comprised most of the region of the i)reseut States of Alabama and Mississippi, north of the thirty-first parallel. Kentuclvy was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792 ; Tennessee in 1796. In 170S Congress organized the Territory of Mississippi, which was originally a small, rectangular area, bouiuled on the west by the Mississippi River, on the north by the parallel through the mouth of the Yazoo Iviver; the boundary on the east was the river Chattahoochee, and on the south the thirty-first parallel of north latitude. This area was subsequently enlarged so as to include the whole of what is now Mississippi and Alabama, with the exception of a strip along the Gulf coast, which was at that time claimed by Spain. In 1817 the territory was divided, and the eastern portion was made into Alabama Territory. Subsequently the two Territories were admitted as States. LOUISIANA AND THE TERRITORY ACQUIRED FROM MEXICO. The Louisiana purchase was eflected in 1803. In 1804 it was divided iuto_two parts, that portion which now comprises the State of Louis- iana, with the exception of a small piece in the southeastern part, being organized as Orleans Territory, while the balance remained as the Lou- isiana Territory. The State of Louisiana, comi)rising the Territory of Orleans, was admitted to the Union in 1812, and in the same year it was enlarged by theaddition of the portion l\ing between the Missis- sippi and Pearl Elvers, in the southeastern part. In the same year tHe name of Louisiana Territory was changed to ]\Iissouri Territory. In 1819 Arliansaw Territory, having very' nearly the same limits as the present State of Arkansas, was created, and in 183G it was admitted as a State. In 182;> the State of Missouri was formed from another jiortion of Missouri Territory, and in 1830 the boundaries of this State were en- larged to their present limits. In 1834, as was stated above, that por- tion of this Territory lying north of the State of Missouri and east of the Missouri and White Earth Elvers was attached to the Territory of Michigan. In 1830 this portion was transferred from the Territory of Michigan to the Territory of Wisconsin. In 1838 it was transferred to (486) GA.N-XETT.] SUBDIVISION OF MEXICAN CESSIONS. 31 tlie Territory of Iowa. In 1845 the State of Iowa was created, and in 1846 its boundaries were enlarged. In 1849 the remainder of the Ter- ritory was transferred to Minnesota Territory. Minnesota was ad- mitted as a State on May 11, 1858, with its present boundaries. Meantime Texas had been admitted to the Union, and by the treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo and the Gadsden purchase, we had acquireart of Texas and south of the forty-second parallel. Furthermore, our northern boundary had been established on the forty-ninth parallel to the Pacific Ocean. Out of this great western region were carved the following Territories : Oregon Territory, which was formed in 1848, and which exten'orth America between GAi;xETT.] MAINE 33 the thirty-fourth and forty-fifth degrees of north latitude were given to two companies, to one of which, the Plymouth Company, was assigned that part of North America including the coast of New England. The first colony in Maine was planted on the peninsula of Sabine, at the mouth of the Kennebec River, now Hunnewell's Point, on August 19, 1607, O. S., by George Popham. James I in 1620 gi .tited a charter to the Plymouth Company, in which may be found the following, viz : Wee, therefore * * * do <;rant oriluin and establish that all that Circuit, Conti- nent, Precincts and Limitts in America lying and being in Breadth from Fourty De- grees of Northerly Latitude from the Equnoctial Line, to Fourty eight Degrees of the said Northerly Latitude and in length by all the Breadth aforesaid throughout the Maine Laud from Sea to Sea — with all the Seas, Rivers, Islands, Creekes, Inletts, Ports and Havens within the Degrees, Precincts and Limitts of the said Latitude and Lon- gitude shall be the Limitts, and Bounds, and Precincts of the second collouy — and to the end that the said Territoryes may hereafter be more particularly and certainly known and distinguished, our Will and Pleasure is, that the same shall from hence- forth be nominated, termed and called by the name of Xesv England in America. Under this grant, given in 16i*l, the Earl of Stirling claimed that he was entitled to land on the coast of Maine which was afterwards granted to the Plj-mouth Company, and by direction of James I that company issued a patent to William Alexander, Earl of Stirling, For a tract of the main land of New England, beginning at Saint Croix and from thence extending along the sea-coast to Peraquid and the river Kennebeck. ( Fide Charters and Constitutions, p. 774. ) The heirs of the Earl of Stirling sold this tract to the Duke of York in 1663. ( Vide Zell's Encyclopaedia.) In 1622 Capt. John Mason and Sir Ferdinando Gorges obtained from the council of Plymouth a grant of the lands lying between the Merri- mac and Kennebec Rivers, and extending back to the river and lakes of Canada. This tract was called Laconia, and it included New Hamp- shire and all the western part of Maine. ( Vide Whiton's Xew Hamp- shire.) Mason and Gorges, in 1629, by mutual consent divided their territory into two by the river Piscataqua. That part on the east of this river was relinquished to Gorges, who called it Maine. {Vide Whiton's Xew Hampshire.) The charter of the Plymouth Company was surrendered to the King in the year 1635. ( Vide Plymouth Colony Laws, p. 333 et supra.) King Charles I, in the year 1639, granted a charter to Sir Ferdinando Gorges, which virtually confirmed the patent given to him by the Ply- mouth Company in 1622. The following extract from that charter defines the boundaries : All that Parte Pnrparte and Porcon of the Mayne Lande of New England aforesaid beginning att the entrance of Piscataway Harbor and soe to passe upp the same into the Itiver of Newichewanocke and through the same unto the furthest heade thereof and from thence Northwestwards till one hundred aud twenty miles bee finished and from (189) 4596— Bull. 13 3 34 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. Piscataway Harbor mouth aforesaid Northeastwards along the Sea Coasts to Sagada- hocke and up the River thereof to Kyuybequy River and through the same into the heade' thereof and into the Lande Northwestwards untill one hundred and twenty myles bee ended being accompted from the mouth of Sagadahocke and from the period of one hundred and twenty myles aforesaid to crosse over Lande to the one hundred and twenty myles end formerly reckoned upp into the Lande from Piscata- way Harbor through Newichewanocke River and also the Northe halfe of the Isles of Shoales togeather with the Isles of Capawock and Nawtican neere Cape Cod as alsoe all the Islands and Iletts lyeiuge within five leagues of the Mayne all alonge the afore- 6a.ide coasts betweene the aforesaid River of Pascataway and Sagadahocke with all the Creeks Havens and Harbors thereunto belouginge and the Revercon and Revercons Remaynder and Remaynders of all and singular the said Landos Rivers and Premisses. All which said Part Purpart or Porcon of the Mayne Lande and all and every the Premisses herein before named Wee Doe for us our heires and successors create and incorporate into Oue Province or Countie, and Wee Doe name ordeyne and appoynt that the porcon of the Mayne Lande and Premises aforesaid shall forever herefter bee called and named The Province or Countie of Mayne. lu 1664 Charles II granted to the Duke of York, who, the year before, had purchased the territory, which had been awarded to the Earl of Stirling in the division of the country to his heirs, a portion of the pres- ent State of Maine, and also certain islands on the coast, and a large territory west of the Connecticut Eiver. (For the boundaries vide New York, p. 71 et seq.) In 1674 Charles II made a new grant to the Duke of York, in sub- stantially the same terms as that of 1664, including as before a i^ortion of Maine. ( Vide New York, p. 72.) In the 3'ear 1677, Ferdinand© Gorges, a grandson of Sir Ferdinando Gorges sold and gave a deed of the province of Maine to John Ushur, a merchant, of Boston, for £1,250. In the same year, Ushur gave a deed of the same territory to the governor and company of Massachusetts Bay, who had received a grant from the council of Plymouth in 1628, confirmed by the King in 1629. ( Vide C. & C, p. 774.) In 1686 Pemaquid and its dependencies, forming Cornwall County, under the jurisdiction of New York, were annexed to the JSTew England government by a royal order, dated September 19, 1686. {Vide Maine Historical Society Collection, vol. 5.) The charter of Massachusetts Bay of 1629 having been canceled in 1684, in 1691 William and Mary granted a new one, incorporating the jjrovinces of Maine and Acadia, or Nova Scotia, with the colonies of Massachusetts Bay and of Plymouth, into one royal province by the name of the Eoyal Province of Massachusetts Bay. ( Vide Mass., p. 48.) The right of government thus acquired over the district of Maine was exercised by Massachusetts until 1819 when measures were taken to admit Maine as an independent State. By the treaty of Paris in 1763 the King of France relinquished all claim to that port'.on of North America which includes the present State of Maine. (490) GAKXKTT.l MAINE. 35 The northern and eastern boundaries- were settled by the United States and Great Britain. (See p. 9, et seq). The western boundary was for a long time a source of contention be- tween Maine and New Hampshire. New Hampshire baviug been made a province in 1679, controversies arose concerning the divisional line. In 1731 commissioners from New Hampshire and from Massachusetts having been appointed, met, but were unable to agree. New Hampshire appealed to the King, and the King ordered that a settlement should be made by commissioners from the neighboring provinces. The board met at Hampton in 1737. The commissioners fixed on — substantially — the jiresent boundary, Avording their report as follows: Beginuing at the entrance of Pascataqua Harbor, and so to pass up the same to the Eiver Newhichawack, and thro' the same into the furthest head thereof, and thence run north 2 degrees west till 120 miles were finished, from the mouth of Pascataqua Harbor, or until it meet with His Majesty's other Governments. (See N. H. His- torical Coll., Vol. II.) This was confirmed by the King, August 5, 1740. In 1820 Maine was admitted, as an independent State. DifiQculties having arisen about the boundary between Maine and New Hampshire, commissioners were appointed in 1827 from each State to determine the same. In 1829 the commissioners' report was adopted by each State, and the line then settled upon is as follows, using the language of the com- missioners' report, viz : The report of the commissioners appointed by His Majesty's order in Council of February 22nd, 1735, and confirmed by his order of the 5th of August, 1740, having established — "That the dividing line shall pass up through the mouth of Piscataqua Harbor, and up th • middle of the river of Newichwaunock,part of which is now called the Salmons Falls, and through the middle of the same to the farthest head thereof, &,c.," and " that the dividing line shall part the Isle of Sholes, and run through the middle of the harbor, between the islands to the sea on the southerly side, «fec." We have not deemed i( necessary to commence our survey until we arrived north, at the head of Salmon Falls Eiver, which was determined by Bryant^at his survey in 1740, to be at the outlet of East pond, between the towns of Wakefield and Shapleigh. From that point we have surveyed and marked the line as follows, viz: We commenced at the Bryant Rock, known as such by tradition, which is a rock in the middle of Salmon Falls Eiver, at the outlet of East pond, about six feet in length, three feet in breadth, three feet in depth, and two feet under the surface of the water, as the dam was at the time of the survey, to wit, October 1, 1827 ; said stone bears soTith, seventy-one degrees west, three rods and eight links from a large rock on the eastern bank, marked " 1827," and bears also from a rock near the mill-dam (marked " H") north, nineteen degrees and thirty minutes west, and distant twelve rods and twenty-one links. At this point the variation of the needle was ascertained to be nine degrees west. From the above stone the line is north seven degrees and forty-one minutes east, one hundred and seventy-eight rods to East pond, and crossing the pond three hun- dred and eleven rods in width to a stone monument which we erected up on the bank, about three and an half feet high above the surface of the ground, marked N on the (491) 36 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. is. west side and M on the east side, which description applies to all the stone i»;ouu- meuts hereinafter mentioned unless they are otherwise particularly described ; theilce the same course, two hundred and twenty-five rods, to Fox Ridge, and to a stone monument which is placed upon the north side of the road that leads from Wakefield to Shapleigh ; thence two hundred rods to JJalch's pond ; across the pond, one hun- dred and three and half rods ; across a peninsula, thirty-six rods ; across a cove, fifty-one rods and seventeen links; across a second peninsula, forty-eight rods; across a second cove, twenty-seven rods, ten links. Thence three huntb'ed and seventy rods, to the road leading from Newfield to Wake- field and a stone monument, erected on the north side of the same, near Camper- nell's house ; thence north six degrees and ten minutes east, five hundred and ninety rods, to the line of Parsonfield, to a stone monument with additional mark " 1828." At this point the variation of the needle was found to be nine degrees fifteen min- utes west. Thence same course five hundred and eleven rods, crossing the end of Province pond to a stone monument ou the Parsonfield road, near the house of James Andrews, also with additional mark "1828"; thence north eight degrees and thirty- eight minutes east, two hundred and eight rods, to the old coruer-stoue of Effingham, about two feet above the ground, and not marked; thence north eight degrees fifty- five minutes east, two hundred and seventy-seven rods, to a large round stone about three feet diameter and two feet high, marked N and M, by the road uponTowles hill ; thence north seven degrees fifty-five minutes east, six hundred and thirty-one rods to a stone monument, ou the road leading from Parsonfield to Effingham. At this point the variation of the needle was foundtobeQ degrees thirty minutes west. Thence north five degrees two minutes east, seven hundred thirty-four to a pine stump, upon a small island in Ossipee River at the foot of the falls; thence north ten de- grees east, thirty rods, to a stone monument, on the north side of the new road from Porter to Effingham ; thence the same course, five hundred fifty-eight rods, to the top of Bald Mountain; thence same course, three hundred sixteen rods, to the top of Bickford Mountain ; thence same course one hundred and ninety-three rods, to a stone monument, on the north side of the road, leading from Porter to Eaton. At this point the variation of the needle was found to be nine degrees forty-five minutes west ; thence north eight degrees five minutes east, seven hundred and forty- four rods, to Cragged Mountain ; thence same course, sixty-seven rods, to the corner of Eaton ; thence same course, seven hundred eighty-seven and an half rods, to the corner of Conway ; thence same course, six hundred ten and an half rods, to a stone monument, on the south side of the road, leading from Brownfield to Conway Center; thence north eight degrees east, eight hundred seventy-one rods, to a stone monument on the south side of the road leading from Fryeburg Village to Conway. At this point the variation of the needle was found to be ten degrees west ; thence same couise, four rods, to a stone' monument on the north side of the same road; thence north eight degrees fifteen minutes east, one hundred two rods, to Saco River; thence same course, eighteen rods, across said river ; theuce same course, six hundred forty-four rods, to a stone monument on the road leading to Fryeburg Village, on the north side of the rivei". This monument is marked as before described, and is about eight feet high above the ground ; thence same course, one hundred forty-two rods, to Ballard's Mill Pond; thence same course, sixty-one rods, six links, across said pond; theuce same course, three hundred forty- four rods, to a stone monumeut on the east side of Chatham road; thence same course, six hundred ninety rods, to Kimball's Pond ; thence same course, one hundred sixty-six rods, across said pond ; thence same course, sixty rods, to a stone monument ou the meadow.' Thence same course, nine hundred forty rods, to the cor- ner of Bradley and Eastman's grant ; thence same course, six hundred and ninety rods, to a stone monumeut on the east side of the Cold River road. This stone is marked as > From this point the line was resurveyed in 1858, vide p. 38. (492) GAXNPTT.: MAINE. 37 before described, but is not more than two feet above the ground. Thence same course, one thousand five hundred forty rods, to the corner of Warner and Oilman's location, a pile of stones. At this point the variation of the needle was found to be ten degrees twenty-three minutes west ; thence same course, four hundred and fifty rods, to top of Mount Koyce ; thence same course, eight hundred ninety-eight rods, to Wild River ; theuce same course, eight rods, across said river; thence same course, seven hundred sixty-five rods, to a stone moniimeut on the north side of the road leading from Lan- caster to Bethel ; thence same course, one hundred rods, to Androscoggin River; thence same course, eighteen rods, across said river ; thence north eight degrees ten minutes east, four thousand one hundred sixty-two rod8,across ten streams, to Chick- walnopg River; thence same course, two fhousand five hundred rods, to a stone monument on the north side of the road leading from Errol to Andover. This stone is marked "N. H." and " M.," thence same course two hundred ten rods to Cambridge River, thence same course eight rods across said river, thence same course five hun- dred sixty-seven rods to Umbagog Lake, thence same course thirty-four rods across a cove of the same, thence same course ten rods across a peninsula of the same, thence same course two hundred twenty-five rods across a bay of said lake, thence same course two hundred six rods across a peninsula of the same, thence same course one thousand one hundi'ed sixty-five rods across the north baj' of said lake to a cedar post marked " N." " M.," thence north eicht degrees east seven hundred fourteen rods to Pond brook; thence same course two hundred twenty -five rods to a stone monument on the south side of the Margallaway River, thence same course ten rods across said river, thence same course one hundred sixty-two rods to a spruce, corner of the college grant, theuce same course two hundred sixty-four rods to Margallaway River a second lime. At this point the variation of the needle was found to be eleven degrees forty- five minutes west ; thence same course ten rods across said river, thence same course two liundred and ninety rods to same river a third time, thence same course ten rods across said river to a monument made with three stones on the north side of said river, about two feet high and not marked, thence same course four hundred forty- four rods to corner of to'wnship number five, in second range, in Maine, thence same course one thousand eight hundred six rods to the north corner of the same township, thence same course four hundred and sixty rods to a branch of Little Diamond River, thence same course three hundred fifty rods to another branch of the same, thence same course two thousand one hundred twenty rods to a branch of the Margallaway River, thence same course three hundred thirty-two rods to another branch of the same, thence same course four hundred rods to a steep mountain called Prospect Hill, thence same course nine hundred and twenty rods to Mount Carmel, sometimes called Sunday Mountain, thence same course four hundred rods to a perpendicular precipice, thence same course five hundred and forty rods to a branch of Margalloway River, thence same course two hundred and sixty rods to a branch of the same, thence same course three hundred forty-six rods to a second steep precipice, thence same course one hundred eighty-six rods to a branch of Margallaway River, thence same course two hundred forty-two rods to another branch of same river, thence same course seventy-eight rods to a beaver pond, thence same course one hundred twenty-six rods to a yellow birch tree on the highlands which divide the waters that run south from those that run into the St. Lawrence, being the northern extremity of the line and one hundred and twelve miles two hundred and thirty-three rods from the head of Salmon Falls River. Found said tree marked on the east side "M. E. 1789," and'on the west " N. H. N. E. ;" also "M. 54." To these marks we added " N. H.," "N. E.," and " M. E.," "1S28,""E. n.," "A. M. M.," "1828," and stones were piled round the same and marked. The whole course of the lina from the Androscoggin River was re-marked by spot- ting the old marked trees and crossing the spots and marking others in the course. And the line as above survey and described we agree to be the true boundary line of (493) 38 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. said States. And tlie above-described marks and monuments we establish to desig- nate the same, and that the said line hereafter remain the boundary line between the States, unless the legislature of either State shall, at the first session after the execu- tion of this agreement, disapprove of the same. WILLIAM KING, RUFUS McINTIRE, Commissioners of Maine. ICHABOD BARTLETT, JOHN W. WEEKS, Commissioners of New Hampshire. November 13, 1828. The legislature of Maine approved of the commissioners' report Feb- ruary 28, 1829, and requested the governor to issue his proclamation accordingly. The same action was taken by the legislature of New Hampshire, July 1, 1829. (For Report of Commissioners, see Laws of Maine, 1828-9, under head of Resolves of the Ninth Legislature of the State of Maine, images 39-43.) Between 1828 and 1858, considerable portions of the amost unbroken forests through which the line of 1827-'28 was marked were cleared. Extensive forest fires often swept large tracts of this territory, and, as a consequence, the marks of the 1827-'28 survey for a distance of nearly eighty miles — which by that survey was mainly fixed by blazed trees, — only seven stone posts having been set in this distance — were obliter- ated, so that there remained scarcely a vestige of the original line. The lands having become valuable, and litigation in many cases being immi- nent, the legislatures of the two States in 1858 provided by enactment for another survey from Fryeburg to the Canada line — which was made the same year. The line as then surveyed is as follows, viz : Commencing at an iron post* sitnated on the line run in accordance with the "Treaty of Washington, of August 9, 1842," as the boundary between the United States and the province of Canada, at the corners of the States of Maine and New Hami)shire. On the south face of said post are the words "Albert Smith, U. S. Comssr. " ; on the north face, " Lt. Col. I. B. B. Eastcourt, H. B. M. Comssr." ; on the west face, " Bouudary, Aug. 9, 1842"; on the east face, " Treaty of Washington." To the marks are added on the southern half of the west face, " H. O. Kent." A large flat stone was placed on the southern face of the monument and marked " 185H — N. H., Me.," on either side of aline cut in said stone bearing the direction of the State's line, viz, south, 8 degrees west. From this i>oint the line is south 8 degrees west, 17 rods, 7 links to a large yellow birch stub, the northern terminus of the former survey ; thence 126 rods to a beaver pond ; thence 78 rods to the northwesterly branch of the Margallavvay, known as Kent River ; thence 242 rods'to another branch of the Margallaway ; thence 186 rods to a certain steep precipice perpendicular on its southern face ; thence 346 rods to a branch of the Margallaway River ; thence '^60 rods to another branch of the same ; thence 540 rods to a precipice, the southern side of Mount Abbott ; thence 400 rods to the summit ^The position of this post is given iu Flitchcock's Geological Survey of Now Hamp- shire, as follows, viz, latitude, 45^ 18' 23".33 ; longitude, 71^ .V 40". .5. (494) GANSRTT.] MAINE. 39 of Mount Carmel ; ^.beuce 930 rods, and across four streams, to the summit of Prospect Hill. Ou this distance we marked a yellow birch tree " H. O. Kent, September 20, 1858," and the names of the remainder of the party ; thence 400 rods to another branch of the Marj^allaway ; thence 332 rods to the Little Mar<;allaway River ; thence 2, 120 rods across Bosebuck Mountain to a branch of said river. Ou this distance at the north- west corner of township No. 5, range 3, in Maine, we marked a white birch tree, "N. H. M.," and on ils north and south sides, " IV, III." Thirty rods from the summit of Bosebuck Mountain, and ou its northern slope, we erected a stone monument marked '• N. M."; thence 3,;,0 rods to the Little Diamoud River or Abbott Brook ; thence 460 rods to the northwest corner of township No. .^, range 2, in Maine. Ou this distance we found an ancient yellow birch tree marked " 17^9-35, M." To these marks we a(l. d et seq.) It is as follows, viz : Commencing at the " Crown Monument," so called, at the intersection of the State of New Hampshire, Maine, and the Province of Quebec, in latitude 45° 18' 23".33, longitude 71° 5' 40". 5, thence in an irregular line to Hall's Stream, thence down the same to the northeastern corner of Vermont, in latii ude 45° 0' 17".58, longitude 71° Sty 34".5. {Fide Hitch. Geology of New Hampshire.) (500) GANITETT.] VERMONT. 45 VERMONT. The grants from King Henry, of France, of 1603, and King James^ of England, of 1G06, both included that territory which forms the pres- ent State of Vermont. It was also include4 in the charter of New Eng- land of 1620. In the grants to the Duke of York, in 1664 and 1674, all the territory between the Connecticut and Delauare Eivers was included. New York, therefore, claimed jurisdiction of the territory now known as Vermont. Massachusetts, however, at an early period, having made claim to the tract west of the Connecticut Eiver, now a portion of that State, by the interpretation of her charter, claimed the greater part of the same territory. By the terms of the charter of Massachusetts Bay, of 1629, that colony was granted all the lands — Which lye ami be withiuthe space of Three English rnyles to the northward of the saide River called Monomack alias Merrymack, or to the norward of any and every Parte thereof. Under this clause Massachusetts Bay claimed that her jurisdiction extended 3 miles north of the farthest part of the Merrimac Eiver, which would embrace a large portion of New Hampshire and Vermont. New Hampshire contested this claim, and after several years' .contro- versy was more than sustained by a decision of the King in 1740. New Hampshire in her tnru claimed the territory of Vermont, on the ground that Massachusetts and Connecticut, having been allowed to extend their boundaries to within 20 miles of the Hudson Eiver, her western boundary should go equally as fyr, and contended that the King's de- cree of 1740 left that fairly to be inferred; also, that the old charters of 1664 and 1674 were obsolete. By a decree of the King, however, the territory west of the Connec- ticut Eiver, from the 45th parallel of north latitude to the Massachu- setts line, was declared to belong to the province of New York. {Vide New Hampshire, p. 44.) As most of the settlers of Vermont were from New Hampshire, this decision of the King caused great dissatisfaction, and the Eevolution found Vermont the scene of conflicting claims, and the theatre of violent acts, culminating, in some instances, in actual bloodshed. On January 15, 1777, Vermont declared herself independent and laid claim to the territory west as far as the Hudson Eiver, and from its source north to the international boundary, including a tract along the west shore of Lake Champlain. A part of New Hampshire, also, at one time, sought a union with Vermont. In 1781 Massachusetts assented to her independence. She adjusted her differences with New Hampshire in 1782, but eight years more passed before New York consented to her admission into the Union. (501) 4G BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13 In 1791 Vermont was admitted as an independent State, but was re quired to restrict her boundaries to their present extent. The act of New York, of March 6, 1790, giving her consent to the ad- mission of Vermont, defines her boundaries. ( Fi(Ze Slade's Vermont, p. 507.) The northern boundary was settled by the United States and Great Britain by the treaty of Washington, in 1842. ( Vide p. 16.) The eastern boundary is low-water mark on the west bank of the Oounecticut Eiver. ( Vide i^ew Hampshire, p. 44.) The southern boundary was settled by the decree of 1740. {Vide New Hampshire, p. 42.) The line between Vermont and New York was surveyed and marked by commissioners from the two States in 1814, and is as follows, viz : Beginuing at a red or black oak tree, the northwest corner of Massachusetts, and running north 82° 20' west as the magnetic needle pointed in 1814, 50 chains, to a monument erected for the southwest corner of the State of Vermont, by Smith Thomp- son, Simon De Witt, and George Tibbitts, commissioners on the part of New York, and Joseph Beeman, jr., Henry Olin, and Joel Pratt second, commissioners on the part of the State of Vermont, which monument stands on the brow of a high hill, descending to the west, then northerly in a straight line to a point which is distant 10 chains, on a course, south 35 degrees west, from the most westerly corner of a lot of land distin- guished in the records of the town of Pownal, in the State of Vermont, as the fifth division of the right of Gamaliel Wallace, and which, in the year 1814, was owned and occupied by Abraham Vosburgh ; then north 35 degrees east to said corner and along the westerly bounds of said lot, 30 chains to a place on the westerly bank of Hasick River, where a hemlock tree heretofore stood, noticed in said records as the most northerly corner of said lot; then north 1 degree and 20 minutes west, 6 chains to a monument erected by the said commissioners, standing on the westerly side of Hasick River, on the north side of the highway leading out of Hasick into Pownal, and near the northwesterly corner of the bridge crossing said river; then north 27 degrees and 20 minutes east, 30 chains, through the bed of the said river, to a large roundish rock on the northeasterly bank thereof; then north 25 degrees west, 16 chains and 70 links; then north 9 degrees west, 18 chains and 60 links, to a white- oak tree, at the southwest corner of the land occupied in 1814 by Thomas Wilsey ; then north 11 degrees east, 77 chains to the north side of a highway, where it is met by a fence dividing the possession of said Thomas Wilsey, jr., and Emery Hunt; then north 46 degrees east, 6 chains ; then south 66 degrees east, 26 chains and 25 links ; then north 9 degrees east, 27 chains and 50 links to a blue-slate stone, anciently 8et up for the southwest corner of Bennington ; theu north 7 degrees and 30 minutes east, 46 miles 43 chains and 50 links to a bunch of hornbeam saplings on the south bank of Poultney River, the northernmost of which was marked by said last-mentioned com- missioners, and from which a large butternut tree bears north 70 degrees west, 30 links, a large hard maple tree, south 2 chains and 86 links, and a white ash tree on the north side of said river, north 77 degrees east. Which said several lines from the monument erected for the southwest corner of the State of Vermont were established by said last-mentioned commissioners, and •were run by them, as the magnetic needle pointed, in the year 1814, then down the said Poultney River, through the deepest channel thereof to East Bay; then through the middle of the deepest channel of East Bay and the waters thereof to where the same communicate with Lake Cliamplain ; theu through the deepest channel of Lake Champlaiu to the eastward of the islands called the Four Brothers, and the westward of the islands called the Grand Isle and Long Isle, or the Two Heroes, and to the west- (502) GANNETT. 1 MASSACIIU-^ETTS. 47 ward of the Isle La Motte to the line iu the 45th degree of north latitude, established by treaty for the boundary line between the United States and the British Dominions. (See Revised Statutes of New York, Banks &. Brothers, sixth edition, Vol. I, pp. 122-123.) This line was changed in 1876 by a cession of a small territory from Vermont to New York, described as follows, viz : All that portion of the town of Fairhaven, in the county of Rutland, and State of Vermont, lying westerly from the middle of the deepest channel of Poultney River as it now runs, and between the middle of the deepest channel of said river and the west line of the State of Vermont as at present established. (Ratified by Congress April?, 1880.) MASSACHUSETTS. The territory of Massachusetts was included in the first charter of Virginia, granted iu 1G06, {Vide Virginia p., 88) and in tlie charter of New England, granted in 1020, {Vide Maine p. 33.) In 1628 the council of Plymouth made a grant to the governor and company of Massachusetts Bay in New England, which was confirmed by the King, and a charter was granted in 1029, of which the following- are extracts : * * * Kowe Knowe Yee, that Wee » * * have given and granted * * * all that Parte of Newe England m Amirica which lyes and extends betweene a great River there commonlie called Monomack River, alias Merrimack River, and a certen other River there, called Charles River, beiug in the Bottome of a certen Bay there, comonlie called Massachusetts alias Mattachusetts, alias Massatusetts Bay, and also all and singuler those Landcs and Hereditament whatsoever, lying within the Space of Three EuglisheMyleson the South Parte of the said River called Cbai'les River, or of any or every Parte thereof. And also all and singuler the Landes and Heredita- ments whatsoever, lying and beiug with the space of Three Englishe Miles to the southward of the southermost Parte of the said Baye, called Massachusetts, alias Matta- cliusetts, alias Massatusetts Bay — and also all those Lauds and Hereditaments what- soever, which lye and be withiu the space of Three English Myles to the Northward of the saide River, called Monomack, alias Merrymack, or to the Norward of any and every Parte thereof aud all Landes and Hereditaments whatsoever, lyeing within the Lymitts aforesaide. North and South, in Latitude and Bredth, and in Length and Longitude, of and within all the Bredth aforesaide, throughout the Mayne Landes there from the Atlautick aud Westerne Sea and Ocean on the East Parte, to the South Sea on the West Parte. * * * Provided alwayes, That yf the said Landes * * * were at the tyme of the grauuting of the saide former Letters patents, dated the Third Day of November, in the Eighteenth yeare of our said deare Fathers Raigne aforesaide, actuallie possessed ■or inhabited by any other Christian Prince of State, or were within the Boundes Lymitts or Territories of that Southern Colony, then before graunted by our saide late Father » * * That then this present Graunt shall not extend to any such partes or parcells thereof * * * but as to those partes or parcells * » * shal be vtterlie voyd, theis presents or any Thiuge therein conteyned to the contrarie not- wstanding » * * The charter of New England was surrendered to the King in 1635. ( Vid& Plymouth Colony Laws, p. 333.) (503) 48 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bul:.. l5. The charter of 1629 was canceled by a jiidginent of the high court of chancery of England, June 18, 1684. {Vide C. & C, p. 942.) In the year 1686, Pemaquid and its dependencies were annexed to the New England government. {Vide Maine, p. 34.) In 1691 a new charter was granted to Massachusetts Bay, which in- cluded Plj^mouth Colony and the Provinces of Maine and Nova Scotia. The following are extracts from this charter: * * * Wee * * * do will and ordeyne that the Territories and Collonyes Commonly called or Known by the names of the Collouy of the Massachusetts Bay and Collony of New Plymouth the Province of Main the Territorie called Accadiaor Nova Scotia and all that tract of Land lying hetweene the said Territories of Nova Scotia and the said Province of Main be erected Vnited and Incorporated » * » into one reall Province by the Name of Our Province of the Massachusetts Bay iu New England. * * * All that parte of New England iu America lying and extending from the greate Eiver comonly called Mouomack als Merrimack on the Northpart and from three Miles Northward of the said River to the Atlantick or Western Sea or Ocean on the South part And all the Lands and Hereditaments whatsoever lying within the limitts afore- said and extending as farr as the Outermost Points or Promontories of Land called Cape Cod and Cape Mallabar North and South and in Latitude Breadth and in Length and Longitude of and within all the Breadth and Compass aforesaid throughout the Main Land there from the said Atlantick or Western Sea and Ocean on the East jiarte towards the South Sea or Westward as far as Our Collonyes of Rhode Island Connecticutt and the Narragansett Countrey all alsoe all that part or porCon of Main Land beginnit g at the Entrance of Pescataway Harbour and soe to pass vpp the same into the River Newickewannock and through the same into the furthest head thereof and from thence Northwestward till One Hundred and Twenty miles be fwrnished and from Piscataway Harbour mouth aforesid North-East- ward along the Sea Coast to Sagadehock and from the Period of One Hundred and Twenty Miles aforesaid to crosse over Land to the One Hundrrdand Twenty Miles be- fore reckoned up into the Land from Piscataway Harbour through Newickawannock River and alsoe the North halfe of the Isles and Shoales togather with the Isles of Cap- pawock and Nantukett near Cape Cod aforesaid and alsoe [all] Lands and Heredita- ments lying and being in the Countrey and TeiTitory coiLonly called Accadia or Nova Scotia And all those Lands and Hereditaments lying and extending bet weene the said Countrey or Territory of Nova Scotia and the said River of Sagadahock or any part thereof And all Lands Grounds Places Soiles Woods and Wood grounds Havens Ports Rivers Waters and other Hereditaments and premisses whatsoever, lying within the said bounds and limitts aforesaid and every part and parcell thereof and alsoe all Islands and Isletts lying within tenn Leagues directly opposite to the Main Laud within the said bounds. » * » (For an account of the settlement of the boundary between the Dis- trict of Maine, formerly a part of Massachusetts, see Maine, p. 35.) The present northern boundary of Massachusetts was settled in 1741. (For history, see New Hampshire, p. 43.) The boundary line between Massachusetts and Khode Island was for more than two hundred years a question of dispute, and was, in some respects, the most remarkable boundary case with which this country has had to do. Twice the case went to the Supreme Court of the Unitied States, and in one of these suits Daniel Webster and Eufus Choate were employed as counsel for Massachusetts. (504) GANNETT.] MASSACHUSETTS. 49 As early as 1642 the line between the two colonies was marked in part by Nathaniel Woodward and Solomon Saflfrey, who set up on the plain of Wreutham a stake as the commencement of the line between Massachusetts Bay and Kbode Island. This stake was by them sup- posed to mark a point 3 miles feouth of the Charles River. The report of these commissioners has not been found, but frequent reference is made to their survey in the record of the subsequent con- troversies and litigations. In 1710-'ll commissioners appointed from Massachusetts and Rhode Island agreed upon the north line of Rhode Island. The action of the commissioners was approved by the legislatures of both colonies. The agreement was as follows, viz : That the stake set up by Nathaniel Woodward and Solomon Saffrey, skillful, ap- proved artists, iu the year of our Lord 1642, and since that often renewed in the lati- tude of 41° 55', being 3 English miles distant southward from the southernmost part of the river called Charles River, agreeable to the letters patent for the Massa- chusetts Province, be accounted and allowed on both sides the commencement of the line between the Massachusetts and the colony of Rhode Island, from which said stake the dividing line shall run, so as it may (at Connecticut River) be 2| miles to the southward of a due west line, allowing the variation of the compass to be 9"^ ; which said line shall forever, &c. {Vide Howard's Reports, S. C, Vol. 4, p. 631, et seq.) In 1719 this line was run by commissioners appointed for the purpose. Subsequent investigation has shown that this line was run in a very irregular manner. ( Vide R. I. Acts, May, 1867, page 6, et seq.) The line between Massachusetts and the eastern part of Rhode Island was fixed by commissioners in 1741, from the decision of whom the col- ony of Rhode Island appealed to theKing, who, in the year 1746, affirmed their decision by a royal decree. The following is a record of the proceedings in council, together with the royal decree. [Council Ofllce. Council Register. Geo. II, No. 8, p. 204.J At the Court at Kensington thetldth day of July 1742. Present. The Kings Most Excellent Majesty, Archbp; thence south 51° 30' west by the true meridian 164 rods 18 links to a monument at an old i)ine stump ; thence iiue west 349 rods 15 links to a monument on tbe Oonnecticut Eiver 12 rom New Castle and the middle of the bay, below said circle. In 187G the legislature of New Jersey authorized the governor to com- mence a suit in the Supreme Court of the United States to settle the boundary between New Jersey and Delaware. New Jersey claimed jurisdiction to the middle of the Delaware, so far as the river and bay is a boundary between the two States. ( Vide Revision of New Jersey, p. 1185.) In 1783 Commissioners were appointed by New Jersey and Pennsyl- vania to settle the jurisdiction of the river Delaware and the islands within the same. Their report was ratified, and is in substance as fol- lows : First. It is declared that the river Delaware from the station point or northwest corner of New Jersey, northerly to the place upon the said river where the circular boundary of the State of Delaware touches upon the same, iu the whole length and breadth thereof, is and shall continue to be and remain a common highway, equally free and open for the use, benefit, and advantage of the said contracting parties, etc. Second. That each State shall enjoj^ and exercise a concurrent juris- diction within and upon the water, and not upon the dry land between the shores of said river, etc. Third. That all islets, islands, and dry land within the bed and be- tween the shores of said river, and between said station point northerly and the falls of Trenton southerly, shall, as to jurisdiction, be hereafter deemed and considered as parts and parcels of the State to which such insulated dry land doth lie nearest at the time of making this agree- (533) 78 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. luent, and that from said falls of Trenton to the State ol Dclavrare southerly, certain islands (in the agreement they are named B) be an- nexed to each State respectively. ( Vide Eevision of New Jersey, p. 1181.) In 1786 commissioners were appointed by New Jersey and Pennsyl- vania for more accurately determining and describing the islands men- tioned in the foregoing agreement ; that is, those in the Delaware from the northwest corner of New Jersey down to the falls of Trenton, Their report was ratified, and a long list of islands, described by name in the act, were annexed to each State respectively. ( Vide Eevision of New Jersey, pp. 1182-'3.) PENNSYLVANIA. The Swedish West India Company, chartered by the King of Swe- den in 1625, established the first permanent settlement on the west bank of the Delaware, occupying a part of the territory now in Pennsylvania and Delaware, although the Dutch had previously established trading posts, which had been destroyed by the Indians. The Swedes acquired, by successive purchases from the Indian chiefs, all the land extending from Cape Henlopeu to the great falls of the Delaware, calling it New Sweden. ( Vide C. and C, p. 1509.) In 1655 this territory was surrendered to the Dutch. ( Vide Hazard's Annals of Pennsylvania, p. 185.) By the conquest of the New Netherlands, in 1664, the Duke of York seems to have successfully claimed the settlements on the west bank of the Delaware as a part of his dominions. In 1681 Charles II of England granted to William Penn the Province of Pennsylvania. The following extract from the charter defines the boundaries : * * " all that Tracte or Parte of Land in America, with all the Islands therein conteyned, as the same is bounded on the East by Delaware Eiver, from twelve miles distance Northwards of New Castle Towne unto the three and fortieth degree of North- erne Latitude, if the said River doeth extende so farre northwards; But if the said River shall not extend soe farre Northward, then by the said River soe farr as it doth extend ; and from the head of the said River the Eastern Bounds are to bee determined by a Meridian Line, to bee drawue from the head of the said River, unto the said three and fortieth degree. The said Lauds to extend westwards five degrees in longitude, to bee computed from the said Easterue Bounds; and the said Lands to bee bounded on the North by the beginning of the three and fortieth degree of Northern Latitude, and on the South by a Circle drawue at twelve miles distance from New Castle Northward and Westward unto the beginning of the fortieth degree of Northern Latitude, and thence by a streight Line Westward to the Limit of Longitude above mentioned. William Penn, in order to perfect his title, procured of the Duke of York a deed bearing date Augnsf21, 1682, by which the Duke of York conveyed to him all title and claim which he might have to the province of Pennsylvania. ( Vide Hazard's Annals of Pa., 586 ei seq.) (534) OANNETT.] PENNSYLVANIA. 79 He also purchased of the Duke of York the territory now compris- iug the State of Delaware, which he held uutil 1701-'2, when he granted a charter which enabled them to set up a separate government, tiiough still under proprietory control. {Vide 0. and C, p. 270 et seq.) (For a history of the northern and eastern boundaries of Penusylv^a- nia, see New York and New Jersey, pp. 71 and 7G.] That part of the southern boundary of Pennsylvania between Penn- sylvania and Delaware is an arc of a circle, having for its center the steeple of the old court-house at New Castle, Del., and a radius of 12 miles. This was surveyed and marked under a warrant from William Penn in 1701. {Vide Hazard's Annals of Pennsylvania.) This circular line, in connection with adjacent lines, was made the subject of controversy for many years. According to the original grants of Pennsylvania and Maryland the boundary between them was to be the fortieth degree of north latitude. This line being found to pass north of Philadelphia and to exclude Pennsylvania from Delaware Bay, negotiations ensued between the l)roprietors to rectify this geographical blunder, and for nearly a cen- tury the matter remained unsettled. In the year 1732 an agreement was made to fix the boundary. Com- missioners were appointed in that year, and subsequently in 1739, to ruu tbe line, but they failed to agree, and chancery suits were the result. Taking a decision of Lord Chancellor Hardwick in 1750 as a basis of final adjudication, an agreement was signed July 4, 1760. By this agreement the line between Pennsylvania and Delaware on the one part and Maryland on the other was determined as follows, viz : A due east and west line should be run across the peninsula from Cape Henlopen to the Chesapeake Bay. From the exact middle of this line should be drawn a line tangent to the western periphery of a circle, having a radius of 12 English statute miles, measured horizon- tally from the center of the town of New Castle. From the tangent point a line should be drawn due north until it cut a parallel of latitude 15 miles due south of the most southern part of the city of Philadelphia, this point of intersection to be the northeast corner of Maryland ; thence the line should run due west on said parallel as far as it formed a boun- dary between the two governments. ( Vide Delaware, p. 81.) In 17C0 commissioners and surveyors were appointed, who spent three years in measuring the base line and the tangent line between Maryland, and Delaware. The proprietors then, wearied with the delay, sent over from England two famous mathematicians, Charles Dixon and Jeremiah Mason, who verified the work of their predecessors, and ran the line west between Pennsylvania and Maryland, since known as " Mason and Dixon's line." Mason and Dixon fixed the latitude of this line at 39° 43' 18". A resurvey in 1850 by Colonel Graham determined it to be 39° 43' 26".3. (535) 80 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. Mason and Dixon begun their work in 1763, and were stopped by In- dians in 1767, having run the line about 244 miles west of the Delaware, not quite finishing their work. They put up mile stones all along said line, every fifth one being marked with the arms of the respective pro- prietors. In consequence of the accidental removal of the stone at the north- east corner of Maryland, commissioners were appointed in 1850 by Penn- sylvania, Delaware, and Maryland to revise the former survey, which was done by Lieutenant-Colonel Graham, of the United States topo- graphical engineers. The result confirmed the work of Mason and Dixon, and Maryland gained by the resurvey a little less than two acres. (For a full report of the running of Mason and Dixon's line in 1763-'67, and the verification by Colonel Graham in 1850, see Seuate Journal of Delaware for 1851, pages 56-109.) In 1784 the report of the commissioners who had been appointed to fix the boundaries between Virginia and Pennsylvania (West Virginia then forming part of Virginia) was confirmed, and the lines so fixed are as follows, viz: The line commonly called Mason and Dixon's line to be extended due west five de- grees of longitude from the river Delaware, for the southern boundary of Pennsyl- vania, and a meridian drawn from the western extremity thereof to the northern limits of the said States, respectively, be the western boundary of Pennsylvania. ( Vide C. and B. laws of Pennsylvania, Vol. II, p. 495, and Hening's Virginia, Vol. XI, p. 554.) By the cession of 1784, by Virginia to the United States — and that of 1800, by Connecticut to the United States, and the formation of the State of West Virginia from a portion of Virginia in 1862 — the above- mentioned meridian line becomes the boundary between Pennsylvania on the east, and Ohio and West Virginia on the west. By an examination of the cession of 1781, by New York to the United States, it will be seen that a small triangular tract on Lake Erie was left in the hands of the General Government. This was sold to Penn- sylvania in 1792. DELAWARE. The State of Delaware was originally settled by the Swedes. ( Vide Pennsylvania, p. 78.) In 1635 it was surrendered to the Dutch, who, in 1664, in turn surrendered it to the English, and it was taken posses- sion of by the Duke of York. William Penn, having received in 1682 a grant of the province of Pennsylvania, bought of the Duke of York the territory comprising the present State of Delaware. It was conveyed to him by two deeds (536) GANNETT] DELAWAEE. 81 of feoffment, dated August 24, 1682, one conveying the town of New Castle and a twelve mile circle around the same, and the other convey- ing all the lands south of said circle to Cape Henlopen. (See Hazard's Annals of Pennsylvania, p. 588, et seq.) Soon after the grant made by the royal charter aforesaid, an as- sembly of the province and three lower counties (then called the ter- ritories) was called by the proprietary and governor aforesaid, which met at Chester on the seventh day of December, 1G82, when the follow- ing laws, among others, were passed, to wit: * * * Siuce » * * it lias pleased King Cliarles the Second * * * togrant * * * William Peuu, esq., * * » ti^jg Province of Peunsylvauia * * * And * James Duke of York and Albany' * * * to release his right and claim * * * to the Province of Pennsylvania * » * and * » » to grant unto the said William Ponu * * * all that tract of land from twelve miles northward of New Castle, ou the river Delaware, down to the South Capo (commonly called Cape Hen- lopen, and by the Proprietary and Governor now called Cape Jomus) lying ou the ■west side of the said river and hay, * * * lately cast into three counties, called New Castle, Jones, and Whorekills (alias New Dale. * * * Be it enacted * * that the counties of New Castle, Jones, and Whorekills alias New Dale * » * are annexed to the Province of Pennsylvania. » * * (Dallas' Laws of Pennsylva- nia, 1797, Vol. I, Appendix, p. 24, et seq). In 1701 William Penn granted a charter, under which the province of Pennsylvania and the territories (as Delaware was then called) were made separate governments, though both were still under the proprie- tary government of William Penn. (C. & C, p. 270.) By the Revolution the "territories" became the State of Delaware, with substantially her present boundaries. (For a history of the boundaries between Delaware and Pennsylvania, vide Pennsylvania, p. 79, and between Delaware and New Jersey, vide New Jersey, p. 77, et seq.) From 1732 to 1769 there was a controversy between the proprietors of Pennsylvania and Maryland in regard to boundaries {vide p. 79). The boundaries of Delaware on the north and west — Delaware then be- ing under the jurisdiction of Pennsylvania — were determined as follows, viz: Beginning at Cape Henlopen and running due west 34 miles ?09 perches; tlience in a straight line 81 miles 78 chains and 30 links up the peninsula until it touches and makes a tangent to the western per- iphery of a circle, drawn at the horizontal distance of twelve English statute miles from the center of the town of New Castle. From this tangent point a line was run due north till it cut a parallel of latitude 15 miles due south of the most southern part of the city of Philadelphia. This point of intersection is the northeast corner of Maryland. The tangent line beariug a little west of north, the due north line from the tangent point cuts off' an arc of the 12-mile circle. The boundary line follows the arc of the circle from the tangent point around to the point where the due north line intersects the 12-mile (537) 4596— BuU. 13 6 82 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. circle, tlieu follows said due uortli line to said northeast corner of Mary- land. The length of said due north line is 5 miles 1 chain and 50 links, as given by Mason and Dixon. ( Vide Jour. Del. Sen., 1851, p. 56 et seq.) By the agreement of 1760, based on the decree of Chancellor Hard- wick, a due east and west line should be run across the peninsula from Cape Heulopen to Chesapeake Bay, etc. The decree of Lord Hardwick says, touching the position of Caj^e Heulopen, " that Cape Henlopen ought to be deemed and taken to be situated at the place where the same is laid down and described -in the map or plan annexed to the said arti- cles to be situated, and therefore his lordship doth further order and decree that the said articles be carried into execution accordingly," etc. In Hazard's Annals of Pennsylvania, p. 5, is found the following, viz: " The cape now called Henlopen was then called Cornells." William Penn directed that Cape Henlopen be called Cape James. ( Vide Hazard's Peunusylvania, jj. 600 ; also vide Act of union of the territories to Pennsylvania.) The foregoing statements explain the seeming incongruity between the base line across the peninsula and the position of Cai)e Henlopen as laid down on all modern maps. MARYLAND. The territory comprising the present area of Maryland was included in the previous charters of Virginia, notwithstanding which, in the year 1632, Lord Baltimore received a royal grant of the province of Maryland, whose boundaries are defined in the following extract: All that part of tlio Pcuiiisula or Chersonese, lyiog in parts of America, between the ocean on the east and the Bay of Chesapeake on the west ; divided from the res- idue thereof by a right lino drawn from the promontory or headland called Watkins Point, situate upon the bay aforesaid, near the River Wighco on the west unto the main ocean on the oast, and between that boundary on the south unto that part of the Bay of Delaware on the north, which lieth under the fortieth degree of north latitude fi'om the equinoctial, whore New England is terminated; and all the tract of that land within the motes underwritten (that is to say), passing from the said bay, called Delaware Bay, in a riglit line, by the degree aforesaid, unto the true meridian of the first fountain of the River Pattowmack ; thence verging towards the south unto the farther bank of the said river, and following the sarao on the west and south unto a certain place called Cinquack, situate near the mouth of said river, where it disembogues into the aforesaid Bay of Chesapeake, and thence by the short- est line unto the aforesaid promontory or place called Watkins Point, so that the ■ whole tract of land divided by the line aforesaid, between the main ocean and Wat- kins Point unto the promontory called Capo Charles, may entirely remain forever excepted to us ****** . By an examination of the limits laid down in this charter, and a com- parison with the several charters of Virginia and the charter and deeds (538) GANNETT.] MARYLAND. 83 to William Peun, it will be seen that there was a conflict of boundaries on both sides of the Maryland grant. The history of the long controversy with Pennsylvania has already been given {vide Pennsylvania, p. 79, and Delaware, p. 80). Virginia on the south claimed the territory under her charters, and for a time seemed disposed to assert her claim, notwithstanding we find in 1G38 a procla- mation by the governor and council of Virginia recognizing the prov- ince of Maryland, and forbidding trade with the Indians within the lim- its of Maryland without the consent of Lord Baltimore previously ob- tained {ride Bozman's Maryland, vol. II, p. 586). Virginia's claim was finally given up by a treaty or agreement made in 1G58. (For a full account vide Bozman's Maryland, p. 444 et seq.) In 1()G3 the Virginia assembly ordered a survey of the line between Virginia and Maryland on the peninsula, and declared it to be as fol- lows, viz : From Watkius Poiut east across the peu insula. They define Watkins Point To be tlio north side of Wiconiicoe Eiver on the Eastern shore and. ueere unto and on th(^ sonth side of the streiyht lind)e oppopite to Patuxeut Kiver. {Vide JBening's Virginia, vol. II, p. 184.) In 1GG8 commissioners were appointed by Maryland and Virginia to fix the boundary across the peninsula. The commissioners were Philip Calvert, esq., chancellor of Maryland, and Col. Edmund Scarbrugh, his majesty's surveyor- general of Virginia. Their report is as follows, viz: * * * After a full and perfect view taken of the point of laud made by the north side of Poconioko Bay and south side of Annamessexs Bay have and do conclude the same to bo Watkins Poiut, from which said point so called, we have run an east line, agreeable with the extreamest part of the westermost angle of the said Watkins Poiut, OTcr Pocomoke River to the land near Robert Holston's, and there have marked certain trees which are so continued by an east line running over Swansecutes Creeke into the marsh of the seaside with apparent marks and boundaries * * » Signed June 25, 1868. (Vide Md. Hist. Soc. Coll. of State papers, volume marked 4 L. C. B., pp. 63-64.) Virginia, by the adoption of her constitution of 177G (see Article 21), relinquished all claim to territory covered by the charter of Maryland, thereby fixing Maryland's western boundary as follows : Commencing on a true meridian of the first fountain of the river Pattawmack, thence verging towards the south unto the further bank of the said river and follow- ing the same on the west and south unto a certain place called Cinquack, situate near the mouth of said river where it disembogues into the aforesaid bay of Chessopeake, and thence by the shortest line unto the aforesaid promontory or place called Watkius Point, thence a right line to the main ocean on the east. (See charter of Maryland.) The foregoing are substantially the present boundaries ; but from that time up to the present a controversy^ has been going on concerning them. In 1786 a compact was entered into between the States of Maryland and Virginia, but as this referred more particularly to the navigation (539) 84 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull.IX and exercise of jurisdiction on the waters of Chesapeake Bay, the Po- tomac and Pocoinoke Eivers, they are not given here. ( Vide Hening's Va., Vol. XII, p. 50.) From 1821 to 1858 frequent legislation took place in regard to this boundary. In the last-named year commissioners were appointed by Maryland and Virginia, respectively, who, with the assistance of Lieut. N. Mich- ler, United States Engineers, surveyed the lines. In 1860 the governor of Virginia, under a resolution of the legisla- ture, appointed and sent an agent to England to collect records and documentary evidence bearing on this question. The rebellion ensuing, nothing further was done until 1867, when legislation again commenced. The question of this boundary was referred to arbitrators by an agreement made in 1874, each State binding itself to accept their award as final and conclusive. J. S. Black, of Pennsylvania ; William A. Graham, of North Caro- lina, and Charles A. Jenkins, of Georgia, were appointed arbitrators. William A. Graham having died, James B. Beck, of Kentucky, was appointed in his stead. The arbitrators made, in 1877, the following award, viz : Beginning at the point on the Potomac River where the line between Virginia and West Virginia strikes the said river at low-water mark, and thence following the meauderings of said river by the low-water mark to Smith's Point, at or near the mouth of the Potomac, in the latitude 37° 53' 8" and longitude 76° 13' 46"; thence crossing the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, by a line running north 65° 30' east, about nine and a half nautical miles to a point on the western shore of Smith's Island at the north end of Sassafras Hammock, in latitude 37° 57' 13", longi- tude 76° 2' 52" ; thence across Smith's Island south 88° 30' east five thousand six hundred and twenty yards to the center of Horse Hammock, on the eastern shore of Smith's Island, iu latitude 37° 57' 8", longitude 75° 59' 20"; thence south 79° 30' east four thousand eight hundred and eighty yards to a point marked "A" on the accompanying map, in the middle of Tangier Sound, in latitude 37° 56' 42", longitude 75° 56' 23'', said point bearing from James Island light south 54° west, and distant from that light three thousand five hundred and sixty yards ; thence south 10" 30' west four thousand seven hundred and forty yards by a lino di- viding the waters of Tangier Souud, to a point where it intersects the straight line from Smith's Point tp Watkins Point, said point of intersection being in latitude 37° 54' 21", longitude 75° 56' 55", bearing from James Island light south 29° west and from Horse Hammock south 34° 30' east. This point of intersection is marked "»B" on the accompanying map. Thence north 85° 15' east six thousand seven hundred and twenty yards along the line above mentioned, which runs from Smith's Point to Wat- kins Point until it reaches the latter spot, namely Watkins Point, which is in lati- tude 37° 54' 38", longitude 75° 52' 44". From Watkins Point the boundary line runs due east seven thousand eight hundred and eighty yards to a point where it meets a line running through the middle of Poconioke Sound, which is marked "C" on the accompanying map, and is in latitude 37° 54' 38", longitude 75° 47' 50" ; thence by a line dividing the waters of Pocomoke Sound north 47° 30' east five thousand two hundred and twenty yards to a point in said sound marked "D" on the accompany- ing map, in latitude 37° 56' 25", longitude 75° 45' 26"; thence following the middle (540) GANNETT.] DISTEICT OF COLUMBIA. 85 of Pocomoke River by a Hue of irregular curves, as laid down on the accompanying map, until it intersects the westward protraction of the boundary line marked by Scarborough and Calvert, May ^8, 1668, at a point in the middle of Pocomoke River, and in the latitude 37° 59' 37", longitude 75° 37' 4" ; thence by the Scarborough and Calvert line, which runs 5° 15' north of east, to the Atlantic Ocean. The latitudes, longitudes, courses, and distances here given have been measured upon the Coast Chart No. 33 of U. S. Coast Survey, sheet No. 3, Chesapeake Bay. » » » The middle thread of the Pocomoke River and the low-water mark on the Potomac River are to be measured from headland to headland, without considering or following arms, inlets, creeks, bays, or affluent rivers. » » » ( Vide U. S. Stat, at Large, Vol. XX, p. 481.) This award was ratified by the States of Maryland and Virginia, and confirmed by Congress in 1879. In 1879-80 acts were jiasscd by the legislatures of Maryland and Virginia to appoint commissioners and to request the General Govern- ment to designate one or more officers of the Engineer Corps, said commissioners and officers to survey and mark said line and erect monu- ments thereon. West Virginia having been formed from a part of Virginia and ad- mitted into the Union in 1862, the western boundary of Maryland now separates it from the State of West Virginia. The commissioners appointed in 1859 by Virginia and Maryland {vide p. 84) surveyed the western boundary from the "Fairfax Stone" (the first fountain of the Potomac) due north to the Pennsylvania line, and the legislature of Maryland in 1860 passed an act declaring that line to to be its western boundary. f'l From the " Fairfax Stone " the boundary between Maryland and West Virginia runs along the south bank of the Potomac River till it strikes jthe line between Virginia and West Virginia. (For a history of the placing of the Fairfax Stone, vide Virginia, p. 90.) DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, On the 5th day of September, 1774, the Continental Congress met at Philadelphia. Two years later they adjourned to Baltimore. During the Revolution and subsequent to the treaty of peace they met in vari- ous places. After the close of the war much debate took place in re- gard to the location of a permanent seat of the Government of the United States. Several States made i)ropositions to Congress, offering to cede certain lands for the purpose, but no determination of the loca- tion was made by Congress until 1790. Act of cession from the State of Maryland, passed December 23, 1788. On the 23d of December, 1788, the State of Maryland passed the fol- lowing act, viz : Be it enacted hy the general assembly of Maryland, That the representatives of this (541) 86 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. State in the House of Representatives of tlie Congress of the United States, appointed to assemble at New York, on the first Wednesday of March next, be and they are hereby authorized and required on the behalf of this State to cede to the Congress of the United States, any district in this State not exceeding ten miles square, which the Congress may fix upon and accept for the seaf of government of the United States. In the following year (December 3, 1789), the State of Virginia passed a similar act, of which the following is an extract : Be it therefore enacted h\j the general assembly, That a tract of country not exceeding ten miles square or any lesser quantity, to be located within the limits of the State, and in any part thereof as Congress may by law direct shall be, and the same is hereby, forever ceded and relinquished to the Congress and Government of the United States, in full and absolute right and exclusive iurisdiction, as well of said soil as of persons residing or to reside thereon, pursuant to the tenor and effect of the eighth section of the 1st article of the Constitution of the Government of the United States. After long discussion, Congress in 1790, in view of the foregoing ces- sions of Maryland and Virginia, i)assed the following act, viz : AN ACT for establishing the temporary and permanent seat of government of the United States. Approved July IC, 1790. Sect. 1. Beit enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That a district of territory, not exceeding ten miles square, to be located as hereafter directed on the river Potowmac, at some place be- tween the mouth of the Eastern Branch and Connoyocheque, be, and the same is hereby, accepted for the permanent seat of the government of the United States. Provided nevertheless. That the operation of the laws of the State within snch district shall not be affected by this acceptance until the time fixed for the removal of the gov- ernment thereto, and until Congress shall otherwise by law provide. Sect. 2. And heit further enacted, That the President of the United States be author- ized to appoint, and by supplying vacancies happening from refusals to act or other causes, to keep in appointment as long as may be necessary, three commissioners, who, or any two of whom, shall, under the direction of the President, survey, and by proper metes and bounds define and limit, a district of territory, under the limitations above mentioned ; and the district so defined, limited, and located shall be deemed the district accepted by this act for the permanent seat of the government of the United States. Sect. 3. And be it enacted. That the said commissioners, or any two of them, shall have power to purchase or accept such quantity of land on the eastern side of the said river within the said district as the President shall deem proper for the use of the United States, and according to such plans as the President shall approve. The said commissioners, or any two of them, shall, prior to the first Monday in December in the year 1800, provide suitable buildings for the accommodation of Congress, and of the President, and for the public offices of the government of the United States. Sect. 4. And be it enacted. That for defraying the expenses of such purchases and buildings the President of the United States be authorized and requested to accept grants of money. Sect. 5. And be it enacted, That prior to thg first Monday in December next all ofiSces attached to the seat of government of the United States shall be removed to, and until the first Monday in December in the year 1800 shall remain at, the city of Phila- delphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, at which place the session of Congress next ensuing the present shall be held. Sect. 6. And be it enacted, That on the first Monday in December, in the year 1800, the seat of the government of the United States, shall, by virtue of this act, be trans- ferred to the district and place aforesaid. And all offices attached to the said seat of government shall accordingly be removed thereto by their respective holders, and (542) GANNETT.] DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 87 shall, after the said day, ceaso to be exercised elsewhere, and that the necessary ex- pense of said removal, shall be defrayed out of the duties on imposts and tonnage, of which a sufficient sum is hereby appropriated. In the following year the foregoing act was amended, in order to in- clude a portion of the Eastern Branch, and the town of Alexandria within the limits of the district. The following is the act of amendment: AN ACT to amend "An act for establishing the temporary and permanent scat of government of the United States." Approved March 3, 1791. Be it enacted, tfc, That so much of the act entitled "An act for establishing the tem- porary and permanent seat of the government of the United States, as requires that the whole of the district of territory, not exceeding ten miles square, to be located on the river Potowmac, for the permanent seat of the government of the United States, shall be located above the mouth of the Eastern Branch, be and is hereby repealed, and that it shall be lawful, for the President to raakeany part of the territory below said limit and above the mouth of Hunting Creek, a part of the said district so as to include a convenient port of the Eastern Branch, and of the lands lying on the lower side thereof; and also the town of Alexandria, and the territory so to be included shall form a part of the district not exceeding ten miles square for the permanent seat of the government of the United States, in like manner, and to all intents and ])urposes, as if the same had been within the the purview of the above recited act: Provided, That nothing herein contained, shall authorize the erection of the i>ublic buildings, otherwise than on ihe Maryland side of the river Potowmac, as required by the aforesaid act. In pursuance of the foregoing acts, three commissioners were ap- pointed, who made preliminary surveys of the territory, and on the 30th day of March, 1791, George Washington, President of the United States, issued a proclamation, in which the bounds of the said District were defined as follows, viz: Beginning at Jones' Point, being the upper cape of Hunting Creek, in Virginia, and at an angle in the outset of 45° west of the north, and running in a direct line ten miles for the first line ; then beginning again at the same Jones' Point and running another direct line at a right angle with the first, across the Potomac, ten miles for the second line; then, from the terminations of the said first and second lines, run- ning two other direct lines, of ten miles each, the one crossing the Potomac and the other the Eastern Branch aforesaid, and meeting each other in a point. In 1800 Congress removed to this District. In the following year the District was divided into two counties, as follows, viz: UNITED STATES STATUTES AT LARGE, SIXTH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION, 1801, (CHAPTER XV). AN ACT concerning the District of Columbia. The said District of Columbia shall be formed into two counties. One county shall contain all that part of said District which lies on the east side of the river Potomac, together with the islands therein, and shall be called the county of AVashington, the other county shall contain all that part of said District which lies on the west side of said river, and shall be called the county of Alexandria ; and the said river, in its whole course through said District, shall be taken and deemed to all intents and pur- poses to be within both of (taid counties. (543) 88 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [buix. 13. Ill 1846 Congress passed an act retrocediug to the State of Virginia that part of the District of Columbia originally ceded to the United States by Virginia. The following is an extract from said act of retro- cession : That witli assent of tlie people of tbo county and town of Alexandria, to be ascer- tained as hereinafter prescribed, all of that portion of the District of Columbia ceded to the United States by the State of Virginia, and all the rights and jurisdiction therewith ceded over the same, be, and the same are, hereby ceded and forever re- linquished to the State of Virginia in full and absolute right and jurisdiction, as well of soil as of persons residing or to reside thereon. VIRGINIA. In the year IGOG King James I of England granted the '' First Char- ter of Virginia." The boundaries therein described are as follows, viz: * * * Situate, lying, or being all along the sea coasts, between four and thirty degrees of northerly latitude from the equinoctial line, and five and forty degrees of the same latitude, and in the main land between the same four and thirty and five and forty degrees and the islands thereunto adjacent, or within one hundred miles of the coast thereof. * * * Soon after, in 1009, a new charter was granted, called the " Second Charter of Virginia," which defines the boundaries in the following terms : * * * Situate, lying, and being in that part of America called Virginia^ from the point of land called Cape or Point Comfort, all along the sea coast to the north- ward two hundred miles, and from the said point of Cape Comfort all along the sea coast to the southward two hundred miles, and all that space and circuit of land lying from the sea coast of the precinct aforesaid up into the land, throughout from sea to sea, west and northwest, and also all the islands lying within one hundred miles along the coast of both seas of the precinct aforesaid. * * * In 1611-'12 the " Third Charter of Virginia " was granted, which was an enlargement of the second, of which the following is an extract : All and singular those islands whatsoever, situate and being in any part of the ocean seas bordering upon the coast of our said first colony in Virginia, and being within three hundred leagues of any of the portes heretofore granted to the said treasurer and company in our former letters-patents as aforesaid, and being within or between the one-and -fortieth and thirtieth degrees of northerly latitude. These boundaries, as will be seen, included territory composing wholly, or in part, the present States of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, North and South Carolina, in addition to others forme'd since the Revo- lution. This large extent of territory was reduced in the first instance by the charter of Maryland in 1632, next by the charters of Carolina in 1663 and 1665, then by the charter of Pennsylvania in 1681, and, again, sub- sequent to the Revolution, by the cession to the United States of the territory northwest of the Oh'o River in 1784 j by the admission of (544) BAKNEXT.] VIRGINIA. 89 Kentucky as an independent State in 1792, and lastly by tlie division of the territory of Virginia in 1862, by which the new State of West Vir- ginia was created and admitted into the Union. By the constitution of 1776 Virginia formally gave up all claim to the territory now appertaining to the neighboring States of Maryland, Penn- sylvania, North and Soutli Carolina. The following is an extract from the Virginia constitution of 1776 : The territories contained within the charters erecting the colonies of Maryland, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, are hereby ceded, released, and forever confirmed to the people of these colonies, respectively, with all the rights of prop- erty, jurisdiction, and government, and all the rights whatsoever, which might at any time heretofore have been claimed by Virginia, except the free navigation and use of the rivers Potomaque and Pokomoke, with the property of the Virginia shores and strands bordering on either of said rivers, and all improvements which have been or shall be made thereon. The western and northern extent of Virginia shall, in all other respects, stand as fixed by the charter of King James I, in the year one thou- sand six hundred and nine, and by the public treaty of peace between the courts of Britain and France in the year one thousand seven hundred and sixty-three, unless by act of the legislature one or more governments be established westwards of the Alleghany Mountains. In the mean time a grant of territory had been made, within the pres- ent limits of Virginia and West Virginia, which caused great dissatis- faction to the people of the Virginia Colony, and which ultimately had an important bearing in settling the divisional line between Maryland and Virginia. In the 21st year of Charles II a grant was made to Lord Hapton and others of what is called the northern neck of Virginia, which was sold by the other i)atentees to Lord Culpeper and confirmed to him by letters- patent in the fourth year of James II. This grant carried with it noth- ing but the right of soil and incidents of ownership, it being expressly subjected to the jurisdiction of the government of Virginia. The tract of land thereby granted was " bounded by and within the heads of the rivers Tappahannock, alias Eappahannock, and Quiriough, alias Pato- mac, rivers." On the death of Lord Culpeper, this proprietary tract descended to Lord Fairfax, who had married Lord Culpeper's only daughter. As early as 1729 difficulties sprung uji, arising from conflicting grants from Lord Fairfax and the Crown. In 1730 Virginia petitioned the King, reciting that the head springs of the Eappahannock and Potomac Rivers were not known, and pray- ing that such measures might be taken that they might be ascertained to the satisfaction of all parties. In 1733 Lord Fairfax made a similar petition, asking that a commis- sion might issue for running out, marking, and ascertaining the true boundaries of his grant. An order, accordingly, was issued and three commissioners were ap- pointed on the part of the Crown and three on the part of Lord Fairfax. (545) 90 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES :bull. 13. The duty wliicb devolved upon these commissioners was to ascertain by actual examination and survey the respective fountains of the Rap- pahannock and Potomac E-ivers. This survey was made in 1736. The report of the commissioners was referred to the council for plan- tation affairs in 1738, who reported their decision in 1745, as follows, viz: * # # rpi^g gj^i^l boundary ought to begin at tbe first spring of the south branch of the river Rappahauuock, and that the said boundary be from thence drawn in a straight line northwest to the place in the Alleghany Mountains where that part of the Potomac River, which is now called Cohongoroota, first rises. *■ * » This report was confirmed by the King-, and commissioners were ap- pointed to run and mark the dividing line accordingly. The line was run in 1746. On the 17th day of October, 1746, they planted the Fairfax stone at the spot which had been described and marked by the preceding commissioners as the true head spring of the Potomac Kiver, and which, notwithstanding much controversy, has continued to be regarded, from that period to the present time, as the southern point of the western boundary between Virginia and Mary- land. ( Vide Faulkner's Eeport to Governor of Virginia, 1832. For full details, vide Byrd Papers, 1866, Vol. II, p. 83 et seq. Also Heniug's Va. Statutes.) This tract of country was held by Lord Fairfax and his descendants many years, but subsequent to the Revolution the quitrents, charges, etc., were abolished and it became in all respects subject to the juris- diction of Virginia. (For the history of the settlement of the boundary lines between Vir- ginia and Maryland, vide Maryland, p. 83.) (For a histor^^ of the boundary between Virginia and Penn8ylva,nia, vide Pennsylvania, p. 80.) Kentucky formed originally a part of the county of Fincastle, Vir- ginia. In the year 1776, this county was divided into three counties, the westernmost of which was called Kentucky County, and its eastern boundary was declared to be as follows, viz : A line beginning on the Ohio, at the mouth of Great Sandy Creek, and running up the same and the wain or northeasterly branch thereof to the Great Laurel Ridge or Cumberland Mountains ; thence southwesterly along the said mountain to the line of North Carolina. (See Heniug's Statutes, Virginia, Vol. 9, p. 257.) Kentucky having been admitted into the Union June 1, 1792, com- missioners were appointed in 1798 by Virginia and Kentucky to fix the boundary. In 1799-1800 the commissioners' report was made and rati- fied by the States. It was as follows, viz : To begin at the point where the Carolina, now Tennessee, line crosses the top of the Cumberland Mountains, near Cumberland Gap, thence northeastwardly along the top or highest part of the said Cumberland Mountain, keeping between the head waters of Cumberland and Kentucky Rivers, on the west side thereof, and the head waters of Powell's and Guest's Rivers, and the Pond Fork of Sandy, on the east side therof, continuing along the said top, or highest part of said mountain, crossing the road (046) GANNETT.] VIRGINIA. 91 leading over the same at the Little Paint Gap, where by some it is called the Hollow Mountain and where it terminates at the West Fork of Sandy, commonly called Rus- sell's Fork, thence with a line to be run north 45° east till it intersects the other great principal branch of Sandy, commonly called the Northeastwardly branch, thence down the said Northeastwardly branch to its junction with the main west branch and down Main Sandy to its confluence with the Ohio. (See Shepard's Virginia, Vol. 2> p. 234.) It will be seen that the latter part of this line is the present line be- tween West Virginia and Kentucky. (For the history of the settlement of the boundaries between Virginia and North Carolina, vide North Carolina, vide p. 94.) In 1779 Virginia and North Carolina appointed commissioners to run the boundary line between the two States west of the Alleghany Moun- tains, on the parallel of 36° 30'. The commissioners were unable to agree on the location of the parallel ; they therefore ran two parallel lines two miles apart, the northern known as Henderson's, and claimed by North Carolina, the southern known as V^alker's line, and claimed by Virginia. In the year 1789 North Carolina ceded to the United States all territory west of her present boundaries, and Tennessee being formed from said ceded territory, this question became one between Virginia and Tennessee. Commissioners having been appointed by Virginia and Tennessee to establish the boundary, their report was adopted in 1803, and was as fol- lows, viz : A duo west line equally distant from both Walker's and Henderson's, beginning ou the summit of the mountain generally known as White To]) Mountain, where the northeast corner of Tennessee terminates, to the top of the Cumberland Mountain, where the southwestern corner of Virginia terminates. In 1871 Virginia passed an act to appoint commissioners to adjust this line. Tennessee, the following year, in a very emphatic manner, passed a resolution refusing to reopen a question regarding a boundary which she considered " fixed and established beyond dispute forever." (See acts of Tennessee,- 1872.) Up to 1783 Virginia exercised jurisdiction over a large tract of coun- try northwest of the Ohio River. But by a deed executed March 1, 1781, she ceded to the United States all territory lying northwest of the Ohio River, thus making her western boundary the west bank of the Ohio River. Ou the 31st of December, 18G2, the State of Virginia was divided, and 48 counties, composing the western j)art of the State, were made the new State of West Virginia. By an act of Congress in 18G6, con- sent was given to the transfer of two additional counties from Virginia to West Virginia. In 1873 and 1877 commissioners were appointed by each State to determine the true boundaries between the two States, and the General (547) 92 BOUNDAEIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. Government was asked to detail officers of engineers to act with said commissioners in surveying and fixing the line. Until their report is at hand, the boundary can only be found by fol- lowing the old county lines. In view of the expectation of such report at an early day, it has not been thought best to go into an examination of the old county lines. WEST VIRGINIA. N This State was set off from Virginia on December 31, 1862. It was originally formed of those counties of Virginia which had refused to join in the secession movement. It was admitted to the Union as a separate State, June 19, 1863. It originally contained the following counties: Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Brooke, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Doddridge, Fayette, Gilmer, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Hancock, Hardy, Harrison, Jackson, Kanawha, Lewis, Logan, Marion, Marshall, Mason, McDowell, Mercer, Monongalia, Monroe, Morgan, Nicholas, Ohio, Pen- dleton, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Preston, Putnam, Ealeigh, Randolph, Eitchie, Roane, Taylor, Tucker, Tyler, Upshur, Wayne, Webster, Wetzel, Wirt, Wood, Wyoming. In 1866 it was enlarged by the two counties of Berkeley and Jefferson, transferred from Virginia. Its boundary with Virginia is made up of boundary lines of the border counties above enumerated ; and can be defined only by reference to the laws by which these counties were created. In the constitution of 1872, after a recapitulation of the coun- ties which were transferred from Virginia to West Virginia, is found the following clause defining the boundaries upon the south and west : The State of West Virginia includes the bed, bank, and shores of the Ohio River, and so much of the Big Sandy River as was formerly included in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and all territorial rights and property in and jurisdiction over the same heretofore reserved by and vested in the Commonwealth of Virginia, are vested in and shall hereafter be exercised by the State of West Virginia ; and such parts of the said beds, banks, and shores as lie opposite and adjoining the several counties of this State shall form parts of said several counties respectively. (For a history of the boundaries of West Yirgima,,. vide Pennsylvania, p. 79 ; Maryland, p. 83 ; Virginia, p. 88.) NORTH CAROLINA. In the year 1663 the '• first charter of Carolina" was granted, which, two years later, in 1665, was enlarged by the " second charter of Caro- lina." (548) GAMNETT.J WEST VIKGINIA — NORTH CAROLINA. 93 The followiug extracts from these two charters define the boundaries : Charter of Carolina, 16G3. • * * All that territory or tract of ground, scituate, lying and being within our dominions of America, extending from the north end of the island called Lucke Island, which lieth in the Southern Virginia seas, and within six and thirty degrees of the northern latitude, and to the west as far as the south seas, and so southerly as far as the river Saint Matthias, which borderoth on the coast of Florida, and within one and thirty degrees of northern latitude, and so west in a direct line as far as the south seas aforesaid. * » * Charter of Carolina, 1665. * * * All that province, territory, or tract of laud, scituate, lying or being in our dominions of America, aforesaid, extending north and eastward as far as the north end of Currituck River, or inlet, upon a strait westerly line to Wyonoke Creek, which lies within or about the degrees of thirty-six and thirty luiuutes, northern lat- itude, and so west in a direct lino as far as the south seas. * * » This is an extension of the charter of 1663, by which its northern boundary was removed from the approximate latitude of 36° to 36° 30', on which parallel it is now approximately established. Although the exact year in which the division of the province of Carolina into the two provinces of North and South Carolina appears somewhat uncer- tain, I find it generally put down as 1729. The division line between the two provinces, North and South Carolina, appears to have been established by mutual agreement. In the constitution of North Carolina of 177G this line is defined as shown in the subjoined extract: The property of the soil, in a free government, being one of the essential rights of the collective body of the people, it is necessary, in order to avoid future disputes, that the limits of the State should be ascertained with precisiou ; and as the former temporary line between North and South Carolina was confirmed and extended by commissioners appointed by the legislatures of the two States, agreeable to the order of the late King George II in council, that line, and that only, should be esteemed the southern boundary of this State ; that is to say, beginning on the sea side at a cedar stake, at or uear the mouth of Little River (being the southern extremity of Brunswic County), and running from thence a northwest course through the bound- ary house, which stands in thirty-three degrees fifty-six minutes, to thirty-five de- grees north latitude, and from thence a west course so far as is mentioned in the charter of King Charles II to the late proprietors of Carolina. Therefore, all the territory, seas, waters, and harbours, with their appurtenances, lying between the line above described, and the southern line of the State of Virginia, which begins on the sea shore, in thirty-six degrees thirty minutes north latitude, and from thence runs west, agreeable to the said charter of King Charles, are the right aud property of the people of the State, to be held by them in sovereignty, any partial line, with- out the consent of the legislature of this State, at any time thereafter directed or laid out in anywise notwithstanding. On December 2, 1789, the legislature passed an act ceding to the United States its western lands, now constituting the State of Tennes- see. On February 25, 1790, the deed was offered, and on April 2 of the same year it was accepted by the United States. (549) 94 ' BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. In the Revised Statutes the north and south boundaries of tlie State are claimed to be as follows: The northern boundary, the parallel of 36° 30'; the southern boundary, a line running northwest from Goat Island on the coast in latitude 33° 5G' to the parallel of 35°, and thence along that parallel to Teuuessee; while the western boundary is the Smoky Mountains. It is strange that the Revised Statutes should con- tain such a statement of the bouudary lines when it is thoroughly well known that it is incorrect, es])ecially as regards the southern boundary. In the case of the northern bouudary the intention has been from the earliest colonial times down to the present to establish a line upon the parallel of 30° 30'. This is found to be the wording of every legislative act relating to it, and the errors of this boundary are due simply to errors in surveying and location. The following brief and comprehen- sive sketch of the north and south boundary lines of this State, and of the various attempts made to locate them, is taken from Professor Kerr's "Geology of North Carolina," vol. 1, page 2: "The first aud only serious attempt to ascertain the uortberu bouuclary was that made iu 1728, by Col. Wm. Byrd, and others, commissioners on the part of the two colonies, acting under Royal authority. From the account given by Byrd of this undertaking, it appears that they started from a point on the coast whose position they determined by observation to be in 3()"-' 31', north latitude, and ran due west (correcting for the variation of the compass), to Nottoway River, where they made an offset of a half mile to the mouth of that stream, again running west. The line was run and marked 242 miles from the coast, to a point in Stokes County, on the up- per waters of the Dan River (on Peter's creek) the North Caroliua commissioners accompanying the party only about two-thirds of the distance. Beyond this point, the line was carried some 90 miles by another joint commission of the two colonies in 1749 ; this survey, terminating at Steep Rock Creek, on the east of Stone Mountain, and near the i)re8ent northwest corner of the State, was estimated to be 329 nules from the coast. In 1779 the line was taken up again at a point on Steep Rock Creek, de- termined by observation to be on the jiarallel of 3Cfi 30' (the marks of the previous survey having disappeared entirely), and carried west to and beyond Bristol, Tenn- essee. This last is known as the Walker line, from one of the commissioners of Vir- ginia. These lines were run aud the latitude observations taken with very imperfect in- struments, and the variation of the compass was little understood, so that it was not possible to trace a parallel of latitude. The line, besides, was only marked on the trees and soou disappeared, and as the settlements were very scattered the loca- tion soon becauie a matter of vague tradition and presently of contention and litiga- tiou, so that in ISiiS, at the instance of Virginia, commissioners were appointed to re- locate the line from the end of the Byrd survey westward, but for some reason they did not act. In 1870 connuissiouers were again api)ointed by Virginia and similar action asked on the part of this State ; and the i)roposition was renewed in 1871, but iueftectually, as before. In all these numerous attempts to establish the line of divis- ion between the two colonies aud States, the iutenti.)n and the specific instructions have been to ascertain and nuirk, as the bouudary of the two States, the paralhl of 36° 30'. Tile maps published towards the end of last century ))y Jellerson and others give that parjillel iis the line, and the bill of rights of North Caroliua claims that ''all the territory lying b(^twocu the line above described (the line between North aud South Carolina) and the southern line of the State of Virginia, which begins on the sea shore iu 36° 30' north latitude, and from thence runs west, agreeably to the (550) GANNRTT.] NORTH CAROLINA. 95 charter of Kiug Charles, are the right and property of this State." But it appears from the operations of the United States Coast Survey at both ends of the line that the point of beginning on Currituck Inlet, instead of being, as so constantly assumed, in latitude 36° 30', or as determined by the surveyors in 1728, 36° 31' is 36° 33' 15", and the western end (of "the Walker line," of 1779, at Bristol, Tenn.) 36° 34' 25.5". It is stated in Byrd's Journal that the variation of the compass was ascertained to be a little less than 3° W. [The magnetic chart of the United States Coast Survey would make it 3° E.] And no account is given of any subsequent correction, and if none was made at the end of the line surveyed by him the course would have been in error by nearly 3°, as the amount of variation in this State changes a little more than 1° for every 100 miles of easting or westing. So that the northern boundary of the State as run is not only not the parallel of 36° 30', but is far from coincident with any parallel of latitude, and must be a succession of curves, with their concavities northward and connected at their ends by north and south offsets. The southern boundary between this State and South Carolina and Georgia was first established by a joint colonial commission in 1735 to 1746. The commissioners run a line from Goat Island on the Coast (in latitude 33° 56' as supposed) NW to the parallel of 35°, according to their observations, and then dne west to within a few miles of the Catawba River, and here, at the old Salisbury and Charleston road, turned north along that road to the southeast corner of the Catawba Indian Lands. This line, resurveyed in 1764, was afterwards (in 1772) continued along the eastern and northern boundaries of the Catawba lands to the point where the latter intersects the Catawba River ; thence along and up that river to the mouth of the South Fork of the Catawba, and thence due west, as supposed, to a point near the Blue Ridge. This part of the line was resurveyed and confirmed by commissioners under acts of as- sembly of 1803, 1804, 1806, 1813, 1814, and 1815, and continued west to and along the Saluda Mountains and the Blue Ridge to the intersection of the "Cherokee bound- ary " of 1797, and thence in a direct line to the Chatooga River at its intersection with the parallel of 35°. From this point the line was run west to the Tennessee line, be- tween this State and Georgia, in 1807, and confirmed and established by act of 1819. The boundary between this State and Tennessee was run, according to the course designated in the act of 1789, entitled "An act for the purpose of ceding to the United States certain western lands therein described" (the State of Tennessee) ; thatis, along the crest of the Smoky Mountains, from the Virginia line to the Cataluche River (in Haywood County), in 1799, under act of 1796. It was continued from this point to the Georgia line in 1821. The commissioners who completed this line, at the date last- mentioned, instead of following their instructions, diverged from the crest of the Smoky (Unaka) Mountains at the intersection of the Hiwassee turnpike, and run due south to the Georgia line, thereby losing for the State the valuable mining region since known as Ducktown. And as to the southern boundary, thepoint of beginning on Goat Island is in latitude 33° 51' 37", as shown by the Coast Survey, and instead of running from Goat Island northwest to latitude of 3.5° and thence along that parallel, it appears, from the South Carolina Geographical State Survey of 1821-'25, that the course from the start-. ing point is N. 47° 30' W., and instead of pursuing the parallel of 35° it turns west about 10 miles south of that line, and then on approaching the Catawba River, turns northward pursuing a zigzag line to the forks of the Catawba River, which is about 12 miles north of that parallel ; and from this point to the mountains the boundary line (of 1772) runs, not west, but N. 88° W., bringing its western end about 17 miles too far north, and reaching the (supposed) parallel of 35° at a distance of about 130 miles east of the Catawba River. The loss of territory resulting from these singular deviations is probably between 500 and 1,000 square miles. The following extract from the constitution of 1796, of Tennessee, (551) 96 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 18. (lefiues the easteru boundary of that State, which is the western bound- ary of North Carolina, as it was intended to be run and marked : Begiuuiug ou tho extreme heiglit of the Stone Mountain at the place where the line of Virginia intersects it in latitude thirty-six degrees and thirty minutes north ; running thence along the extreme height of the said mountain to the place where Watauga River breaks through it : thence a direct course to the toj) of the Yellow Mountain, where Bright's road crosses the same ; thence along the ridge of said mountain between the waters of Doe River and the waters of Rock Creek, to the place where tho road crosses the Iron Mountain ; from thence along the extreme height of said mountain to where Nolichucky River runs through tho same; thence to the top of tho Bald Mountain; thence along the extreme height of said mountain to the Painted Rock on French Broad River ; thence along the highest ridge of said nioimlaiu to the place where it is called the Groat Iron or Smoky Mountain ; thence along the extreme height of said mountain to the place where it is called Unicoi or Uuaka Mountain between the Indian towns of Cowee and Old Chota ; thence along the main ridge of the said mountain to the southern boundary of this State as de- scribed in the act of cession of North Carolina to the United States of America. In 1879 the legishitnre passed an act to appoint commissioners to make a survey from the northeast corner of Georgia westward. This point of ooir.iiienccmeut is common to North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. In 1881 the legislature passed another act, providing for the appoint- ment of a commissioner, who should act with commissioners from Vir- ginia, South Carolina, Georgia, or Tennessee, to re-run and re-mark the boundaries between North Carolina and the other States. SOUTH CAROLINA. The territory included in the present State of South Carolina was included in the charter of Carolina, which also embraced what is now the State of Georgia. ( Vide North Carolina, p. 93.) f In 1729 the province of Carolina was divided, forming the two prov- inces of North Carolina and South Carolina. In 1732 the extent of South Carolina was reduced by the charter of Georgia. ( Vide Georgia, p. 97.) (For a history of the settlement of the boundary between North Car- •olina and South Carolina, vide North Carolina, p. 93.) By the charter of Georgia the line between South Carolina and Geor- gia was to be the Savannah Eiver, to the head thereof. In 1762 difficul- ties having arisen, concerning the interpretation of the charter, as re- garded the head of the Savannah, and also the title to the lands south of tlie Altauialia Eiver, Georgia made complaint to the King, who issued a proclamation in 1703 giving the lands between the Altamaha and Saint Mary's Kivers to Georgia. The question of the boundary on the Savannah, however, remained unsettled until 1787, when a conven- (552) (3AKiiBTi.j South Carolina — Georgia. ^7 tion between tlie two States was held at Beaufort, S. C, to determine the same, and the line was fixed as at present. The following is an extract from the articles of agreement: The most northern branch or stream of the river Savannah from the sea or mouth of such stream to the fork or confluence of the rivers now called Tngaloo and Eeowa, and from thence the most northern branch or stream of the said river Tngaloo till it intersects the northern boundarj^ line of South Carolina, if the said branch or stream of Pugaloo extends so far north, reserving all the islands in the said rivers Savannah and Tngaloo to Georgia ; but if the head sirring or source of any branch or stream of the said river Tugaloo does not extend to the north boundary line of South Carolina, then a west line to the Mississippi, to be drawn from the head spring or source of the said branch or stream of Tugaloo River which extends to the highest northern latitude, shall forever hereafter form the separation, limit, and boundary between the States of South Carolina and Georgia. (Laws of the United States, Vol. I, p. 466.) In the same year South Carolina ceded to the United States a nar- row strip of territory south of the North Carolina line, which she claimed, about 12 or "14 miles wide, and extending to the Mississippi Elver ; this strip now forms the northern portion of Georgia, Alabama, and Missis- sippi. Georgia being thus increased in extent northwardly, the line between the two States is clearly expressed in the code of South Caro- lina, as follows, viz: The Savannah River, from its entrance into the ocean to the confluence of the Tug- aloo and Keowa Rivers ; thence by the Tugaloo River to the confluence of the Tugaloo and Chatooga Rivers; thence by the Chatooga River to the North Carolina line in the thirty-fifth degree of north latitude, the line being low-water mark at the south- ern shore of the most northern stream of said rivers, where the middle of the rivers is broken by islands, and middle thread of the stream where the rivers flow in one stream or volume. GEORGIA. Georgia was included in the proprietary charter granted to the lords proprietors of Carolina in 1663 and 1665, for which a provincial charter was substituted in 1719. In 1732 the charter of Georgia as an independent colony was granted by King George II, of which the following is an extract: All those lands, countrys, and territories situate, lying and being in tbafc part of South Carolina, hi America, which lies from the most northern part of a stream or river there, commonly called the Savannah, all along the sea-coast to the southward, unto the most southern stream of a certain other great water or river called the Al- tamaha, and westerly from the heads of the said rivers, respectively, in direct lines to the south seas. This charter was surrendered in 1752 and a provincial government established. ((L & C, p. 369 et seq.) In 1763 tlie territory between the Altamaha and Saint Mary's Rivers was added to Georgia by royal proclamation. ( Yide South Carolina, |). 96.) (553) 459G— Bull, i;; 7 ioners under the trea»y of 1795 was incorrect. In 1859 commissioners were appointed by Georgia and Florida to rerun the line. Florida ratified their report in 1861, and Georgia in 1866. The detailed report of the commissioners is not at hand, but the line is declared in the statutes of Georgia as follows, viz: From a point on the western bank of the Chattahochee River in the Slat degree of north latitude; thence along the line or limit of high-water mark to its junction with the Flint River; thence along a certain line of survey made by Gustavus J. Orr, a surveyor on the part of Georgia, and W. Whitner, a surveyor on the part of Florida, beginning at a four-and-aft tree, about four chains below the present junction ; thence aloug this line east, to a point designated thirty-seven links north of ElUcott's Mound on the St. Mary's River; thence along the middle of said river to the Atlantic Ocean. ( Vide Code of Ga., 1873, p. 7.) This line is also given in the code of Florida, and differs in one re- spect, viz, from the thirty-first degree of north latitude down the middle of said river to its confluence with the Flint River, etc. ( Vide Code of Florida, 1872.) The line between Georgia and Alabama was fixei by the act of ces- sion of Georgia to the United States in 1802. In 1822-25, Georgia desiring to have the line run from the Chatta- hoochee to where it strikes the Tennessee line, appointed commissioners for that i)urpose, and requested the co-operation of Alabama and the United States, both, however, failing to take action. The Georgia com- missioners ran the line from Nickajack, on the Tennessee line, to Mil- ler's Bend, on the Chattahoochee. (For a history of the controversy con- cerning this line, vide laws of Georgia, 1822-'24-'25-'26. ) Alabama protested against the above line and made repeated efforts to reopen negotiations concerning it, to all which Georgia sturdily re- fused to accede, until finally, January 24, 1840, the legislature of Ala- bama passed the following joint resolution, viz: Resolved, That the State of Alabama will, and do, hereby accept, as the true dividing line between this State and that of Georgia, the line which was run and marked out by the commissioners of Georgia in 1826, beginning at what is called Miller's Bend, on the Chattahoochee River ; thence along said marked line to Nickajack. The line is given in the code of Alabama in the following words, Aiz : The boundary line between Alabama and Georgia commences on the west side of the Chattahoochee River at the point where it enters the State of Florida; from thence up the river, along the western bank thereof, to the point on Miller's Bend next above the place where the Uchee Creek empties into such river ; thence in a di- rect line to Nickajack. (See code of Alabama, 1876, p. 189.) In James's Hand-book of Georgia, 1876, p. 121, is the following de- scription of the western boundary of Georgia, viz : From Nickajack the line between Georgia and Alabama runs south 9° 30' east to Miller's Bend, on the Chattahoochee River, about 146 miles; thence down the western bank of the river at high-water mark to its junction with Flint River, at a point now four chains below the actual junction, latitude 30° 42' 42", longitude 80« 53' 15". (556) aANNBTT.I GEORGIA— FLOEIDA. 101 FLORIDA. Florida was originally settled by the Spaniards, and was held as a Spanish province nearly two hundred years. In 1762 it was ceded by Spain to Great Britain, who divided it into the two provinces of East and West Florida, se[)arated by the Appalachicola River, with a northern boundary substantially as at present. [Vicle Fairbanks' History of Florida.) In 1783 Great Britain retroeeded Floiida to Spain, and the northern / boundary was fixed by the treaty of peace between the United States I and Great Britain signed in the same year. Spain, however, claimed the territory as far north as the parallel of latitude of the mouth of the Yazoo Eiver. Previous to this, in 1763, France had ceded Louisiana to Spain, which Spain retroeeded to France in 18()tt, and in 1803 France ceded the same to the United States, who claimed that the eastern boundary of the said province of Louisiana, so often ceded, was the Perdido Kiver, while Spain claimed it to be the Iberville River and Lakes Maurepas and Pont- chartrain. The controversy arising from the difference of interpreta- tion of these various treaties and cessions was terminated by the treaty of Washington in 1819, whereby Spain ceded to the United States the provinces of East and West Florida. 'Jn March 30, 1822, by an act of Congress, the territory ceded to the United States by Spain was made the " Territory of Florida," embrac- ■ ing the same extent as does the present State. On March 3, 1845, Florida was admitted into the Union as an inde- pendent State. (For a history of the northern boundary of Florida vide Georgia, p. 99.) In 1831 Congress passed an act relating to the boundary between Florida and Alabama, of which the following is an extract: AN ACT to ascertain and mark the line between the State of Alabama and the Territory of Florida, and the northern boundary of the State of Illinois, and for other purposes. That the President of the United States he, and he is hereby, authorized to cause to be ruu and marked the boundary line between the State of Ahibania and the Ter- ritory of Florida, by Iho surveyors-general of Alabama and F.orida, on the thirty- first degree of north latitude. {Vide U. S. Stat, at Large, Vol. IV, p. 479.) In 1847 the agreement of commissioners previously appointed by Flor- ida and Alabama was ratified, and the line is described as follows, viz: Commencing on the Chattahoochee River near a place known as " Irwin's Mills" and running west to the Perdido, marked throughotit by blazes on the trees, and also by mounds of earth thrown up on the line at distances of one mile, more or less, from each other, and commonly known as "Elhcott's Line," or the "Mound Line." (Vide Florida Code, 1873, p. 100.) (557) 102 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. The line between the two States is given in general terms in the Florida Code as follows, viz : Commencing at tlie month of the Perdido River, from thence np the middle of said river to where it intersects the south boundary line of the State of Alabama and the thirty-first degree of north latitude ; then due east to the Chattahoochee River. ALABAMA. In 1798 the United States formed the Territory of Mississippi, includ- ing— All that tract of country bounded on the west by the Mississippi, on the north by a line to be drawn due east from the mouth of the Yasous to the Chattahouchee River, on the east by the Chattahouchee River, and on the south by the thirty-first degree of north latitude. (Vide U. S. Stat, at Large, Vol. I, p. 549.) In this act was a clause reserving the right of Georgia and of indi- viduals to the jurisdiction of the soil thereof. South Carolina and Georgia having ceded to the United States their claim to territory west of their present limits, the General Government, in 1804, by an act of Congress, annexed the tract of country lying north of Mississippi Territory and south of the State of Tennessee, and bounded on the east by Georgia and west by Louisiana, to the Terri- tory of Mississippi. {Vide D. S. Stat, at Large, Vol. II, p. 305.) Also in 1812 the United States added to Mississippi Territory all the lands lying east of Pearl Eiver, west of the Perdido and south of the thirty- first degree of latitude. ( Vide U. S. Stat, at Large, Vol. II, p. 734.) By these additions the Territory of Mississippi was made to comprise what is now included in the two States of Alabama and Mississippi. On March 8, 1817, by an act of Congress the Territory of Alabama was formed from the eastern portion of the Territory of Mississippi, with the following boundaries, viz : Beginning at the point where the line of the thirty-first degree of north latitude intersects the Perdido River; thence east to the western boundary line of the State of Georgia; thence along said line to the southern boundary line of the State of Ten- nessee; thence west along said boundary line to the Tennessee River; thence up the same to the mouth of Bear Creek; thence by a direct line to the northwest corner of Washington County ; thence due south to the Gulf of Mexico ; thence, eastwardly, in- cluding all the islands within 6 leagues of the shore, to the Perdido River; and thence up the same to the beginning. (Vide U. S. Stat, at Large, Vol. Ill, p. 371.) On December 14, 1819, Alabama was admitted as an independent State, with the above boundaries. It was, however, made the duty of the surveyor of the public lands south of Tennessee and the surveyor of lands in Alabama Territory to run and cut out the line of demarca- tion between the two States of Alabama and Mississippi, and if it should appear to said surveyors that so much of the line designated as (558) GANNETT.] ALABAMA Mr^SISSlPPI. 103 lunDing due soutli from the northwest corner of Washington County to the Gulf of Mexico should encroach on the counties of Wayne, Greene, and Jackson, in the State of Mississippi, then the same should be al- tered so as to run in a direct line from the northwest corner of Wash- ington County to a point on the Gulf of Mexico 10 miles east of the mouth of the River Pascagoula. {Vide U. S. Stat, at Large, Vol. Ill, p. 490.) (For the history of the boundaries between Alabama and Georgia vide Georgia, p. 98. For the history of the boundaries between Ala- bama and Florida, vide Florida, p. ]01.) The boundary between Alabama and Tennessee is the thirty-fifth par- allel of north latitude {vide North Carolina, p. 94) ; from Nickajack {vide Georgia, p. 98) west across the Tennessee River, and on to the sec- ond intersection of said river by said parallel. ( Ff<7e Alabama Code, 1876, p. 189.) The boundary between Alabama and Mississippi was to be run by surveyors, under the act of admission of Alabama. The report of said surveyors is not at hand, but the line as laid down in the Mississippi Code is as follows, viz : Begiuuing at a point ou the west bank of the Tennessee River, six four-pole chains eouth of, and above, the mouth of Yellow Creek; thence up the said river to the mouth of Bear Creek; thence by a direct line to what was formerly the northwest corner of Washington County, Alabama; thence in a direct Jine to a point ten miles east of the Pascagoula Eiver, on the Gulf of Mexico. ( FWe Mississippi Code, pp. 48, 49). MISSISSIPPI. (For the early history of the extent of Mississippi Territory vide Alar bama, p. 102.) On December 10, 1817, the western part of the Mississippi Territory was made a State and admitted into the Union, with the following boundaries, viz : Beginning on the river Mississippi at the point where the southern boundary of the State of Tennessee strikes the same; thence east along the said boundary line to the Tennessee Eiver; thence uj) the same to the mouth of Bear Creek; thence by a direct line to the northwest corner of the county of Washington ; thence due south to the Gulf of Mexico ; thence westwardiy , including all the islands within six leagues of the shore, to the most eastern junction of Pearl River with Lake Borgnej thence up said river to the thirty-tirst degree of north latitude; thence west along said de- gree of latitude to the Mississippi River ; thence up the same to the beginning. ( Vide U. S. Stat, at Large, Vol. Ill, p. 348.) ( For further information concerning eastern boundary, vide Alabama, p. 102.) In 1819 the line between Mississippi and Tennessee was run by com- missioners. Their report is not at hand. In 1833 the legislature of (559) 104 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. Tenuessee passed an act establishing "Thoraiison's Hue." The details of "Thompson's line" have not been found. In 1837 the line was again run by commissioners from the two States, and ratified by the legis- latures. The commissioners' report was as follows, viz: Commenciug at a point ou tlae west bank of the Tenuessee Eiver six four-pole cbaius south, or above the mouth of Yellow Creek, and about three-quarters of a mile north of the line known as " Thompson's line," and twenty-six chains and ten links north of Thompson's line at the basis meridian of the Chickasaw surveys, and ter- minating at a point on the east bank of the Mississippi Kiver (opposite Cow Island) sixteen chains north of Thompson's line. (See Laws of Tennessee, 1&37, p. 27.) The boundaries were fixed by the act of Congress admitting the State of Mississippi, as follows, viz : Comnencing at the most eastern junction of Pearl River with Lake Borgue, thence up said Pearl River to the thirty-first degree of north latitude, thence west along said degree of latitude to the Mississippi River, thence up the same to the point where the southern boundary of Tennessee strikes the same. (See U. S. Laws, vol. 6, p. 175.) Mississippi claims to the middle of the Mississippi Eiver, where the river forms her western boundary. (See Kev. Stat., 1857.) LOUISIANA. The original territory of Louisiana was acquired from France (see p. 19). In 1804, a portion of this, comprising the area of the present State of Louisiana, with the exception of the southeastern portion im- mediately adjoining the present State of Florida, was organized into a territory under the name of Orleans, while the balance of the Louis- iana purchase retained the name of Louisiana Territory. On April 30, 1812, the Territory of Orleans was admitted as a. State under the name of Louisiana, and at the same time the name of the Territory of Louis- iana was changed to Missouri Territory. In the same year the limits of the State were enlarged in the southeast to its present boundaries. The following act defines the Territory of Orleans : All that portion of country ceded by France to the United States, under the name of Louisiana, which lies south of the Mississippi territory, and of an east and west line to commence on the Mississippi River at the thirty-third degree of north latitude, and to extend west to the western boxiiidary of the said cession, shall constitute a Territory of the United States, under the name of the Territory of Orleans. (Eiglii !: Congress, first session.) The following clause from the act admitting Louisiana defines its original boundaries : Beginning at the mouth of the river Sabine, thence by a line to be drawn along the middle of said river, including all islands, to the thirty-second degree of latitude ; thence due north to the north* rnmost part of the thirty -third degree of north lati- tude ; thence along the said parallel of latitude to the river Mississippi ; thence down (500) GANNETT.] LOUISIANA TEXAS. 105 the said river to the river Iberville ; and from thence along the middle of the said river and lakes Manrepas and Pontchartraiu to the Gulf of Mexico; thence, bounded by the said Gulf, to the place of beginning, including all islands within three leagues of the coast. (Twelfth Congress, first session.) The following is a description of the addition to the State of Louisi- ana, in terms of the act : Beginning at the junction of the Iberville with the river Mississippi, thence along the middle of the Iberville, the river Amite, and of the lakes Maurepas and Pontchar- traiu, to the eastern mouth of the Pearl Eiver ; thence up the eastern branch of Pearl River to the thirty-first degree of north latitude ; thence along the said degree of lat- itude to the river Mississippi ; thence down the said river to the place of beginning, shall become and form a part of the State of Louisiana. (Twelfth Congress, first session. ) TEXAS. Texas declared its independence of Mexico in 1835. On December 29, 1845, it was admitted to the Union. As originally constituted, it embraced besides its present area the region east of the Rio Grande, now in New Mexico, extending north to the Arkansas River, its eastern limits coinciding with the western limit of the United States, as laid down in the treaty with Spain of 1819. In 1818, the eastern boundarj- of the State was extended slightly, as noted in the following act : Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America pi Congress assembled, That this Congress consents that the legislature of the State of Texas may extend her eastern boundary so as to include within her limits one-half of Sabine Pass, one-half of Sabine Lake, also one-half of Sabine River, from its mouth as far north as the thirty-second degree of north latitude. In 1850, the State sold to the General Government, for the sum of $10,000,000, that part lying north of the parallel of 36° 30', and that portion lying west of longitude 103°, as far south as the parallel of 32°, as set forth in the following clause from the act of Congress relating to this transfer : First. The State of Texas will agree that her boundary on the north shall commence at the point at which the meridian of one hundred degrees west from Greenwich is intersected by the parallel of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes north latitude, and shall run from said point due west to the meridian of one hundred and three degrees west from Greenwich ; thence her boundary shall run due south to the thirty-second degree of north latitude ; thence on the said parallel of thirty-two degrees of north latitude to the Rio Bravo del Norte, and thence with the channel of said river to the Gulf of Mexico. (Thirtj^-first Congress, first session.) The following act defines the northern boundary of Texas : AN ACT to authorize the President of the United States, in conjunction with the State of Texas, to run and mark the boundary lines between the Territories of the United States and the State of Texas. Beginning at the point where the one hundredth degree of longitude west from Greenwich crosses Red River, and :unning thence north to the point where said one (561) 106 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. Ibull.13. hundredth degree of longitude intersects the parallel of thirty-six degrees thirty min- utes north latitude, and thence west witb the said parallel of thirty-six degrees and thir^^y minutes north latitude to the point where it intersects the one hundred and third degree of longitude west from Green wiph ; and thence south with the said one hundred and third degree of longitude to the thirty -second parallel of north latitude; and thence west with said thirty-second degree of north latitude to the Rio Grande. (Thirty-fifth Cong., first session.) The boundary line of Texas is as follows : Beginning in the Gulf of Mexico, at the outlet of Sabine Lake, the line passes northward through the middle of Sabine Lake and up the middle of Sabine River to the point where said river intersects the parallel of thirty-two degrees ; theuce north along the meridian of that point of intersection to the point where said meridian in- tersects Red River; theuce up Red River to the one hundredth meridian west of Greenwich ; thence north on said meridian to the parallel of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes ; west on said parallel to the meridian of one hundred and three degrees west of Greenwich ; thence south on said meridian to the parallel of latitude of 32°; thence west on that parallel to its point of intersection with the Rio Grande; thence down the mid-channel of the Rio Grande to its mouth. ARKANSAS The Territory of Arkansas, or Arkansaw, as it was originally spelled, was formed on March 2, 1819, from a part of Missouri Territory. The following clause from the act establishing it defines its limits in part: All that part of the Territory of Missouri which lies south of a lino beginning on the Mississippi River at thirty-six degrees north latitude, running theuce west to the River St. Frangois, thence up the same to 3G° 30' north latitude, and theuce west to the western territorial boundary line, shall, for the purjioses of a Territorial govern- ment, constitute a separate Territory and be called the Arkansaw Territory. In 1824 an act was passed by Congress fixing the western boundary of the Territory. This was as follows : AN ACT to fix the western boundary line of the Territory of Arkansas, and for other purposes. The western boundary line of the Territory of Arkansas shall begin n t a point forty miles west of the southwest corner of the Stare of Missouri nud run south to the right bank of the Red River, and thence down the river and with the Mexican boundary to the line of the State of Louisiana. Four years later, in 1828, the following act was passed defining its southern boundary : AN ACT to authorize the President of the United States to run and mark a line dividing the Terri- tory of Arkansas from the State of Louisiana. Commencing on the right bank of the Mississippi River at latitude thirty-three degrees north and running due west on that parallel of latitude to where a line run- ning duo north from latitude thirty-two degrees north on tie Sabine River will inter- sept the saiDC. The same year the following treaty changed materially the western line of the Territory, i)lacing it in its present position. (502) OANNBTT.] AEKA^SAS. 107 TREATY WITH THE CHEKOKEE INDIANS MAY 28, 1828. Article 1. — Tlie western boundary of Arkansas shall be, and the same is, hereby defined, viz : A line shall bo run, commencing on Red River at the point where the Eastern Choctaw line strikes said river, and run due north with said line to the River Arkansas ; thence in a line to the southwest corner of Missouri. The Eastern Choctaw line, referred to above, starts on the Arkansas River, "one hundred paces west of Fort Smith, and thence due south to the Red River." (Treaty with Choctaw Nation, January 20, 1825.) Arkansas was admitted as a State June 15, 1836. The following extracts from the enabling act, and from various con- stitutions, give statements of the boundaries, differing slightly from one another, but, for the most part, only in wording: CONSTITUTION OF ARKANSAS, 1836. Beginning in the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River on the parallel of 36 degrees north latitude ; running from thence west with the parallel of latitude to the Saint Francis River; thence up the middle of the main channel of said river to the parallel of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes north ; from thence west to the southwest corner of the State of Missouri ; and from thence to be bounded on the west to the north bank of Red River, as by acts of Congress and treaties heretofore defining the western limits of the Territory of Arkansas, and to be bounded on the south side of Red River by the Mexican boundary line to the northwest corner of the State of Louisiana ; thence east by the Louisiana state line to the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River ; thence up the middle of the main channel of said river to the thirty-sixth degree of north latitude, the point of beginning. Again, in the enabling act for Arkansas, 1836 (Twenty fourth Con- gress, first session), the boundaries are found to be defined as follows: Beginning in the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River, on the parallel of thirty-six degrees north latitude, running from thence west, with the said parallel of latitude, to the St. Francis River; thence up the middle of the main channel of said river to the parallel of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes north ; from thence west to the southwest corner of the State of Missouri ; and from thence to be bounded on the west, to the north bank of Red River, by the line described in the first article of the treaty between the United States and the Cherokee Nation of Indians, west of the Mississippi, made and concluded at the city of Washington, on the twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty -eight; and to be bounded on the south side of Rid River by the Mexican boundary line to the northwest corner of the State of Louisiana; thence east with the Louisiana state line to the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River ; thence up the middle of the main channel of the said river to the thirty-sixth degree of north latitude, the point of beginning. In the constitution of 1864 the boundaries are defined as follows : Beginning in the middle of the Mississippi River, on the parallel of thirty-six de- grees north latitude, to the St. Francis River; thence up the middle of the main chan- nel of said river to the parallel of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes north, thence west to the southwest corner of the State of Missouri ; and from thence to be bounded on the west to the north bank of Red River, as by acts of Congress of the United States, and the treaties heretofore defining the western limits of the Territory of AF' kansas ; and to be bounded on the south side of Red River by the boundary line of the State of Texas, to the northwest corner of the State of Louisiana ; thence east with the Louisiana state line to the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River; (563) 108 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. thence up the middle of the main channel of said river to the thirty-sixth degree of north latitude, the point of beginning. The constitution of 1868 differs but slightly from the last. It is as follows : Beginning at the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River, on the par- allel of 3(5° north latitude, running from thence west, with the said parallel of lati- tude, to the Saint Francis River ; thence up the middle of the main channel of said river to the parallel of 36° 30' north ; from thence west with the boundary line of the State of Missouri to the southwest corner of that State; and thence to be bounded on the west to the north bank of Red River, as by acts of Congress and treaties hereto- fore defining the western limits of the Territory of Arkansas ; and to be bounded on the south side of Red River by the boundary line of the State of Texas to the north- west corner of the State of Louisiana ; thence east with the Louisiana State line to the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River; thence up the middle of the main channel of said river, including an island in said river known as " Belle Point Island," to the 36° of north latitude, the place of beginning. Id the constitution of 1874 there are again slight differences, mainly in wording. Beginning at the middle of the main channel of tlie Mississippi River, on the par- allel of thirty-six degrees of north latitude; running thence west with said parallel of latitude to the middle of the main channel of the Saint Francis River; thence up the main channel of said last-named river to the parallel of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes of north latitude ; thence west with the southern boundary line of the State of Missouri to the southwest corner of said last-named State ; thence to be bounded on the west to the north bank of Red River, as by act of Congress and treaties exist- ing January 1, 1837, defining the western limits of the Territory of Arkansas and to be bounded across and south of Red River by the boundary line of the State of Texas as far as to the northwest corner of the State of Louisiana ; thence easterly with the northern boundary line of said last-named State, to the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River; thence up the middle of the main channel of said last-named river, including an island in said river known as "Belle Point Island," and all other land originally surveyed and included as a part of the Territory or State of Arkansas to the thirty-sixth degree of north latitude, the place of beginning. TENNESSEE. Tennessee was originally a part of North Carolina. (For further in- formation vide North Carolina, p. 92.) In 1790 it was ceded to the United States. Its boundaries described in the act of cession are, substantially, those of the present day. On June 1, 1796, by an act of Congress it was admitted into the Union. The act of admission declares its boundaries, as "All the territory ceded by North Carolina." (For the history of the eastern boundary vide North Carolina, p. 94; for the southern boundary vide Georgia, p. 99, Alabama, p. 103, and Mis- sissippi, p. 103.) The Mississippi River forms its western boundary under the treaty of peace of 1783. (564) GANNETT. J TENNESSEE KENTUCKY. 109 The line which divided Virginia and Korth Carolina was the south- ern boundary of Kentucky. Virginia and North Carolina, prior to the creation of the States of Kentucky and Tennessee, appointed commis- sioners, Messrs. Walker and Henderson, to run and mark the line on the parallel of latitude 36° 30'. From a point on the top of the Cum- berland Mountains, now the southeastern corner of Kentucky, Walker ran and marked the line to a point on the Tennessee Eiver. This line, called Walker's line, was regarded for many years as the dividing line between Kentucky and Tennessee. It was ascertained, however, that Walker's line was north of latitude 36° 30'. The Indian title to the land west of the Tennessee River being ex- tinguished by the treaty of 1819, the legislature appointed Eobert Alexander and Luke Munsell to ascertain the true point of latitude 36° 30' on the Mississippi River, and to run and mark a line east on that parallel, which was done as far east as the Tennessee River. (For above, see Gen. Stat. Ky., 1873, p. 167.) In 1820 commissioners were appointed by Kentucky and Tennessee, respectively, to settle the boundary. Their report was ratified, and is as follows, viz : Art. I. The line of boundary and separation between the States of Kentucky and Tennessee shall be as follows, viz : The line run by the Virginia commissioners in the year 1779-'80, commonly called Walker's line, as the same is reputed, understood, and acted upon by the said States, their respective officers and citizens, from the southeastern corner of Kentucky to the Tennessee Kiver; thence with and up said river to the point where the line of Alexander and Munsell, run by them in the last year under the authority of an act of the legislature of Kentucky entitled " An act to run the boundary line between this State and the State of Tennessee, west of the Tennessee Eiver, approved Feb. 8, 1819," would cross said river, and-thence with the said line of Alexander and Mun- sell, to the termination thereof on the Mississippi River below New Madrid. Then follow nine other articles. Article III provides for running and marking the line at any subse- quent time. (See General Stat. Kentucky, page 170.) In 1858-'o9 commissioners were appointed by Kentucky and Tennes- see torun this line. The detailed report can be found in Statutes of Tennessee, 1871, Vol. J, pages 223-243, giving courses, bearings, mile-stones erected, and a map of the boundary. (For a history of the boundary between Virginia and Tennessee, vide Virginia, p. 91.) KENTUCKY. Kentucky was included in the original limits of Virginia, and was a part of the county of Augusta. Augusta County was formed in 1738. In 1769 Botetourt County was created fioiii a portion of Augusta County ; in 1772, Fincastle from Botetourt; in 1776, Kentucky from Fiucastle. (565) " ■ 110 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. The bouudaries of all these counties may be found in Heniug's Laws of Virginia, Vols. I to IX. In 1789 Virginia passed an act giving her consent that the county of Kentucky, within her jurisdiction, should be formed into a new State. Accordingly, June 1, 1792, Kentucky was admitted into the Union, with substantially her present boundaries. By the cession of 1784, by Virginia to the United States, of the terri- tory northwest of the Ohio River, this river became the northwest bound- ary of the State of Kentucky. The western boundary, the Mississippi, was fixed by the treaty of peace in 1783. (For a history of the boundary between Kentucky and Virginia and West Virginia, vide Virginia, p. 90, for the boundary between Kentucky and Tennessee, vide Tennessee, p. 109-) OHIO. Ohio was the first State formed from the original territory northwest of the river Ohio. It was admitted as a State on November 29, 1802, with limits given in the enabling act as follows : Bounded on the east by the Pennsylvania line, on the south by the Ohio River, to the mouth of the Great Miami River, on the west by the line drawn due north from the mouth of the Great Miami aforesaid, and on the north by an east and west line drawn through the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan, running east after inter- secting the due-north line aforesaid, from the mouth of the Great Miami until it shall intersect Lake Erie or the territorial line ; and thence with the same through Lake Erie to the Pennsylvania line al'bresaid : Provided, That Congress shall be at liberty at any time hereafter either to attach all the territory lying east of the line to be drawn due north from the mouth of the Miami aforesaid to the territorial line, and north of an east and west line drawn through the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan, running east as aforesaid to Lake Erie, to the aforesaid State, or dispose of it other- wise, in conformity to the fifth article of compact between the original States and the people and States to be formed in the territory northwest of the river Ohio. (Seventh Congress, tirst session.) In the constitution of Ohio of 1802, Article VII, the boundaries are defined as follows: Bounded on the east by the Pennsylvania line; on the south by the Ohio River, to the niontli of the Great Miami River; on the west by the lino drawn due north from the mouth of the great Miami aforesaid ; and on the north by an east and west line drawn through the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan, running east after inter- secting the due north line aforesaid from the mouth of the Great Miami, until it shall intersect Lake Erie or the territorial line ; and thence with the same through Lake Erie to the Pennsylvania line aforesaid ; provided always, and it is hereby fully un- derstood and declared by tliis convention, that if the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan should extend so far south that a line drawn due east, from it should (566) GANNETT.] OHIO INDIANA. Ill not intersect Lake Erie, or if it should intersect the said Lake Erio east of the mouth of the Miami River of the Lake, then, and in that case, with the assent of the Con- gress of the United States, the northern boundary of this State shall be established by, and extending to, a direct line running from the southern extremity of Lake Micliigan to the most northerly cape of the Miami Bay, after intersecting the due- north line from the mouth of the Great Miami River as aforesaid; thence northeast to the territorial line, and by the said territorial line to the Pennsylvania line. In accordance with the provisions in the enabling act, and in the first constitution of the State, the northern boundary of the State was changed so that, instead of running- on a parallel drawn from the south- ern extremity of Lake Michigan, it followed the arc of a great circle drawn from the southern extremity of Lake Michigan to the most north- ern cape of Maumee ("Miami") Bay. Following are the text of the act providing for the examination of the northern boundary and that of the act making the change in the bound- dary. AN ACT to provide for the taking of certain observations preparatory to the adjustment of the north ern boundary line of the State of Ohio. That the President of the United States cause to be ascertained, by accurate obser- vation, the latitude and longitude of the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan; and that he cause to be ascertained, by like observation, the point on the Miami of the Lake which is due east therefrom, and also the latitude and longitude of the most northerly cape of the Miami Bay ; also, that he cause to be ascertained, with all prac- ticable accuracy, the latitude and longitude of the niost southerly point in the northern boundary line of the United States in Lake Erie, and also the points at which a direct lino drawn from the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan to the most southerly point in said northern bouudary line of the United States will intersect the Miami River and Bay ; and also that he cause to be ascertained, by like observation, the point in the Mississippi which is due west from the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan ; and that the said observations be made and the result thereof returned to the proper Department within the current year. (Twenty-second Congress, first session, 1832.) AN ACT to establish the northern boundary line of the State of Ohio, and to provide for the admis- sion of the state of Michigan into the Union. The northern boundary line of the State of Ohio shall be established at and shall bo a direct line drawn from the southern extremity of Lake Michigan to the most northerly cape of the Maumee (Miami) Bay after that line, so drawn, shall intersect the eastern boundary line of the State of Indiana; and from the said north cape of the said bay northeast to the boundary line between the United States and the prov- ince of Upper Canada, in Lake Erie, and thence, with the said last-mentioned line, to its intersection with the western line of the State of Pennsylvania. (Twenty-fourth Congress, first session, 1836.) INDIANA. By the act passed in the year 1800, to take effect on and after the 4th day of July of that year, the Territory Northwest of the Elver Ohio was divided into two parts, the eastern part to retain the old name, the west- ern part to become tlie Territory of Indiana. (567) 112 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNlfED STATES. [BULL. 13. Under this act the Territory of Indiana was organized. The descrip- tion of the boundary line between these two Territories is given in the following act establishing them : That from and after the foarth day of July next all that part of the territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio River, which lies to the westward of a line beginning at the Ohio, opposite to the mouth of Kentucky River, and mnning thence to Fort Recovery, and thence north until it shall intersect the territorial line between the United States and Canada, shall, for the purpose of temporary government, con- stitute a separate Territory, and be called Indiana Territory. Sec. 5. That whenever that part of the territory of the United States which lies to the eastward of a line beginning at the mouth of the Great Miami River, and running thence due north to the territorial line between the United States and Canada, shall be erected into an independent State, and admitted into the Union on an equal foot- ing with the original States, thenceforth said line shall become and remain perma- nently the boundary line between such State and the Indiana Territory, anything in this act contained to the contrary notwithstanding. (Sixth Congress, first session.) Ohio was admitted in 1802. Its western boundary, a meridian through the mouth of the Miami Eiver, left a narrow strip of country between Ohio and the Territory of Indiana, which was by a clause in the enabling act of Ohio added to Indiana Territory. The following is the clause in question : Sec. 3. All that part of the territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio heretofore included in the eastern division of said Territory, and not included within the boundary herein prescribed for the said State, is hereby attached to and made a part of the Indiana Territory. On the 30th of June, 1805, the northern portion of Indiana Territory was cut off and organized as Michigan Territory. (For the divisional line between these, see Michigan, p. 113.) On March 1, 1809, Indiana Territory was divided, and the western por- tion of it organized as Illinois Territory. (For a description of the divis- ional line between these two Territories, see Illinois, p. 113.) On Decem- ber 11, 1816, Indiana was admitted as a State with the limits as given in the following extract from the enabling act, which have not since been changed : AN ACT to enable the people of the Indiana Territory to form a constitution and State government, and for the admiasion of such State into the Uuion on an equal footing with the original States. The said State shall consist of all the territory included within the following boundaries, to wit : Bounded on the east by the meridian line which forms the west- ern boundary of the State of Ohio ; on the south by the river Ohio from the mouth of the Great Miami River to the mouth of the river Wabash ; on the west by a line drawn along the middle of the Wabash from its mouth to a point where a due north line drawn from the town of Vincenues would last touch the northwestern shore of the said river; and from thence by a due north line, until the same shall intersect an east and west line drawn through a point 10 miles north of the southern extreme of Lake Michigan ; on the north by the said east and west line until the same shall in- tersect the first-mentioned meridian line which forms the western boundary of the State of Ohio. (Fourteenth Congress, first session.) (508) GANNETT.] ILLINOIS — MICHIGAN. 113 ILLINOIS. Illinois Territory, originally part of the Northwest Territory, and sub- sequently a part of Indiana Territory, was organized on March 1, 1809. The following clause from the act separating it from Indiana Territory? defines its boundary : AN ACT for dividing the Indiana Territory into two separate governments. From and after the first day of March next, all that part of the Indiana Territory which lies west of the Wabash River and a direct line drawn from the said Wabash River and Post Vincenues due north to the territory line between the United States and Canada shall, for the purpose of temporary government, constitute a separate Territory and be called Illinois. (Tenth Congress, second session.) On December 3, 181-8, it was admitted as a State, with its present boundaries. The enabling act defines these boundaries as follows : AN ACT to enable the people of the Illiuois Territory to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of such State into the Union on an eqvial footing with the original States. The said State shall consist of all the territory included within the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at the mouth of the Wabash River; thence tip the same and with the line of Indiana to the northwest corner of said State ; thence east with the line of the same State to the middle of Lake Michigan ; thence north along the middle of said lake to north latitude forty-two degrees thirty minutes; thence west to the middle of the Mississippi River ; and thence down along the middle of that river to its conflueuv/e with the Ohio River; and thence up the latter river along its northwestern shore to the beginning. (Fifteenth Congress, second session.) MICHIGAN. Michigan was organized as a Territory June 30, 1805, from the north- ern part of Indiana Territory. The following clause from the act dividing Indiana Territory defines its limits : From and after the thirtieth day of June next all that part of the Indiana Territory which lies north of a line drawn east from the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan, until it shall intersect Lake Erie, and east of a line drawn from the said southerly bend through the middle of said lake to its northern extremity, and thence due norih to the northern boundary of the United States, shall, for the purpose of temporary government, constitute a separate Territory, and be called Michigan. (Eighth Congress, second session.) The enabling act for Illinois, passed in 1818, contained a provision trans- ferring to the Territory of Michigan the portion of the Territory of Illi- nois not included in the State of that name. The following is the text of the clause referred to : All that part of the territory of the United Slates lying north of the State of Indi- ana, and which was included in the former Indiana Territory, together with that part of the Illinois Territory which is situated north of and not included within the bound- (569) 4596— Bull, 13 8 114 BOUND AKIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. aries prescribed by this act, to tlio State thereby authorized to be formed, shall be, aud hereby is, attached to and made a part of the Michigan Territory, from and after the formation of the said State. In 1834 an act was passed extending the limits of the Territory of Michigan to the Missouri River. The cUiuse of this act relating to area is as follows: AX ACT to attach the territory of the United States west of the Mississippi Kiver and north of the State of Missouri to the Territory of Michigan. All that part of the territory of the United States bounded on the east by the Mis- sissippi River, on the south by the State of Missouri and a line drawn due west from the northwest corner of said State to the Missouri River ; on the southwest and west bj- the Missouri River and the White Earth River, falling into the same; and on the north by the northern boundary of the United States, shall be, and hereby is, for the purpose of temporary government, attached to and made a part of the Territory of Michigan. In 1836 Wisconsin Territory was formed from that part of Michigan Territory lying west of the present limits-of the State of that name. {Vide Wisconsin, p. 115.) Reduced toils present limits, as described in the following clause from its enabling act, Michigan was admitted to the Union January 26, 1837: AN ACT to provide for the admission of the State of Michigan into the Union. Beginning at the point where the above-described northern boundary of the State of Ohio iutersects the eastern boundary of the State of Indiana, and running thence with the said bounilarj' line of Ohio, as described in the first section of this act, until it intersects the boundaiy line between the United States and Canada in Lake Eric ; thence with the said boundary line between the United States and Canada through the Detroit River, Lake Huron, and Lake Superior, to a point where the said line last touches Lake Superior; thence in a direct line through Lake Superior to the mouth of the Montreal River; thence through the middle of the main channel of the said river Montreal to the middle of the Lake of the Desert ; thence in a direct lifle to the nearest headwater of the Menomouee River ; thence through the middle of that fork of the said river first to*Vichcd by the said line to the main channel of the said Me- nomouee River ; thence down the center of the main channel of the same to the center of the most usual ship channel of the Green Bay of Lake Michigan ; thence through the center of the most usuiil shi]i channel of the said bay to the middle of Lake Mich- igan; thence through the middle of Lake Michigan to the northern boundary of the State of Indiana, as that line was established by the act of Congress of the nineteenth of April, eighteen hundred and sixteen; thence due east with the north boundary line of the said State of Indiana to the northeast corner thereof; and thence south, with the east boundary line of Indiana, to the place of beginning. (Twenty-fourth Congress, first session.) The above boundaries remain unchanged. WISCONSIN. Wisconsin was orgniiized as a Territory Jnly 3, 1830. As originally constituted its ar(>a comprised all that part of the former Territory of (570) GANNBTT.) WISCONSIN; 115 Michigan wiiicli lay outside of the present limits of the State of Michi- gan. The limits are dctiiicd in the act for its organization as fol- lows: Bounded on the cast by a line drawn from the northeast corner of the State ot" Illi- nois, through the middle of Lake Michigan, to a point in the middle of said lake and opposite the main channel of Green Bay, and throngh said channel and Green Bay to the month of the Mcnomonee ; thence through the middle of the main channel of said river to that head of said river nearest to the Lake of the Desert ; thence in a direct line to the middle of said lake; thence llirough the middle of the main channel of the Montreal Eivcr to its mouth'; thence with a direct line across Lake Superior to where the territorial line of the United States last touches said lake northwest; thence on the north with the said territorial line to the White Earth River, on the west by a lino from the said boundary line following down the middle of the main channel of White Earth River to the Missouri River, and down the middle of the main channel of the Missouri River to a point due w est from the northwest corner of the State of Missouri, and on the south, fi'om said point, due east to the northwest corner of the State of Missouri; and thence with the boundaries of the States of Missouri and Illinois, ;!s already fixed by acts of Congress. (Twenty-fourth Congress, first session.) In 1838 all that part of the territory lying west of the Mississippi and a line drawn due north from its source to the international boundary — that is, all that part which was originally comprised in the Louisiana purchase — was organized as the Territory of Iowa. (See Iowa, p 117.) Ou August 9, 1840, an enabling act for Wisconsin was passed giving the boundaries as follows : Beginning at the northeast corner of the State of Illinois, that is to say, at a ])oiut in the center of Lake Michigan where the line of forty-two degrees and thirty minutes of north latitude crosses the same ; thence running with the boundary line of the State of Michigan, through Lake Michigan, Green Bay, to the mouth of the Menomo- nee River; thence up the channel of said river to the Brule River; thence up said last- mentioned river to Lake Brulfe; thence along the southern shore of Lake Bruli^ in a direct Mne to the center of the channel between Middle and South Islands in the Lake of the Desert; thence in a direct line to the headwaters of Montreal River, as marked upon the survey made by Captain Cramm; thence down the main channel of the Montreal River to the iniddleof Lake Superior ; thence through the center of Lake Superior to the mouth of the Saint Louis River, thence up the main channel of said river to the first raidds in the same, above the Indian village, according to Nicollet's map; thence due south to the main branch of the river Saint Croix; thence down the middle of the main channel of said river to the Mississippi ; thence down the center of the main channel of that river to the northwest corner of the State of Illinois ; thence due east with the northern boundary of the State of Illinois to the place of beginning. (Twenty-ninth Congress, first session.) On March 3, 1847, a supplementary act for the admission of Wiscon- sin was passed by Congress, in which the western boundary of the pro- posed State was changed as follows: That the assent of Congress is hereby given to the change of boundary proposed in the first article of said constitirtiou, to wit: Leaving the boundary line prescribed in the act of Congress entitled "An act to enable the people of Wisconsin Territory to form a constitution and State government, and for the adnlission of such State into the Union," at the first rapids in the river St. Louis; thence in a direct line south- wardly to a point fifteen miles east of the most easterly point of Lake St. Croix ; (571) 11(5 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. tbeuce due south to the main channel of the Mississippi River or Lake Pepin ; thence down the said main channel, as prescribed in said act. (Twenty-ninth Congress, see- oud session. ) On May 29, 1848, Wisconsin was admitted into the Union. MISSOURI. The name of the Territory of Louisiana was changed in 1812 to Mis- souri, by act of Congress. At that time the Territory comprised all of the original Louisiana purchase, excepting the State of Louisiana, which had been formed from it. The Territory of Arkansas, with limits very similar to those of the present State, was formed from it in 1819. On August 10, 1821, the State of Missouri was formed and admitted, with limits, excepting as to the northwest corner, the same as at present. Boundaries are defined as follows : Beginning in the middle of the Mississippi River, on the parallel of thirty-six de- grees of north latitude ; theuce west along that parallel of latitude to the Saint Fran- cois River; thence up, and following the course of that river, in the middle oftho main channel thereof, to the parallel of latitude of thirty-six degrees and thirty min- utes; thence west, along the same, to a point where the said parallel is intersected by a meridian-line passing through the middle of the mouth of the Kansas River, where the same empties into the? Missouri River ; theuce from the point aforesaid north, along the said meridian line to the intersection of the parallel of latitude which passes through the rapids of the river Des Moines, making the said line to correspond with the Indian boundary line; thence east from the point of intersection last aforesaid, a\)ng tlie said parallel of latitude, to the middle of the channel of the main fork of the said river Des Moines; thence down and along the middle of the main channel of the said River Des Moines to thi; mouth of the same where it empties into the Mi^is8ipi)i River; 1 hence due east to the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River; thence down and following the course of the Mississippi River in the middle of the main channel thereof, to the place of beginning. (Sixteenth Congress, first session.) In 1836 the boundaries were extended on the northwest to the Mis- souri River, as described in the following act of the legislature amenda- tory to the constitution of 1820: That the boundary of the State be so altered and extended as to include all that tract o land lying on the north side of the Missouri River and west of the present boundary of this State, so that the same shall be bounded on the south by the middle of the main channel of the Missouri River, and on the north by the present northern boundary line of the State, as established by the constitution, when the same is con- tinued in a right line to the west, or to include so much of said tract of land as Con- gress may assent. This was ratified by Congress in the following act : AX ACT to extend the western boundary of tbe State of Missouri to the Missouri River. That when the Indian title to all the lauds lying between tbe State of Missouri and the Missouri River shall be extinguished, the jurisdiction over said lands shall be hereby ceded to the State of Missouri, and the western boundary of said State shall be then extended to the Missouri River. (T wen ty -four (h Congress, first session.) (572) ojlnnbtt.] illSSOUKi IOWA. 1 1 7 The territory remaining after tbe formation of the State bore the name of Missouri for many years thereafier. Meanwhile, however, it was reduced by the formation of several Territories which were carved from its area. In 1834, the part north of the State of IMissouri and east of the Missouri and White Earth Rivers was annexed to the territory of IMichigau. (For further history of this portion, vide Michigan, p. 114; Iowa, below; Minnesota, p. 118; and Dakota, p. 121.) ^n 1854 Kansas and Nebraska Territories were formed, absorbing the remainder. ( Vide Kansas, p. 119, and Nebraska, p. 120.) The following are the boundaries of Missouri ns nti)rcsont established : The east boundary is the mid-channel of the Mississipin Kiver from the mouth 01 the Des Moines to its point of intersection with the thirty- sixth parallel of latitude ; the south boundary begins at the latter poini and runs west on the parallel of 3G degrees of latitude to the Saint Francis River, thence up the mid-channel of that river to the parallel of latitude 36o 30', thence west on that parallel to its intersection by a meridian passing through the middle of the mouth of the Kansas River; the west boundary is the last mentioned meridian as far noi.h as the mouth of the Kansas River, thence it follows northwestward the mid- channel of the Missouri River to the parallel of latitude 40° 30'; the north boundary is the last-mentioned parallel as far east as its point of intersection with the Des Moines River, whence it follows the mid- channel of the Des Moines River southward to its mouth. IOWA. Iowa was organized as a Territory on July 3, 1838, being formed from a portion of Wisconsin Territory. The limits were defined as follows in the act creating it: All that part of the present Territory of Wisconsin which lies west of t lie Mississipjii River and west of the line drawn due north from the headwaters or sources of the Mississippi to the Territoiial line. (Twenty-fifth Congress, second session. See Wis- consin, p. 115.) The following clause from an act passed in 1839 is supplementary to the above act : AN ACT to define and establish the e.istern bonndnry line of the Territory of Iowa. That the middle or centre of the main channel of the river Mississippi shall he deemed, and is herehy declared, to be the eastern boundary line of the Territory of Iowa, so far or to such extent as the said Territory is hounded eastwardly by or upim said river. (Twenty-tifth Congress, third session.) Iowa was admitted to the Union on March 3, 1845. As originally con stituted the limits of the State were quite dift'erent from those which it has at present. (573) 118 BOUNDARIES OF THK UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. The following extract from the enabling act gives the original limits: That the following shall be the bouudaries of the said State of Iowa, to wit : Be- ginning at the mouth of the Des Moines River at the middle o( the Mississippi ; thence by the middle of the channel of that river to a. parallel of latitude passing through the mouth of the Mankato, or Blue Earth River; thence west along the said parallel of latitude to a point where it is intersected by a meridian line, seventeen degrees and thirty minutes west of the meridian of Washington City ; thence duo south to the northern boundary line of the State of Missouri ; thence eastwardly following thnt boundary to the point at which the same intersects the Des Moines River ; thence by the middle of the channel of that river to the place of beginning. (Twenty-eighth Congress, second session.) On December 28, 1846, an act was passed changing the boundaries of the State and giving it its present limits. The following extract from the act defines the bouudaries as at present constituted : Beginning in the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River, at a point due east of the middle of the mouth of the main channel of the Des Moines River ; thence up the middle of the main channel of the said Des Moines River, to a point on said river where the northern boundary line of the State of Missoiui, as established by the censtitution of that State, adopted June twelfth, eighteen hundred and twenty, crosses the said middle of the main chauuel of the said Des Moines River ; thence westwardly along the said northern boundary line of the State of Missouii, as estab- lished at the time aforesaid, until an extension of saidliue intersect the middle of the main channel of the Missouri River, to a point opposite the middle of the main chan- nel of the Big Sioux River, according to Nicollet's map ; thence up the main channel of the said Big Sioux River, according to said map, until it is intersected by the par- allel of forty-three degrees and thirty minutes north latitude; thence east along said parallel of forty-three degrees and thirty minutes, until said i)arailel intersect the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River ; thence down the middle of the main channel of said Mississippi River, to the place of beginning. MINNESOTA. The Territory of Minnesota was organized on March 3, 1849, and orig- inally comprised the portion of the former Territory of Iowa, outside of the limits of the present State of Iowa, extending east to the west boundary line of Wisconsin. The terms of the act creating this Terri- tory, so far as they relate to its boundary, are as follows : All thfJl part of the territory of the United States which lies within the following limits, to wit: Beginning in the Mississippi River, at the point where the line' of forty-three degrees and thirty minutes of north latitude crosses the same; thence running duo west on said lino, which is the northern boundary of the State of Iowa, to tlie northwest corner of the said State of Iowa; thence southerly, along the west- ern boundary of said State, to the point where said boundary strikes the Missouri River; thence up the middle of the inain channel of the Missouri River to the mouth of the White Ear*h River; thence up the middle of the main channel of the White Earth River to the boundary line between the possessions of the United States and Great Britain, to Lake Superior; tbenee along the western boundary line of said State (574) GANNETT.] MINNESOTA KANSAS. 119 of Wiscoutin to the Mississippi River ; thence down the main channel of said river to the place of beginning." (Thirtieth Congress, second session.) Minnesota was ac^itted as a State on May IL, 1858, with the same boundaries which it has at present. These are given in the enabling act as follows : Beginning at the point in the center of the main channel of the Red River of the North where the boundary line between the United States and the British Possessions crosses the same; thence up the main channel of said river to that of the Bois des Sioux River; thence up the main channel of said river to Lake Traverse ; thence up the center of said lake to the southern extremity thereof; thence in a direct line to the head of Big Stone Lake ; thence through its center to its outlet ; thence by a due south line to the north line of the State of Iowa ; thenco east along the northern boundary of said State to the main channel of the Mississippi River; thence up the main channel of said river, and following the boundary line of the St^te of Wiscon- sin until the same intersects the Saint Louis River; thence down said river to and through Lake Superior, on the boundary line of Wisconsin and Michigan, until it intersects the dividing line between the United States and the British Possessions ; thence up Pigeon River, and following said dividing line, to the place of beginning. KANSAS. The Territory of Kansas was organized on May 30, 1854, from a part of Missouri Territory. The following clause from the act of organization defines its limits : Section 19. All that part of the territory of the United States included within the foUowiug limits, except such portions thereof as are hereinafter expressly exempted from the operations of this act, to wit : Beginning at a point on the western boundary of the State of Missouri, where the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude crosses the same ; thence west on said parallel to the eastern boundary of New Mexico ; thence north on said boundary to latitude thirty-eight; thence following said boundary westward to the east boundary of the Territory of Utah, on the summit of the Rocky Mountains; thence northward on said summit to the fortieth parallel of latitude; thence east on said parallel to the western boundary of the State of Missouri; thence south with the western boundary of said State to the place of beginning, be, and the same is hereby, created into a temporary government by the name of the Territory of Kansas. A portion of this Territory was given up to Colorado at the time of its formation in 1861. {Vide Colorado, p. 123.) Kansas was admitted into the Union on January 29, 1861,*with its present boundaries, which are thus defined in the enabling act: The said State shall consist of all the territory included within the following boundaries, to wit : Beginning at a point on the western boundary of the State of Missouri, where the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude crosses the same ; thence ■west on said parallel to the twenty-fifth meridian of longitude west from Washing- ton ; thence north on said meridian to the fortieth parallel of latitude ; thence east on said xjarallel to the western boundary of the State of Missouri ; thence south with the western boundary o.f^aid State to the place of beginning, (576) 120 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. NEBRASKA. The Territory of Nebraska was formed ou May 30, 1854, from the northwestern part of Missouri Territory. Its limits, as originally con- stituted, are defined as follows in the act of organization : BegiDning at a point in the Missouri River where the fortieth parallel of north lati- tude crosses the same ; thence west ou said parallel to the east boundary of the Territory of Utah, on the summit of the Rocky Mouutaius | thence on said summit northward to the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude ; thence east ou said parallel to the western boundary of the Territory of Minnesota ; thence southward on said boundary to the Missouri River; thence down the main channel of said river to the place of begin- ning, be, and the same is hereby, created into a temporary government by the name of the Territory of Nebraska. (Thirty-third Congress, tii"st session.) This area was reduced in 1861 by the formation of the Territories of Colorado and Dakota. ( Vide Colorado, p. 123, and Dakota, p. 121.) The State of Nebraska was admitted on March 1, 1867. Its limits are defined as follows in the enabling act: That the said State of Nebraska shall consist of all the territory included within the following boundaries, to wit : Commencing at a point formed by the intersection of the western boundary of the State of Missouri with the fortieth degree of north lati- tude; extending thence duo west along said fortieth degree of north latitude to a point formed by its intersection with the twenty-fifth degree of longitude west from Wash- ington ; thence north along said twenty-fil'ih degree of longitude to a point formed by its intersection with the forty-first degree of north latitude; thence west along said forty-first degree of north latitude to a point formed by its intersection with the twenty- seventh degree of longitude west from Washington; thence north along said twenty- seventh degree of west longitude to a point formed by its intersection with the forty- third degree of north latitude; thence east along said forty-third degree of north latitude to the Keyapaha River; thence down the middle of the channel of said river, with its meanderings, to its junction with the Niobrara River; thence down the middle of the channelof said Niobrara River, and following the meanderings thereof, to its junction with the Missouri River ; thence down the middle of the channel of said Missouri River, and following the meanderings thereof, to the place of beginning. (Thirty- eighth Congress, first session.) In 1870 an act was passed to redefine a portion of the boundary be- tween Nebraska and the Territory of Dakota, the pertinent portion of which is as follows : That so soon as the State of Nebraska, through her legislature, has given her con- sent thereto, the center of the main channel of the Missouri River shall be the bound- ary line between the State of Nebiaska and Tciritory of Dakota, between the follow- ing points, to wit: Commencing at a point in the center of said main channel, north of the west line of section twenty-four in township twenty-nine north, of rangeeight east of the sixth principnl meridian, and running along the same to a point west of the most northerly ])ortion of fractional .'ection seventeen, of township twenty -nine north, of range nine east of said luoridian, in tin' State of Nebraska, as meandered and shown by the plats and surveys of said sections (liginally made and now on file in the General Land Office. (Forty-first Congress, second session.) (576) GANNETT.] NEBRASKA — DAKOTA. 121 In 1882 au act was passed transferring to this State from Dakota a small area, lyiug between the Keyapaha Eiver and the forty-third par- allel of latitude. The following is the act in question : Be it enacted, » * * That the northeru boundary of the State of Nebraska shall be, and hereby is, subject to the provisions hereinafter contained, extended so as to include all that portion ol the Territory of Dakota lying south of the forty-third par- allel of north latitude and east of the Keyapaha River and west of the main channel of the Missouri River. (Forty-seventh Congress, first session.) DAKOTA. The Territory of Dakota was organized on March 2, 1861, from parts of Minnesota and Nebraska Territories. The following from the act of organization defines its original limits : All that part of the territory of the United States included within the following limits, namely : Commencing at a point in the main channel of the Red River of the North, where the forty-ninth degree of north latitude crosses the same ; thence up the main chaunel of the same, and along the boundary of the State of Minnesota to Big Stone Lake ; thence along the boundary line of the said State of Minnesota to the Iowa line ; thence along the boundary line of the State of Iowa to the point of inter- section between the Big Sioux and Missouri Rivers ; thence up the Missouri River and along the boundary Hue of the Territory of Nebraska to the mouth of the Niobrara or Running Water River; thence following up the same, in the middle of the main chaunel thereof, to the mouth of the Kehapaha or Turtle Hill River: thence up said river to the forty- third parallel of north latitude; thence due west to the present boundary of the Territory of Washington ; thence along the boundary line of Wash- ington Territory to the forty-ninth degree of nortli latitude ; thence east along said, forty-ninth degree of north latitude to the place of beginning be, and the same is, hereby organized into a temporary government by the name of the Territory of Dakota. (Thirty-sixth Congress, second session.) In 1863 the Territory of Idaho was formed, its area having been taken from Washington, Dakota, and Nebraska. ( Vide Idaho, p. 127.) In 1882 a small area was transferred to Nebraska. ( Vide Nebraska, above.) The following description, compiled from the act relating to Dakota and other Territories formed from its area, gives its present limits: The east boundary is the main channel of the Red River from the forty-ninth parallel southward to Big Stone Lake; from the center of that lake to its ontlet ; thence by a due south line to the parallel of lat- itude 43° 30' ; thence west on this parallel until it strikes the Big Sioux River; thence down the mid channel of the Big Sioux River to its mouth. The south boundary is the main channel of the Missouri River until it intersects the forty-third i)arallel of latitude ; thence it follows the forty third parallel of latitude westward to the twenty-seventh de- gree of longitude. The west boundary is the twenty-seventh degree of longitude, and the north boundary is the forty-ninth parallel of latitude. (577) 122 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. MONTANA. The Territory of Montana was organized May 26, 1864, from a portion of Idaho. Its limits, which have been changed but slightly, are given in the following extract from the organizing act: That all that part of the territory of the United States incliulctl within the limits to wit: Commencing at a point formed by the intersection of the twenty-seventh de- gree of longitude west from Washington with the forty-fifth degree of north latitude; thence due west on said forty-fifth degree of latitude to a point formed by its intersec- tion with the thirty-fourth degree of longitude west from Washington; thence duo south along said thirty-fourth degree of longitude to its intersection with the forty- fourth degree and thirty minutes of north latitude ; thence due west along said forty- fourth degree and thirty minutes of north latitude to a point formed by its intersec- tion with the crest of the Rocky Mountains; thence following the crest of the Rocky Mountains northward till its intersection with the Bitter Root Mountains; thence northward along the crest of said Bitter Root Mountains to its intersection with the thirty -ninth degree of longitude west from Washington; thence along said thirty- ninth degree of longitude northward to the boundary line of the British possessions ; thence eastward along said boundary line to the twenty-seventh degree of longitude west from Washington ; thence southward along said twenty-seventh degree of lon- gitude to the place of beginning, he, and the same is hereby created into a temporary government by the name of the Territory of Montana. (Thirty-eighth Congress, first session.) In 1873, Congress, under the erroneous impression that a portion of Dakota remained west of Wyoming, and adjoining Montana, passed an act to attach it to Montana. As, however, no such detached area could by any ])ossibility have existed, the compilers of the Eevised Statutes sought to give the act effect by shifting a portion of the southern boundary of Montana from the parallel of 44o 30' to the continental watershed, thereby reducing Montana's area. The following is the act referred to: AN ACT to reailjiust the ■westeiu boundary of Dakota Territory. That all that portion of Dakota Territory lying we^t of the one hundred and eleventh meridian of longitude which, by an erroneous definition of the boundaries of said Territory by a former act of Congress, remains detached aLd distant from Dakota proper some two hundred miles, be and the same is hereby attached to the ad- joining territory of Montana. (Forty-second Congress, third session.) The boundaries of Montana are as follows : Beginning at the inter-" section of the twenty-seventh meridian of longitude with the boundary line between the United States and the British possessions, it follows said meridian south to the forty-fifth parallel of latitude, thence west on this ])arallel to the thirty-fourth meridian, south on the thirty-fourth meridian to the i)oint where that meridian intersects the continental w atershed, thence westward and northwestward i'ollowing the line of the continental watershed and the summit of the Bitter Boot range, to its intersection with the thirty-ninth iiioiidian, thence north on the Ihirtyninlh meridian to the boundai.\ line between the United States and British possessions and east on that boundary line to the point of beginning. (578) GANNBTT] MONTANA — WYOMING COLORADO — NEW MEXICO. 123 WYOMING, Wyoming was organized as a Territory on July 25, 1868, from territory previously comprised in the Territory of Idaho. Its limits, which are the same as originally constituted, are defined in the following clause from the act creating the Territory : Tliat ;ill that part of the Uuiteil States described as follows: Commonciug at the intersection of the twenty-seventh meridian of longitude west from Washington with the forty-fifth degree of north latitude, and running thence west to the thirty- fourth meridian of west longitude, thence south to the forty-first degree of north latitude, thence east to the twenty-seventh meridian of west longitude, and thence north to the place of beginning, be, and the same is hereby, organized into a tempo- rary government by the name of the Territory of Wyoming. (Fortieth Congress, second session. ) COLORADO. Colorndo was organized as a Territory on February 28, 1861, with the limits which it has at present, being made from portions of Utah, New Mexico, Kansas, and Nebraska. On August 1, 1876, it was admitted as a State. The following clause from the enabling act gives its limits: AN ACT to enable tlie people of Colorado to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of such State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States. Sec. 2. That the said State of Colorado shall consist of all the territory included within the following boundaries, to wit: Commencing at a point formed by the inter- section of the thirty-seventh degree of north latitude with the twenty-fifth degree of longitude west from Washington ; extending thence due west along said thirty-sev- enth degree of north latitude to a point formed by its intersection with the thirty- eecond degree of longitude west from Washington ; thence due north along said thirty-second degree of west longitude to a point formed by its intersection with the forty-first degree of north latitude; thence due east along said forty-first degree of north latitude to a point formed by its intersection with the twenty-fifth degree of longitude west from Washington ; thence due south along said twenty-fifth degree of west longitude. (Thirty-eighth Cofigress, first session.) NEW MEXICO. New Mexico was organized as a Territory on December 13, 1850. Its original area formed a part of the region transferred by Mexico to the United States by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and by Texas. It was subsequently enlarged by the Gadsden Purchase. {Vide pp. 21 and 22.) The formation of Colorado Territory in 1861 and of Arizona in 1863 reduced its area to its present limits. [Vide Colorado, above, and Arizona, p. 125.) (579) 124 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. The following clause from the act creating the Territory gives its original limits: Section 2. And be it further enacted, That all that portion of the territory of the United States bounded as follows : Beginning at a point in the Colorado River, where the boundary line with the Republic of Mexico crosses the same ; thence eastwardly with the said boundary line to the Rio Graude ; thence following the main channel of said Twer to the parallel of the thirty-second degree of north latitude ; thence east with said degree to its intersection with the one hundred and third degree of longi- tude west of Greenwich ; thence north with said degree of longitude to the parallel of thirty-eighth degree of north latitude; thence west with said parallel to the sum- mit of the Sierra Madre ; thence south with the crest of said mountains to the thirty- seventh parallel of north latitude ; thence west -with said parallel to its intersection with the boundary line of the State of California; thence with said boundary line to the place of beginning — be, and the same is hereby, erected into a temporary govern- ment by the name of the Territory of New Mexico. (Thirty-first Congress, first ses- sion. ) The present boundaries of New Mexico are as follows : Beginning at the point of intersection of the one hundred and third meridian of longi- tude west of Greenwich with the thirty-seventh parallel of latitude, running thence south to its point of intersection with the thirty second parallel of latitude; thence west on this parallel to its intersection with the Rio Grande; thence southerly down the main channel of the Eio Grande to its point of intersection with the boundary line between the United States and Mexico ; thence with this boundary to its intersec- tion with the thirty-second meridian of longitude ; thence north along this meridian to the thirty-seventh parallel of latitude, and so along that parallel to the point of beginning. UTAH TERRITORY. Utah was organized on September 9, 1850, from territory acquired from Mexico by the treaty of Guadalupe- Bidalgo. Its limits originally ex- tended from the eastern boundary of California to the Rocky Mountains, and from the thirty-seventh to the forty-second parallel. This area was reduced by the formation, in 1861, of the Territories of Nevada {vide p. 125) and Colorado {see p. 123), and in 1804 and 1806 by the extension eastward of the limits of the State of Nevada {vide p. 126). The following is an extract from the act creating the Territory: All that part of the territory of tho United States included within the following Umits, to wit: Bounded on the west by tho State of California, on the north by the Territory of Oregon, and on the east by the snuiniit of the Rocky Mountains, and on the south by the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude, be, and the same is hereby, created into a temporary government, by the name of the Territory of Utah. The present boundaries of Utah are as follows : Commencing with the intersection of the forty second parallel of lat4tude with the thirty-fourth (680) QANNKTT.l UTAH ARIZONA — NEVADA. 1 25 meridian of longitude, running thence south on this meridian to the forty-first parallel of latitude, thence east on this parallel to the thirty- second meridian of longitude, thence south on this meridian to its in- tersection with the thirty-seventh parallel of latitude, thence west upon this parallel of latitude to its intersection with the thirty-seventh merid- ian of longitude, thence north on this meridian to its intersection with the forty-seventh parallel of latitude, thence east on the forty-seventh parallel of latitude, to the point of beginning. ARIZONA. Arizona was organized as a Territory on February 24, 1863. Its area was formerly comprised in the Territory of New Mexico. In 1866 a por- tion of it was cut off and given to the State of Nevada. ( Vide Nevada, below.) The following clause from the act creating it gives its limits as originally constituted: That all that part of the present Territory of New Mexico situate -west of the line running due south from the point where the southwest corner of the Territory of Col- orado joins the northern boundary of the Territory of New Mexico -to the southern boundary line of said Territory of New Mexico, be, and the same is hereby, erected into a temporary government by the name of the Territory of Arizona. (For limits of the piece cut olf and added to Nevada, see that State.) The present boundaries of Arizona are as follows : Beginning at the point of intersection of the thirty-seventh parallel of latitude with the thirty-second meridian of longitude ; thence south along this meridian to its intersection with the boundary line between the United States and Mexico; thence with this boundary to the Colorado Eiver; thence up the middle of the main channel of the Colorado River to its point of inter- section with the thirty -seventh meridian of longitude; north on this meridian to its intersection with the thirty -seventh parallel; and east- ward along the thirty-seventh parallel to the point of beginning. NEVADA. Nevada, as originally constituted on March 2, 1861, was formed from territory taken from Utah. Its western boundary was made to conform to the eastern boundary of California {vide California, p, 129) ; its north- ern boundary was, as now, the forty-second parallel ; the eastern was the meridian of 39°; and the southern the parallel of 37°. By the enabling act the eastern limit was extended to the thirty-eighth meridian. It was admit-ed as a State October 31, 1864, with above limits as modified (581) i26 BOUNDARIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bcll.i3. by the enabliug act, and in 1866 its eastern limits were still further ex- tended to longitude 37°, and its southern line established as at present, the latter addition having been made from Arizona. In the act organizing the Territory the boundaries are defined as fol- lows : Beginuiug at the point of intersection of the forty-second degree of north latitude with the thirty-ninth degree of longitude west from Washington ; thence running south on the line of said thirty-ninth degree of west longitude until it intersects the northern boundary line of the Territory of New Mexico ; thence due west to the di- viding ridge separating the waters of Carson Valley from those that flow into the Pacific ; thence on said dividing ridge northwardly to the forty-first degree of north latitude; thence due north to the southern boundary of the State of Oregon; thence due east to the place of beginning. (Thirty-sixth Congress, second session.) The following is the text of that portion of the enabling act relating to boundaries: Sec. 2. That the said State of Nevada shall consist of all the territory included within the following boundaries, to wit : Commencing at a point formed by the inter- section of the thirty-eighth degree of longitude west from Washington with the thirty-seventh degree of north latitude ; thence due west along said thirty-seventh degree of north latitude to the eastern boundary line of the State of California; thence in a northwesterly direction along the said eastern boundary line of the State of California to the forty-third degree of longitude west from Washington ; thence north along said forty-third degree of west longitude and said eastern boundary line of the State of California to the forty-second degree of north latitude; thence due east along the said forty-second degree of north latitude to a point formed by its in- tersection with the aforesaid thirty-eighth degree of longitude west from Washing- ton ; thence due south down said thirty-eighth degree of west longitude to the place of beginning. (Thirty-eighth Congress, first session.) The following act makes the addition to its area from Arizona referred to above : AN ACT concerning the boundaries of the State of Nevada. That, as provided for and consented to in the constitution of the State of Nevada, all that territory and tract of land adjoining the present eastern boundary of the State of Nevada, and lying between the thirty-seventh and the forty-second degrees of north latitude and west of the thirty-seventh degree of longitude west of Washington, is hereby added to and made a part of the State of Nevada. Sec. 2. That there is hereby added to and made a part of the State of Nevada all that extent of territory lying within the following boundaries, to wit: Commencing on the th.rty-seVenth degree of north latitude at the thirty-seventh degree of longi- tude west from Washington, and running thence south on said degree of longitude to the middle of the river Colorado of the West ; thence down the middle of said river to the eastern boundary of the State of California; thence northwesterly along said boundary of California to the thirty-seventh degree of north latitude ; and thence east along said degree of latitude to the point of beginning. (Thirty-ninth Congress, first session.) The present limits of Nevada are as follows : The east boundary is the thirty-seventh meridian of longitude, ex- tending from the forty-second i)arallel of latitude southward to its inter- section with the middle of the Colorado liiver ; thence following the mid-channel of the Colorado River down to the point where it intersects (582) OAJmfiTT.] NEVADA — IDAHO. l27 the tliirty-fiftb parallel of latitude; the southwest boundary is the arc of a great circle running frftn the last-mentioned point and the point of intersection of the one hundred and twentieth degree of longitude west of Greenwich with the thirty-ninth parallel of latitude ; the west bound- ary is the one hundred and twentieth degree of longitude west of Greenwich ; the north boundary is the forty-second parallel of latitude. IDAHO. The Territory of Idaho was formed March 3, 1863, from parts of Wash- ington, Dakota, and Nebraska. Its original limits, which included, be- sides the present territory, all of Montana and Wyoming, were given as follows in the act organizing the Territory : That all that part of the territory of the United States included within the follow- ing limits, to wit: Beginning at a point in the middle channel of the Snake River where the northern boundary of Oregon intersects the same ; then follow down said channel of Snake River to a point opposite the mouth of the Kooskooskia, or Clear- water River; thence due north to the forty-ninth parallel of latitude; thence east along said parallel to the twenty-seventh degree of longitude west of Washington ; thence south along said degree of longitude to the northern boundary of Colorado Territory ; thence west along said boundary to the thirty-third degree of longitude west of Washington ; thence north along said degree to the forty-second parallel of latitude ; thence west along said parallel to the eastern boundary of the State of Ore- gon ; thence north along said boundary to the place of beginning. (Thirty -seventh Congress, third session.) From this were formed Montana in 1864 {vide Montana, p. 122), and Wyoming {vide Wyoming, p. 123), in 1868, thereby reducing this terri- tory, with the small addition made in 1873 {vide Montana, p. 122), to its present limits. The present boundary line of Idaho is as follows : Beginning at the intersection of the thirty-ninth meridian with the boundary line between the United States and the British Possessions, it follows said meridian south until it reaches the summit of the Bitter Root Mountains ; thence southeastward along the crest of the Bitter Root range and the conti- nental divide until it intersects the meridian of thirty-four degrees of longitude; thence southward on this meridian to the forty-second parallel of latitude; thence west on this parallel of latitude to its intersection with a meridian drawn through the mouth of the Owyhee River; north on this meridian to the mouth of the Owyhee River; thence down the mid-channel of the tSnake River to the mouth of the Clearwater; and thence north on the meridian which passes through the mouth of the Clearwater to the boundary line between the United States and the British Possessions 3 and east on said boundary line to the place of be- ginning. (583) 128 I30UNDAKIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [bull. 13. OREGON. Oregon Territory was organized August 14, 1848. The grounds of our title to its area are obscure. In treating with (jreat Britain for the establishment of our northern boundary west of the Rocky Mountains this region was claimed on three grounds — that of discovery and occu- pation, the Louisiana purchase, and cession from Spain. On which of these grounds we succeeded in having the boundary established on the forty-ninth parallel will never be ascertained, and is of little moment. The Territory as originally established extended from the forty -second to the forty-ninth parallel, and from the Pacific Ocean to the crest of the Rocky Mountains, with boundaries defined in the organizing act, as follows: All that part of tbo territory of the United States which lies west of the summit of the Rocky Mountains, north of the forty-second degree of north latitude, known as the Territory of Oregon, shall be organized into and constitute a temporary govern- ment by the name of the Territory of Oregon. (Thirtieth Congress, first session.) In 1853 the Territory was reduced by the formation of Washington Territory {vide Washington, below), and on February 14, 1859, it was ad- mitted as a State with its present boundaries. These are defined below in an extract from the State constitution : Beginning one marine league at sea due west from the point where the forty-second parallel of north latitude intersects the same; thence northerly, at the same distance from the line of the coast lying west and opposite the State, including all islands within the jurisdiction of the United States, to a poiut due west and opposite the mid- dle of the north ship channel of the Columbia River ; thence easterly to and up the middle channel of said river, and where it is divided by islands, up the middle of the widest channel thereof, and in like manner up the middle of the main channel of Snake River to the mouth of the Owyhee River; thence due south to the paral- lel of latitude forty-two degrees north ; thence west along said parallel to the place of beginning, including jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases upon the Columbia River and Snake River concurrently with States and Territories of which those rivers form a boundary in common with this State. But the Congress of the United States, in providing for the admission of this State into the Union, may make the said north- ern boundary conform to the act creating the Territory of Washington. WASHINGTON TERRITORY. This was organized March 2, 1853, from a part of Oregon Territory. Its limits, as originally constituted, were as given in the following clause from the act of Congress creating it: That from and after the passage of this act, all that portion of Oregon Territory lying and being south of the forty-ninth degree of north latitude, and north of the middle of the main channel of the Columbia River from its mouth to where the forty- sixth degree of north latitude crosses said river, near Fort Walla Walla, thence with Bald forty-sixth degree of latitude to the summit of the Rocky Mountains, be organ- (584) GANNETT.] OREGON WASHINGTON CALIFORNIA, ' »129 ized into and constitute a temporary government by the name of the Territory of Washington. (Thirty-second Congi'ess, second session.) In 1859, on the formation of the State of Oregon, the residue of the Territory of Oregon, being the portion lying east of the present limits of the State, extending thence to the crest of the Rocky Mountains, was added to Washington. This area, with the part of Washington lying east of its present limits, was included in Idaho on the formation of that Territory in 1863. The present boundaries of Washington Territory are as follows : Be- ginning on the coast at the mouth of the Columbia Eiver ; following up the main channel of the Columbia River to its point of intersection with the forty-sixth parallel of latitude ; thence east on the forty-sixth paral- lel to the Snake River ; thence down the main channel of the Snake River to the mouth of the Clearwater 5 thence north on the meridian which passes through the mouth of the Clearwater to the boundary line between the United States and the British possessions ; thence west with that boundary line to the Pacific. CALIFORNIA. California was admitted to the Union on September 9, 1850. Its area was taken from territory acquired from Mexico by the treaty of Guade- lupe-Hidalgo. Its limits, as defined in the State constitution, are as follows : Commencing at the point of intersection of forty second degree of north latitude with the one hundred and twentieth degree of longitude west from Greenwich, and running south on the line of said one hundred and twentieth degree of west longi- tude until it intersects the thirty-ninth degree of north latitude ; thence running iu a straight line in a southeasterly direction to the river Colorado, at a point where it intersects the thirty-fifth degree of north latitude ; thence down the middle of the channel of said river to the boundary line between the United States and Mexico as established by the treaty of May 30, 1848 ; thence running west and along said bound- ary line to the Pacific Ocean, and extending therein three English miles ; thence run- ning in a northwesterly direction, and following the direction of the Pacific coast, to the forty-second degree of north latitude ; thence on the line of said forty-second de- gree of north latitude to the place of beginning. Also all the islands, harbors, and bays along and adjacent to the Pacific coast. (585) 4596— Bull. 13 9 INDEX. Acadia, Charter of Additions to the territory of the United States Alabama Admission of and Florida, Boundary between and Georgia, Boundary between and Mississippi, Boundary between.. and Tennessee, Boundary between... Formation of Territory of Limits of Territory of Alaska Cost of Limits of. Arizona Territory Formation of. Original limits of Present limits of Arkan.sas .■Admission of State of. Formation of Territory of. Limits of Territory of Statement of boundaries of Western boundary of Territory of..... Borden survey. Positions of points in boundaries of Massachusetts Boston Corner, Cession by Massachu- setts to New York of. Boundary lines of the States Butterfield, F. G California Admission of Limits of. Carolina, Division of Province of. First cliai-ter of. Second charter of Cession, Act of, by Connecticut Georgia North Carolina South Carolina Deed of, by Massachusetts New York Virginia Cessions by States Deeds of Colorado Admission of. Formation of Territory of Limits of Commissioners under sixth art. Treaty of Ghent, Decision of Connecticut Act of cession by Boundary with Massachusetts Page. 32 19 102 102 101 lOO 103 103 30, 102 102 23 23 23 125 32,125 125 125 106 30,107 30 106 107 106 64 63 32 5 129 31,129 129 96 93 93 26 27 26 26 25 25 25 24 25 123 32,123 123 123 12 66 26 58 Connecticut — Continued. Boundary with Khode Island Boundary with New York Charter of Grant of, by Plymouth Council Survey of boundary "with Massachu- setts, east of the Connecticut Kiver Survey of boundary with Massachu- setts, w^est of the Connecticut River Survey of boundary with Rhode Isl- and Survey of western boundary of Western boundary of Crozat, Grant by France to Dakota and Nebraska, Redefinition of part of boundary between Formation of Territory of Original limits of Present limits of Delaw^are and New Jersey, Boundary between, and Pennsylvania, Boundary be- tween Boundaries of, with Maryland Deed of, to William Penn Sale of, to William Penn Southern boundary of Western boundary of District of Columbia Act of cession from Maryland Act of cession from Virginia Act of Congress locating seat of Gov- ernment Act retroceding part of, to Virginia ... Division into two counties Proclamation of President defining limits of Supplementary act in regard to seat of Government Fairfax estate Fairfax stone Florida Admission of. and Alabama, boundary between and Georgia, boundary between and Georgia, report of commission- ers on boundary between Formation of Territory of Florida purchase Gadsden purchase Georgia. Page. 65 67 67 66 66 68 67 19 121 120 31, 121 121 121 81 81 72 81 81 85 85 86 8G 87 89 85,90 101 101 101 99 100 101 21 22 97 (587) 132 Page. Georgia — Continued. Act of cession by 27 and Alabama, boundary between 100 and Florida, boundary between 99 and Florida, report of commissioners on boundary between 100 and North Carolina, boundary be- tween 95 and South Carolina, agreement be- tween, regarding boundary 97 and Tennessee, boundary between.... 99 Boundaries of, as stated in constitu- tion 98 Cession of land to, by the United States 98 Cession of land to the United States.. 98 Charter of. Germany, award of the Emperor of. Ghent, Treaty of Gorges, Sir Ferdinando, and Capt. John Mason, charter to Great Britain, Convention of 1818 with... Decree of King of, in relation to boundary between Massachusetts and Rhode Island Definitive treaty of peace of 1783 with Provisional treaty of peace of 1782 with Treaty of 1842 with. "Webster-Ashburton treaty with Guadalupe Hidalgo, Treaty of Idaho Territory Formation of Original limits of Present limits of. Reduction of original territory of..... Illinois Admission of Formation of Territory of Limits of. Indiana Admission of Formation of Territory of 28, Limits of. Iowa Admission of Definition of eastern boundary of..... Formation of Territory of Original limits of State of. Present limits of State of. Kansas Admission of Formation of Territory of Limits of the Territory of Present limits of Kentucky Admission of and Virginia, boundary between Genesis of Northwestern boundary of Southern boundary of Western boundary of Laconia Letter of Transmittal 49 10 9 16 18 22 31,127 32, 127 127 127 127 113 29, 113 29, 113 113 111 29,112 31,112 112 117 31, 117 117 29, 117 118 118 . 119 119 31,119 119 119 90 30,110 90 109 110 91 110 33 5 London, Treaty of Louisiana Additions to State of Admission of State of Cost of Definition of, by M. Barbe Marbois.... Extent of Original boundaries of State of. Purchase Subdivision of Transfer from Spain to France of, in 1800 Treaty of cession of Maine Admission of Eastern boundary of Nortliern boundary of. Report of commissioners on western boundary of. Resurvey of western boundary of, in 1858 Resurvey of western boundary of, in 1874 Sale of province of Protest of, against award of King of the Netherlands Western boundary of Marbois, Definition of limits of Louisiana by Maryland Act of cession of part of District of Co- lumbia and Pennsylvania, Boundary be- tween and Virginia, Boundary between and Virginia, Report of arbitrators on boundary between, in 1877 andVirginia, Report of commission of 1668 to adjust boundary between.. Boundaries w^ith Delaware Grant of the Province of, to Lord Bal- tinaore Mason and Dixon's line Resurvey of, by Colonel Graham Mason, Capt. John, and Sir Ferdinando Gorges Grant to, in 1629 Grant to, in 1635 Robert, Royal decree to Massachusetts „ Boundary line with Connecticut Boundary line with Rhode Island Conventional line with Rhode Island.. Deed of cession by Northern boundary of. Survey of boundary of, with Con- necticut, east of the Connecticut River Survey of boundary line of, with Con- necticut, west of the Connecticut River Survey of boundary with Rhode Island, under decree of the king.. Western boundary of Page. 10 104 105 30 20 20 19 104 19 30 19 20 32 35 9,35 9,35 35 84 81 82 79 33 40 41 41 47 58 48 56 25 43 59 52 62 (588) 133 Massachusetts Bay, Charter of, in 1691. Charter of province of. , Massachusetts boundaries, Latitude and longitude of points in Mexican cession by treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Michigan Admission of Divisions of Territory of. Extension of limits of. Formation of Territory of. Present limits of Minnesota Admission of Formation of Territory of Limits of Territory of Present limits of. Mississippi Admission of and Alabama, Boundary between and Tennessee, Boundary between. ... Boundaries of Enlargement of Territory of Formation of Territory of. Missouri Admission of Extension of boundary of. Formation of Territory of Original boundaries of Present limits of Montana Territory Change in limits of , formation of organization of original limits of present boundaries of Nebraska Addition to Admission of and Dakota, Redefinition of part of boundary between Formation of Territory of Original limits of State of Original limits of Territory of. Netherlands, Award of the King of Nevada Additions to its territory of Admission of. Formation of Territory of Original limits of Territory of. Present limits of New England, Charter of. New Hampshire Claims of, west of Connecticut River. Decree of the king regarding western boundary of. Eastern boundary of Northern boundary of. Resurvey of eastern boundary in 1858.. Resurvey of eastern boundary in 1874.. Southern boundary of. Southern boundary of, Decision by the king Survey of southern boundary of. Western boundary of. Page. Page. 48 New Jersey 76 34 and Delaware, Boundary between and New York, Act of Congress set- 76 64 • . tling territorial limits between.... and New York, Survey of boundary 73 22 between 73 113 Grant of Territory by Duke of York 29,114 to Lord John Berkeley and Sir 30 George Carteret 76 114 Sale of, to Lord John Berkeley and 113,28 "Sir George Carteret 72 114 77 118 New Mexico 123 31,119 Formation of Territory of. 31,123 118,31 124 118 124 119 New YorTc 71 103 and Connecticut, Report of commis- 103 sioners on boundary between 70 103 and New Jersey, Act of Congress set- 103 tling territorial limits between... 73 103 and New Jersey, Boundary between 73 102 and New Jersey, Survey of boundary 30,102 between 73 116 and Pennsylvania, Boundary be- 30,116 tween 74 116 and Pennsylvania, Determination of 30 errors in position of boundary 116 between 76 117 and Pennsylvania,Reportof commis- 122 sioners on boundary between 75 122 67 32 Boundary with Massachusetts 62 122 Cession of territory to, by Vermont... 47 122 Deed of cession to United States, 122 by 25 120 Determination of longitude of west- 121 76 120 46 Grant of, to Duke of York 71,72 120 Northern boundary of , 10,12 31,120 71 120 Survey of boundary of, with Connect- 120 icut 68 15 75 125 92 126 Act of cession by.. 26 31.126 and Georgia, Boundary between 95 31,125 and South Carolina, Boundary be- 125 tween 95 126 and Tennessee, Boundary between... 95 47 and Virginia, Boundary between 91,94 40 Definition of boundaries of, in consti- 43 tution of 1776 93 History of boundaries from Geologi- 44 91 35 Northern boundary of 94 9,35,44 Statement of boundaries of, in Re- 38 vised Statutes 94 40 Western boundary of, from constitu- 41 96 Northeastern boundary of United States. 10 42 Ohio 110 42 110 35 Formation of State of 28 (589) 134 Ohio — Continued. Original limits of. Present boundaries of. Oregon Admission of. Formation of Territory of. Original limits of Present limits of. Reduction of Territory of Orleans Territory, Formation of Limits of. • Patent to Earl of Sterling Pemaquid, Annexation of, to New Eng- land Government Pennsylvania and Delaware, Boundary between... and Maryland, Boundary between and New York, Boundary between... and New York, Determination of er- rors in position of boundary be- tween and New York, Report of commis- sioners on boundary between and Virginia, Boundary between Grant to William Penn of the Prov- ince of Occupation of, by British West Indian Company Plymouth Company, Charter of Providence Plantation, Patent of Public domain Quintipartite deed Rhode Island Boundary line with Massachusetts.... Conventional line witli Massachu- setts Northern line of Survey of boundary of, with Mas- sachusetts under decree of the king Survey of northern boundary of. Survey of western boundary of. Western boundary and Providence Plantations, Char- ter of Bocky Mountains, Boundary west of Boundary west of, as claimed by Great Britain Boundary west of, as claimed by United States Russia, Treaty of 1867 with San Ildefonso, Treaty of. South Carolina and Georgia, Agreement between, re- garding Georgia boundary and Georgia, Boundary between and North Carolina, Boundary be- tween ..^ cession of Western lands by Spain, Treaty of 1795, with Treaty with, ceding the Floridas ...... defining Soutliwestern boundary. States, Cessions by Sterling, Patent to Earl of. Table of contents Page. 110 110 128 31,128 31,128 128 128 128 30 104 33 72,34 78 79 79 74 52 54 66 65 65 14 15 15 23 19 96 97 94,96 95 26 10 21 21 24 33 7 Page. Tennessee, Admission of. 30,108 and Alabama, Boundary between 103 and Georgia, Boundary between 99 and Kentucky, Boundary between... 91 and Mississippi, Boundary between.. 103 and North Carolina, Boundary be- tween 95 and Virginia, Boundary between 91 East boundary of, from Constitution of 1796 96 South boundary of 109 West boundary of 108 Territory northwest of the River Ohio, Area of 27 Northwest of the River Ohio, Bill for its provisional division 28 South of the River Ohio 27 South of the River Ohio, Composition of 29 Texas 105 Admission of. 21 Act of Congress defining northern boundary of 105 Extension of eastern boundary of 105 Original limits of 21,105 Present boundaries of 106 Sale of part of, to United States 105 United States, additions to the territory ofthe 19 Boundaries of the 9 Boundary with Mexico, under the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 22 Utah Territdry 124 Formation of 31,124 Original limits of 124 Present limits of 124 Vermont 45 Admission of 46 Cession of territory to New York 47 Claims of Massachusetts to territory of 45 Claims of New York to territory of... 45 Declaration of Independence of. 45 Eastern boundary of 44,46 Northern boundary of 16,46 Southern boundary of , 43,46 Western boundary of 46 Virginia 88 Act of cession of part of District of Columbia 86 Act of Congress retroceding part of Disti'ict of Columbia to 88 and Kentucky, Boundary between... 90 and Maryland, Boundary between ... 83 and Maryland, Report of arbitrators on boundary between, in 1877 84 and Maryland, Report of commission- ers of 1668 to adjust boundary be- tween 83 and North Carolina, Boundary be- tween 91,94 and Pennsylvania, Boundary be- tween 80 and Tennessee, Boundary between .. 91 Cession of western lands by 25 (590) 135 Virginia— Continued. Difficulties regarding Fairfax es- tate Division of, into Virginia and West Virginia Extract from constitution of 1776 First charter of. Reduction of territory of, by charters of other colonies Second charter of Third charter of Walker line, between Virginia and North Carolina Washington Territory Additions to territory of Foitnation of. Original limits of Present boundaries of. Reduction of territory of. Watkins Point, definition of Page. 91 32,88 94 128 129 31,128 128 129 129 83 Page. Western Reserve 25 West Virginia 92 Boundary with Kentucky 90 Boundary with Maryland 83 Boundary with Ohio 25 Boundary with Pennsylvania 91 Boundary with Virginia 92 Counties comprised in 12 Formation of. 91 Wisconsin 114 Admission of. 29,116 Divisions of territory of. 30 Formation of Territory of 29 Limits of territory of. 115 Org^anization of Territory of 114 Present limits of. 115 Wyoming Territory 123 Formation of. 32,123 Limits of territory of. 123 York, Duke of. Grant to 34 (591) [Balletm JTo. 14.1 The publications of the ITiiited States Geological Sorvev are issued in accordance with the statute, approved March 3. 1S79, which declares that — "The publications of the Greological Survej shall consist of thesBBsriTepestof opezatioffis. geolo^cal and economic maps illustrating the resources and classidcaticai of the buds, sad repo rts upon general and economic geology and paleontology. The annual report of operations of the Geological Survey shall accompany the annual report of the Secretary of the Interior. All special memoirs and reports of said Survey shall be issued in uniform quarto series if deemed necessary by the Director, but other- wise in ordinary octavos. Three thousand copies of each shall be published for scientific exchanges and for sale at the price of publication : and all literary and cartographic materials received in exchange shall he the property of the United Stares and form a part of the library of the organization: And the money resulting from the sale of such publications shall be covered into the Treasury of the United States.'" On Jtdy 7, 1S82, the following joint resolirtion, referring to aQ Government publications, was xt^ssed by Congress : "That whenever any document or report shall be ordered printed by Congress, there shall be printed in addition to the ntimber in each case stated, the 'usual number' (1,900) of copies for binding and distribution among those entitled to receive them." Under these general laws it will be seen that none of the Stirvey ptiblications are famished to it for grattiitous distribution. The 3,000 copies of the Annual Report are distributed through, the docum4 pp. 1-^ L 29 pi. Price $l.So. VI. Contributions to the Knowledge of the Older Mesozoie Flora of Virginia, by Wm. M. Fi^ntaino. 1SS3. 4^. li, 144 pp. 54 I. :vt pi. Price $l.0o. VII. SUver-leatl Deposits of Eureka. Xevada, by Jo«epii S. Curtis. 1S*4. 4=, xiiL 200 pp. 1« pL Price $1.20. VIII. Paleontology of the Eareka District, by Charies D. Waleott. li!¥4. 4'^. xiii. 39ti fp- 'H L 14 pi. Price $1.10. ADVERTISEMENT. The followins are in press, viz: IX. Brachiopoiia aDd Laraellibranchiata of the Earitan Clays and Gre^nsand Marls of Xew Jersey, by Eobert P. Whitfield. 1885. 4^. ix. 338 pp. 35 pi. X. Dinocerata. A Monograph of an Extinct Order of Gigantic Mammals, by Othniel Charles Marsh. 1885. 4^. — . — pp. -56 pi. XL Geological History of Lake Lahontan, a Quaternary Lake of Northwestern Nevada, by Israel CookRufeseU. 1885. 4=. -—pp. 46 pL The following are in preparation, viz: I. The Precious Metal.n, by Clarence King. Geology and Mining Indnstrj' of Leadville, with atlas, by S. F. Emmons. Gwdogy of the Eureka Mining District, Nevada, with atlas, by Arnold Hague. Lake Bonneville, by G. K. Gilbert. Sanropoda. by Prof. O. C. Marsh. Stegosanria; by Prof. O. C. Marsh. BULLETINS. The Bulletins of the Survey will contain such papers relating to the general purpose of its work as do not properly come under the heads of Axslal Eepoets or Moxogbaphs. Each of these Bulletins will contain but one paper and will be complete in itself. They will, how- ever, be numbered in a continuous series, and wiU in time be tmited into volumes of convenient size. To facilitate this each Bulletin will have two paginations, one proper to itself and another which be- longs to it as part of the volume. Of this .series of Bulletins Nos. 1 to 14 are already published, viz : 1. On Hyperstbene-Andesite and on Triclinic Pyroxene in Augitic Eocks, by Whitman Cross, with a Geological .Sketch of Buffalo Peaks, Colorado, by S. F. Emmons. 1883. 8 -. 42 pp. 2 pi . Price 10 cents. 2. Gold and .Silver Conversion Tables, giving the coining value of Troy ounces of fine metal, etc., by Albert Williams, jr. 1883. 8°. ii, 8 pp. Price 5 cents. 3. On the Fossil Faunas of the Upper Devonian, along the meridian of 76° 30*, from Tompkins Cotmty. New York, to Bradford County, Pennsylvania, by Henry S. Williams. 1884. 8=. 36 pp. Price 5 cents. 4. On Mesozoic Fossils, by Charles A. White. 1884. 8^. 36 pp. 9 pi. Price 5 cents. 5. A Dictionary of Altitudes in the United States, compiled by Henry Gannett. 1884. 8°. 325 pp. Price 20 cents. 6. Elevations in the Dominion of Canada, by J. W. Spencer. 1884. 8°. 43 pp. Price 5 cents. 7. Mapoteca Geologica Americana. A catalogue of geological maps of America (North and South). 1752-1881, by Jules Marcou and John Belknap Marcon. 1684. 8°. 184 pp. Price 10 cents. 8. On Secondary Enlargements of Mineral Fragments in Certain Eocks, by E. D. Irving and C. R. Vanhise. 1884. d'^. 56 pp. 6 pi. Price 10 cents. 9. A Report of work done in the Washington Laboratory during the fiscal year 1883-'84. F. W. Clarke, chief chemisst ; T. M. Chatard, assistant. 1884. 8^. 40 pp. Price 5 cents. 10. On the Cambrian Faunas of North America. Preliminary studies by Charles Doolittle "Walcott. 1884. 8°. 74 pp. 10 pi. Price 5 cents. 11. On the Quaternary and Recent MoUu.sca of the Great Basin ; with Descriptions of New Forms, by R. Ellsworth Call; introduced by a sketch of the Quaternarj- Lakes of the Great Basin, by G. K Gilbert. 1884. 8=. 66 pp. 6 pi. Price 5 cents. 12. A Crystallographic Study of the Thinolite of Lake Lahontan, by Edward S. Dana. 1884. 8" 34 pp. 3 pi. Price 5 cents. 13. Boundaries of the United States and of the several States and Territories, by Henry Gannett. 1885. 8^. 135 pp. Price 10 cents. 14. The Electrical and Magnetic Properties of the Iron-Carburets, by Carl Barus and Vincent Strouhal. 1885. 8^. 238 pp. Price 15 cents. Numbers 1 to 6 of the Bolletiiuj form Volume I, and numbers 7 to 14 Volume II. Volume HI is not yet complete. The following are in press, viz: 15. On the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Paleontology of California, by Dr. C. A. White. 1885. 8°. 33 pp. Price 5 cents. 16. On the higher Devonian Faunas of Ontario Conntj-, New York, by J. M. Clarke. 1885. 8=. — pp. 3 pL Price — cents. 17. On the Development of Crystallization, etc., by Arnold Hague and J. P. Iddings. 1885. 8°. — pp. Price — cents. • 18. On Marine Eocene, Fresh-water Miocene, and other FobsU Mollusca of Western North America, by Dr. C. A. WTiite. 1885. S°. —pp. 3 pi. Price — cents. 19. Notes on the Stratigraphy of California, by George F.Becker. 1885. 8°. —pp. Price — cents. 20. Contributions to the Mineralogy of the Rocky Mountains, by Whitman Cross and W. F. HiUe- brand. 1885. 8^. — pp. 1 pi. Price — cents. 21. The Lignites of the Great Sioux Preservation, by Bailey WUlis. 1885. 8°. — pp. 5 pi. Price — cents. m^^ '^•5 ,-pM,, m^^ UUiUiiJl L 011 460 91- f