Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

The south boundary of California from the Colorado River to the Pacific Ocean is also the international boundary between the United States and Mexico. For description of the survey of this line by the joint international commission in 1849, see page 44.

Owing to the continual shifting of the bed of the Colorado River, the States of California and Arizona executed a compact on March 12, 1963, to fix their common boundary. The compact specified that a joint commission would define the boundary in such a manner that further movement of the river would not affect it. Near the south end of this boundary, the bed of the river has not been confined by the topography as it was farther north. Because determination of the position of the midchannel at the time California entered the Union would be difficult now, it was decided to place the boundary line in a position that would provide an equitable distribution of the land that had been affected by the movement of the riverbed.

The compact called for the determination of the positions of 34 points by precise geodetic methods. The first of these points is at the center of the river where the California-Nevada boundary intersects it. The 34th point is at the international boundary with Mexico. Twelve of these stations are on structures over the river. Some 200 additional stations are identified on aerial photographs taken for the purpose, and their coordinates will be measured and computed by precise analytical photogrammetry. This work is now in progress (1964). Where successive points fall in the middle of the channel of the river, the boundary will follow the stream rather than being a straight line between them, the aerial photographs being retained as evidence of the position. The controlling points were considered sufficiently close together and the river stabilized to the extent that no problems would arise.

OREGON

The Oregon region in early days was a source of many disputes (Mowry, 1902, chap. 7) between the United States and Great Britain, nearly to the point of war. It was claimed by the United States at different times as a part of the Louisiana Purchase, by right of discovery (see pl. 1), and as a part of the Spanish cession.61 In the convention of 1818 with Great Britain, joint occupancy for 10 years was provided. This status continued until 1846, when Congress by resolution authorized the President to give notice of its discontinuance. The United States at that time claimed the area as far north as lat

For a brief outline of the principles governing acquisition of territory by discovery and occupation, see Queensland Geog. Jour., Brisbane, Australia, 1923, v. 38, p. 61. This article contains a reference to the Oregon dispute. See also Schafer (1911, p. 273-299) and Moore (1898, v. 1, chap. 7 and 8).

54°40′ N., but by the treaty with Great Britain of 1846 (see p. 28) the disputes regarding title were forever settled and the 49th parallel was made the northern boundary.

The Territory of Oregon was organized August 14, 1848, with boundaries described as follows (see fig. 27; 9 Stat. L. 323):

all that part of the 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 government by the name of the Territory of Oregon.

In 1853 the Territory was reduced by the formation of Washington Territory, and on February 14, 1859 (11 Stat. L. 383), it was admitted as a State with its present limits. The boundaries were described in the State constitution of 1857 as follows (Thorpe, 1909, v. 5, p. 3015):

Beginning one marine league at sea due west from the point where the fortysecond 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 point due west and opposite the middle 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 parallel 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 northern boundary conform to the act creating the Territory of Washington.

The U.S. act of February 14, 1859, concludes the description as follows (11 Stat. 383):

* to a point near Fort Walla-Walla, where the forty-sixth parallel of north latitude crosses said river; thence east on said parallel to the middle of the main channel of the Shoshonnes or Snake River; thence up the middle of main channel of said river, to the mouth of the Owyhee River; thence due south, to the parallel of latitude forty-two degrees north; thence west, along said parallel, to the place of beginning.

The Oregon-Washington boundary on the 46th parallel, between the Snake and Columbia Rivers, was surveyed and marked in 1863-64 under the direction of the General Land Office. The latitude used was derived from more than 500 observations with the sextant. Two observation stations were occupied, one near the foot of Cathedral Rock on the Columbia, the other near Cottonwood Creek on the west side of the Blue Mountains. A random line was run between them, which showed an apparent difference of latitude of 4". The final line was run on the mean latitude. Marks were set at mile intervals for 42 miles east from the Columbia, then at irregular intervals over the Blue Mountains. The measured length of the line was 96 miles

57 chains. The easternmost mark, which was placed 3 chains from the west bank of the Snake River, was a 712-foot post 12 inches in diameter, marked "W" on the north, "O" on the south, and "46 L 1868" on the east side; it was set in a 6-foot pile of stones.

By a joint resolution approved June 10, 1910, Congress gave its consent to Oregon and Washington to fix their common boundary in the Columbia River and to cede, the one to the other, islands the title to which had been in dispute. Owing to the continual shifting of the main channel of the Columbia River, it was decided to define the boundary by a series of tangents, the ends of which were recorded geodetic positions. A compact was made by the States of Oregon and Washington, and Congress approved the new boundary on July 31, 1958 (72 Stat. 455). These straight lines connect 191 points between the mouth of the Columbia and the point where the boundary leaves the river and continues eastward along the 46th parallel. These lines approximate the channel of the river, and a point is established on the centerlines of bridges and dams crossing the river.

The meridian boundary between Idaho and Oregon from the middle of the main channel of the Snake River at the mouth of the Owyhee southward to the calculated position of the 42d parallel, was surveyed and marked in 1868 under the direction of the General Land Office. The latitude of the north end of this line was determined from more than 300 sextant observations as 43°48′41.1" N. The position for the south end was also determined from sextant observations. The measured length of the line was 124 miles 17.2 chains. The marks consisted of wooden posts, small stones, or mounds of stone. The U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1915 located a point on this line near its north end, the position of which is lat 43°43′21.34′′ N., long 117°01'32.70" W. (1927 N.A.D.). For discussion of the south boundary, see California, p. 238, and Nevada, p. 248-249.

WASHINGTON

The Territory of Washington was organized March 2, 1853, from a part of Oregon Territory. (See fig. 27.) Its original limits were defined in the following clause from the act of Congress creating it (10 Stat. L. 172):

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 said forty-sixth degree of latitude to the summit of the Rocky Mountains, be organized into and constitute a temporary government by the name of the Territory of Washington.

[graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small]

In 1859, on the formation of the State of Oregon, the residue of the Territory of Oregon, the part extending from the east boundary of the State to the crest of the Rocky Mountains, was added to Washington. This area, together 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 the State of Washington are as follows: Beginning on the coast at the mouth of the Columbia River; following up the main channel of the Columbia to its point of intersection with the 46th parallel of latitude; thence east on the 46th parallel to the Snake River; thence down the main channel of the Snake River to the mouth of the Clearwater; 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.62

Washington was declared admitted as a State by proclamation dated November 11, 1889, with its limits defined as above (25 Stat. L. 676). The enabling act was dated February 22, 1889.

See pages 29-31 for reference to the survey of the northern boundary, page 246 for survey of the eastern boundary, and pages 242-243 for the survey of the boundary on the 46th parallel.

62 See articles relating to the northern boundary in Elliott (1919a, b).

[graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][merged small]

The Territory of Idaho was formed March 3, 1863, from parts of Washington, Dakota, and Nebraska. (See figs. 23, 24, 27, 28.) Its original limits, which included the present States of Idaho and Montana and all but the southwestern part of Wyoming, were given as follows in the act organizing the Territory:

63

That all that part of the territory of the United States included within the following 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 Clearwater 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 Oregon; thence north along said boundary to the place of beginning.

12 Stat. L. 808. For historical sketch of the formation of the Territory of Idaho see Washington University Historical Society (1930).

« AnteriorContinuar »