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"Bound F," said last point being at the most southerly end of Sawdy Pond in said line of highest water mark.

The line of "highest watermark" as shown on sheet B is defined by offsets at right angles to straight lines from Bound A, and passing respectively through points designated “B” to “F,” inclusive, and on the South Watuppa Pond is also the line that would be traced by a level thirteen inches above a bolt in stonework on westerly side of waterway in gatehouse of reservoir dam of Watuppa Reservoir Company, Quequechan River. On Sawdy Pond the highest watermark is the line that would be traced by the level of an iron bolt driven in west side of flume to sawmill at northerly end of said Sawdy Pond.

From Bound F the line runs southeasterly, being a straight line to the monument known as "Joe Sanford's bound," being the center of a copper bolt in stone on land of Joseph Tripp, and is in latitude 41° 35′ 37′′, longitude 71° 08′ 13′′.

From Joe Sanford's bound the line runs southerly, following the westerly line of the town of Westport to the Atlantic Ocean, passing easterly of Quicksand Pond through the center of a bound known as Peaked Rock, situated in latitude 41° 29′ 58′′, longitude 71° 07′ 34′′.

The first point in this line southerly of Sanford's bound is on the north side of milldam at Adamsville, 85.58 feet easterly of straight line from Sanford's to Peaked Rock.

The second is 113.94 feet easterly of said straight line, and is on the easterly side of road leading from Adamsville to the ocean.

The third is 234.48 feet east of said straight line, on the road leading to Little Compton, by Philip Simmons' house.

The whole of the line thus described is shown on a plan herewith presented, which, with sketches A and B, is made a part of this report and attested.

It will be observed that the above decree of the United States Supreme Court makes no reference to the line from Burnt Swamp Corner to the Connecticut line.

It will also be remembered (vide p. 62) that the "line of 1848," so called, was ratified by Rhode Island and rejected by Massachusetts. In 1865 the legislature of Massachusetts took action in regard to this portion of the line, as follows, viz:

Resolved, That the boundary line between the State of Rhode Island and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, from the line of the State of Connecticut to Burnt Swamp Corner, begins at the north west corner of the State of Rhode Island on the Connecticut line, in latitude 42° 00′ 29′′ north, and longitude 74° 48′ 18′′ west of Greenwich, a ,a and runs in a straight line 21 and 2 miles to Burnt Swamp Corner, in Wrentham, being in latitude 42° 1′ 8′′ and longitude 71° 23′ 13′′.

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This is the line agreed upon by the commissioners, called the "line of 1848," ratified at the time by Rhode Island, but rejected by Massachusetts.

The tardy ratification of the line by Massachusetts was, in its turn, rejected by Rhode Island, on the ground that the then recent settlement of the eastern boundary by the decree of the Supreme Court had so changed the aspect of the controversy that she could not consent to the adoption of the line of 1848 as her northern boundary.

aThis is a clerical error, 66 Borden's Tables, p. 64.)

'Longitude 74° 48′ 18′′" should read "longitude 71° 48′ 18′′." (Vide

Thus the northern boundary of Rhode Island was left in abeyance, or rather left in the condition prescribed by the decision of 1846.

In June, 1880, the legislature of Rhode Island passed a resolution to remove the monuments of the "line of 1848" and erect monuments on the jurisdictional line.

In 1881 the legislature of Massachusetts took like action.

This jurisdictional line has the same termini as the line of 1848, but is a very irregular line, sometimes running north of a direct line and sometimes falling south of it [the extreme variations being 529.3 feet north of the line of 1848, and 129 feet south of the same]. A full and detailed description may be found in Rhode Island Acts, May, 1867, p. 6 et seq.

Also, vide Senate Document No. 14, Massachusetts, 1848, for a full account of this controversy.

In 1713, commissioners from the province of Massachusetts Bay and Colony of Connecticut settled a line between Massachusetts and Connecticut.

By this line certain northern frontier towns were given to Massachusetts, viz, Woodstock, Suffield, Enfield, and Somers. In 1749 the legislature of Connecticut passed a resolution that, inasmuch as the line had not been approved by the King, and that the two colonies had no legal right to transfer territory without the confirmation of the Crown, the contract was void, and these towns were again taken under the jurisdiction of Connecticut. Massachusetts appealed to the King, and the claims of Connecticut were fully established. (See Hollister's History of Connecticut, Vol. II.)

In 1791 Massachusetts and Connecticut appointed commissioners to establish the boundary between them, but they were unable to agree. In 1803 commissioners were appointed to complete the line, a compromise having been made concerning the line between the town of Southwick and the towns of Suffield and Granby (the cause of the disagreement of the former commissioners).

The agreement made was as follows, viz:

That the line should begin from a station 8 rods south of the southwest corner of West Springfield, and thence run west to the large ponds, and thence southerly by those ponds to the ancient south line of Westfield, and from thence on said south line to the ancient southwest corner of Westfield; and from thence northerly in the ancient west line of Westfield to the station in said west line made by commissioners in the year 1714, and from thence to the southwest corner of Granville. (See Mass. Special Laws, Vol. III, page 234.)

In 1803 the commissioners surveyed and marked the boundary between their respective States.

Their report, which was adopted, is as follows, viz:

Beginning at the northeast corner of Suffield and the southeast corner of West Springfield, on the west bank of Connecticut River, at a point 75 links northward of

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the center of a small valley running into said river, said point being between a small butternut tree, marked M. C., standing on the south, and a small crooked white oak, marked M., standing on the north, about two feet distant from each other, and then run north 82° 45′ west 1 chain to a stone monument erected by us there; in the same course 22 chains 25 links to a stone monument on the stage road from Springfield to Suffield, and said course continued would pass two feet north of Smith's house; thence north 82° west 82 chains 3 links to a stone monument on the middle road from Suffield to Springfield; then in the same course 13 chains 30 links to a large black or red oak tree, marked on the east side C., and on the west side M., being an ancient bound; thence north 77° 4′ west 134 chains 42 links to a stone monument on the road from Feeding Hills meetinghouse to Suffield; thence in the same course 4 chains 21 links to a pine stump-an old monument; thence north 79° 48′ west 102 chains 80 links to a stone monument on the road from Westfield to Suffield, called the back street; thence north 81°30′ west 61 chains 20 links to a stone monument at an old stump and stones, the ancient southwest corner of West Springfield; thence south 5° west 2 chains to a stone monument in the line run by commissioners in 1714; thence north 85° west 167 chains 33 links to a stone monument at the middle pond, 22 links east of low-water mark, being at the center of a little valley running into said pond; thence on the eastern shore of said pond, as the same runs southerly, to a sluiceway or outlet from said pond to the south pond; thence southerly on the east shore of the south pond as the same runs to a stone monument at high-water mark on the south corner of said pond, being the south end of the most southerly bay thereof, from which the point of land beyond the bay on the east side of the pond bears north 29° east, and the high point beyond the bay on the west side of the pond is north 3° 30' east; then south 10° 20' west 24 chains 78 links to a stone monument at the southeast corner of Southwick, in the ancient south line of Westfield, from which the highest peak of Manatick Mountain bears south 42° 30′ west; thence south 87° 30′ west 33 chains 86 links to a heap of stones in a hedge, being an ancient monument in the south line of Westfield and the northwest corner of Suffield, adjoining Granby; thence in said ancient south line of Westfield the same course to a stone monument at a white oak stump, an old monument, the southwest corner of Southwick, being 174 chains 36 links; thence north 10° 20′ east 212 chains 84 links to a stone monument erected by us, at a place in the ancient west line of Westfield, where commissioners in 1714 established the monument called the Crank monument; thence north 82° 17′ west 137 chains to a stone monument erected by us at the east road from Granby to Granville; in this course, at the distance of 86 chains 20 links from the Crank monument, we passed between two pillars of stones 45 links south of one and 13 links north of the other, both said to be the southeast corner of Granville; thence on the same course 61 chains 40 links to a stone monument erected by us on the Granby turnpike road; thence in the same course 44 chains to a white oak a tree, marked by commissioners in 1717, and which we marked M on the north side and C, 1803, on the south side; thence north 84°24′ west 5 chains 13 links to a stone monument erected by us on the west road from Granby to Granville; thence in the same course 200 chains 37 links to a white elm stump and stones on the west bank of Valley Brook, so called, a monument, made by commissioners in 1717 in this course three monuments are mentioned by said commissioners, which we do not find; thence north 85° 7′ west 60 chains 15 links to a stone monument erected by us at a new road near the east bank of Hubbard River; thence the same course 2 chains to dry hemlock tree with stones about it on the west side of said river near a small fall and a rock on the east side of said river stooping towards it more than 2 rods to a monument erected by said former commissioners; thenc› north 82° 52' west 109 chains 35 links to a stone monument erected by us on the road from Granville

a Oak-tree boundary at Granville, marked in 1717.

b Boundary stone in west front of Granville.

to Hartland; thence the same course 275 chains 91 links to a large heap of stones on the west bank of Slocum Brook between two hemlock trees, having many ancient and modern marks thereon, being a monument made by said former commissioners (in this course the commissioners of 1717 made mention of a large hemlock tree, and a very large white-ash tree which we do not find); thence north 81° 50′ west 93 chains 74 links to a stone monument erected by us on the Beach-hill road, so called; thence in the same course 235 chains to a stone monument erected by us at a heap of stones about an elm tree standing on the west bank of Sandy Brook, a monument made by said former commissioners, who mentioned in their report a monument in this course, which we do not find; thence north 82° 11′ west 357 chains 30 links to a stone monument erected by us on the road from Marlborough to Norfolk; thence same course 38 chains 20 links to a monument made by said former commissioners on the west bank of Whiting River, near falls, being a heap of flat stones on a large rock; thence north 82° 9′ west 219 chains to a stone monument at the end of Greenwood Turnpike road (in this course said former commissioners marked two trees, which we do not find); thence in the same course 161 chains 75 links to a stone monument at the Burrell road, so called, leading from Canaan to Suffield; thence in the same course 49 chains to an elm tree, with stones near it, on the east bank of Housatonic River, about six rods west from a chestnut stump and stones, a monument made by said former commissioners, who also marked a white oak tree in this course which we do not find; thence north 82° 52′ west 20 chains 50 links to a stone monument erected by us at the road leading from Salisbury to Sheffield, called Wetany road; thence in the same course 119 chains 50 links to a stone monument erected by us at the road from Salisbury to Sheffield, near Ebenezer Fletcher's house; thence on the same course 211 chains 35 links to a stone monument erected by us at the mountain road from Salisbury to Sheffield; thence on the same course 28 chains 4 links to a monument established by said former commissioners at the foot of the mountain, being a heap of stones on a large rock, 20 links long on the northeasterly side, 5 feet high on the southerly side, and which we marked 1803 on the southerly side; thence north 85° 30′ west 147 chains 20 links to a stone monument erected by us on the road from Salisbury to Mount Washington; thence on the same course 81 chains 80 links to a large heap of stones, the oblong corner bounds, so called, between the State of Connecticut and New York.

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The courses of said line as before given, and here by us are according to the present state of magnetic needle, which we observed to vary 5° west of north. Private laws of Conn., vol. 2, pages 1540 to 1544.)

(See

ABSTRACT OF REPORT OF COMMISSION OF 1803 ON BOUNDARY BETWEEN MASSACHUSETTS AND CONNECTICUT WEST OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER.

Beginning at a point on the west bank of Connecticut River, in latitude 42° 01′ 52′′.10, longitude 72° 37′ 03′′.46, and running north 82° 45′ west 22 chains 25 links; thence north 82° west 95 chains 33 links; thence north 77° 4' west 138 chains 63 links; thence north 79° 48′ west 102 chains 80 links; thence north 81° 30′ west 61 chains 20 links; thence south 5° west 2 chains; thence north 85° west 167 chains 33 links to a stone monument at the middle pond, 22 links east of low-water mark, latitude 42° 02′ 11′′, longitude 72° 45′ 45′′.07; thence southerly along the east shore of said pond, and also south pond, to a stone monument at high-water mark, at the south corner of said south pond; thence south 10° 20′ west 24 chains 78 links to a stone monument at southeast corner of Southwick, which is in latitude 42° 00′ 11′′.98, longitude 72° 46′ 24′′.23; thence south 87° 30′ west 208 chains 22 links to a stone monument at the southwest corner of Southwick, which is in latitude 41° 59′ 51′′.89, longitude 72° 49′ 25′′.47; thence north 10° 20′ east 212 chains 84 links to a stone monument at the northwest corner of the Southwick Jog, which is in latitude 42° 02′

12′′.39, longitude 72° 49′ 13′′.51; thence north 82° 17′ west 242 chains 40 links to a white oak tree, marked by commissioners in 1717, which is in latitude 42° 02′ 15′′.84, longitude 72° 52′ 47′′.74; thence north 84° 24′ west 205 chains 50 links; thence north 85° 7' west 62 chains 15 links; thence north 82° 52′ west 109 chains 35 links to a stone monument in latitude 42° 02′ 17′′.03, longitude 72° 58′ 22′′.52; thence north 82° 52′ west 275 chains 91 links; thence north 81° 45′ west 70 chains; thence north 81° 50' west 328 chains 74 links to a stone monument, which is in latitude 42° 02′ 31′′.11, longitude 73° 07′ 35′′.94; thence north 82° 11' west 395 chains 50 links; thence north 82° 9′ west 430 chains; thence north 82° 52′ west 140 chains to a stone monument on the road from Salisbury to Sheffield, which is in latitude 42° 02′ 58′′.11, longitude 73° 22′ 55′′.27; thence north 82° 52′ west 239 chains 39 links; thence north 85° 30′ west 239 chains to the northwest corner of Connecticut, which is in latitude 42° 02′ 58".54, longitude 73° 30′ 06′′.66.

According to the survey of the cession of Boston Corners, by Massachusetts to New York, in 1855, the south boundary of Massachusetts from the northwest corner of Connecticut to the southwest corner of Massachusetts is as follows, viz:

A line running north 89° 08′ 4" west, 40 chains, by the true meridian. The courses of the line of 1803 are magnetic, with the variation as at that date, i. e., 5° west.

The latitudes and longitudes in the foregoing are taken from the Borden Trigonometrical Survey of Massachusetts of 1843.

In 1826 the line between Massachusetts and Connecticut east of the Connecticut River was run by commissioners appointed from each State. An abstract of the commissioners' report is here given:

Abstract of report of commissioners of 1826.-The commissioners first made the following survey: Commencing at the northeast corner of Connecticut, at a large pile of stones erected by commissioners of 1734; thence running due west on the latitude of 42° 3' north to the west line of Woodstock, 15 miles 169 rods 15 links. (This is hereafter referred to as the "first line of latitude.") Thence north 3° west 54 rods 19 links to an old pine tree, the reputed northeast corner of Union; thence due west 25 miles 168 rods to Connecticut River. (This line is hereinafter referred to as the "second line of latitude," and the second line of latitude is 54 rods north of the first.) These lines of latitude were compared with the ancient survey, monuments, evidence, etc., of the line run by the commissioners of 1713; the said lines of latitude were found to vary in sundry places therefrom. Therefore, in order to conform as near as possible to the line of 1713, the line was run as follows, viz:

Beginning at the northeast corner of Connecticut and running west on "first line of latitude" 1,702 rods and 4 links to the road to the Merino road; thence in a direct line 1,372 rods 20 links to the road leading from Muddy Brook, so called, by Pennel May's to Southbridge; this point is 21 rods 10 links north of the "first line of latitude;" thence in a direct line 360 rods 5 links to the Norwich and Woodstock turnpike (this point is 20 rods and 5 links north of "first line of lati

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