The field notes state the survey was commenced at the point on the western boundary of the State where the line run by Harris, east from the southern extremity of Lake Michigan, intersected that boundary, and called, by Mr. Fulton, the northwest corner of the State of Ohio, and that the line was run east 80 miles and 40 chains to the shore of Lake Eric. These field notes do not state the latitude of the line at any point; but by the plat it appears that the latitude of the point of the commencement of line on the line between Ohio and Indiana, was 41° 32′ 47"; at the 35th mile east thereof, it was 41° 32′ 40"; and at the intersection of the line with Lake Erie, it was 41° 31′ 38′′. None of the papers show that Mr. Fulton ever took the latitude of the south extreme of Lake Michigan. Duplicate copies of the plats of the surveys by Mr. Fulton and Mr. Harris, were sent by the Commissioner to the Secretary of the Treasury, on the 7th of March, 1820, who, upon the same day, transmitted them to the President, in a letter of the following purport, viz: "Pursuant to the provisions of the act of the 20th of May, 1812, entitled 'An act to authorize the President of the United States to ascertain and designate certain boundaries,' the northern and western boundaries of the State of Ohio have been run and marked. Copies of the plats or plans of the said boundaries are herewith submitted, in order that they may be communicated to Congress;" and, on the 8th of March; the President transmitted them to the House of Representatives, with the following message: "I transmit to Congress a report from the Secretary of the Treasury, which, with the accompanying documents, will show that the act of the 20th of May, 1812, respecting the northern and western boundaries of the State of Ohio, has been executed." The next document, in order of date, to which I can refer, is the printed report made to the House of Representatives on the 18th of March, 1828, by the Hon. Mr. Strong, from the Committee on the Territories, recommending that the latitude of sundry points be correctly ascertained. Accordingly, on the 14th of July, 1832, an act was passed directing the President to cause to be ascertained, by accurate observation, the latitude and longitude of the following positions, viz: the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan; the point on the Miami of the Lake which is due east therefrom; the most northerly cape of the Miami bay; of the most southerly point in the northern boundary line of the United States in Lake Erie; the point at which a direct line from the southern extreme of Lake Michigan to the most southerly point in said northern boundary of the United States, will intersect the Miami river and bay; also, the point on the Mississippi which is due west from the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan. The time limited for making these observations, was extended to the 31st of December, 1835, by the fifth section of the general appropriation law the 2d March, 1833. It appears from the report of Captain Talcott, the officer charged with the execution of the last mentioned act, (see Congressional Document, No. 497, H. R. 1st Sess. 23d Cong.) that the latitude of the southern extreme of Lake Michigan, is 41° 37' 7".9, and that of the north cape of the Maumee bay, 41° 44' 2".4; and in a letter to General Gratiot of March 27th last, Captain Talcott further states that, as at that time he was separated from all the papers relating to that subject, he was only able to state, generally from recollection, the results arrived at, which were, first, the due east line from the foot or most southern bend of Lake Michigan, will intersect the Maumee river very near the line as run and marked by the commis sioners; "it will not vary from it three hundred yards:" the other points in this letter, refer to the boundary line in the lake. The line thus referred to by Captain Talcott, must be the line run by Fulton, as that is the only line run which has intersected the Miami river. ELIJAH HAYWARD. Hon. LEVI WOODBURY, Secretary of the Treasury. E No. 8. On the 29th of January, 1818, the following resolution was adopted, viz: Resolved, by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That this General Assembly consider the line running from the most northerly cape of the Miami bay, westwardly, to the most southerly extreme of Lake Michigan, till it intersects the line running due north from the mouth of the Great Miami river, as the northern boundary of that part of the State of Ohio adjoining the Michigan Territory. E No. 9. On the 23d of February, 1820, Mr. Brush, of Ohio, offered in the House of Representatives the following resolution, viz: "Resolved, That a committee be appointed to inquire into the expediency of providing by law, for the surveying, marking and permanently establishing the northern boundary line of the State of Ohio, beginning at the point north of the most northerly cape of the Miami bay, running thence due west to intersect the western line of the said State." This resolution the House did not consider. E No. 10. On the 24th of April, 1820, Mr. Woodbridge, the delegate from Michigan, submitted to the House of Representatives the following resolution, viz: "Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the line heretofore caused to be surveyed, marked and designated from the southern extreme of Lake Michigan, due east, in pursuance of the provisions of the act entitled "An act to authorize the President of the United States to ascertain and designate certain boundaries," passed May 13 1812, so far as the same extends due east from the western boundary line of the State of Ohio,.be and remain the established boundary between the said State of Ohio and the Territory of Michigan." This resolution was read and referred to the Committee on the Public Lands, who reported it to the Houses, unanimously, without amendment, but was not acted on. E No. 11. On the 4th of January, 1828, Mr. Vinton, of Ohio, offered to the House of Representatives the following resolution: "Resolved, That the Committee on the Territories be instructed to inquire into the expediency of giving the assent of Congress to the provisions of the sixth section of the seventh article of the Constitution of Ohio, relative to the boundary line between the State of Ohio and the Territory of Michigan." E No 12. On the 14th of December, 1831, a memorial from the Legislature of Ohio, was presented in the Senate of the United States, praying that measures might be adopted by Congress for the speedy and permanent establishment of the dividing line between that State and the Territory of Michigan, and on the 14th July, 1832, the following act was approved by the President: AN ACT to provide for the taking of certain observations preparatory to the adjustment of the northern boundary line of the State of Ohio. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States cause to be ascertained, by accurate observation, 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 practicable accuracy, the latitude and longitude of the most southerly point in the northern boundary line of the United States in Lake Erie; and also, the point at which a direct line drawn from the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan, to the most southerly point in the said northern boundary 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. Approved, July 14, 1832. E No. 13. Fifth section of an act passed 2d March, 1833. SECTION 5. And be it further enacted, 'That the time limited for making observations and returns thereof, under the act of 14th July, 1832, "to provide for the taking of certain observations preparatory to the adjustment of the northern boundary line of the State of Ohio," be and the same is hereby extended until the 31st day of December, 1835; and that for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of the act aforesaid, the sum of six thousand one hundred and ten dollars be appropriated for the purchase of instruments; and the further sum of seven thousand five hundred dollars for the expenses of taking such observations. Approved, March 2, 1833. E No. 14. Extract from the Report of the Commissioner of the General Land Office. It appears from the report of Captain Talcott, the officer charged with the execution of the last mentioned act, (see Congressional Document, No. 497, H. R. 1st Sess. 23d Cong.) that the latitude of the southern extreme of Lake Michigan, is 41° 37 7".9, and that of the north "cape of the Maumee bay, 41° 44′ 2′′.4; and in a letter to General Gratiot of March 27th last, Captain Talcott further states that, as at that time he was separated from all the papers relating to that subject, he was only able to state generally from recollection the results arrived at, which were, first, the due east line from the foot or most southern bend of Lake Michigan, will intersect the Maumee river very near the line as run and marked by the commissioners; "it will not vary from it three hundred yards:" the other points in this letter refer to the boundary line in the lake. The line thus referred to by Captain Talcott, must be the line run by Fulton, as that is the only line run which has intersected the Miami river. ELIJAH HAYWARD. Hon. LEVI WOODBURY, Secretary of the Treasury. 1 PHILADELPHIA, March 27, 1835. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, this morning, of your letter of the 23d instant, postmarked 26th, requiring, at as early a day as practicable, a report of the result of the astronomical observations made for the adjustment of the northern boundary of Ohio. At this time I am separated from all the papers relating to that service, but I am able to state, generally from recollection, the results arrived at: 1st. The due east line from the foot or most southern bend of Lake Michigan, will intersect the Maumee river, very near the line as run and marked by commissioners. It will not vary from it 300 yards. 2d. The same due east line prolonged, did not intersect the line "along the middle of Lake Erie," as deduced from these observations; but will pass more than two thousand feet south of the most southern point of that line. I must also state, that the long, low, narrow sand point, on the north side of Lake Erie, called "Point au Platt," or "Point Pelé,” was, at the time my observations were made there, much shortened, from some cause. I was so informed by the captain of the cutter, as we approached it; and he expressed much surprise at the change that had taken place since he last visited it. A young man residing near made the same remark, “that the point formerly extended much further into the lake." The map prepared by and accompanying the report of the commissioners for ascertaining this portion of the national boundary shows the same thing, viz: that the point then projected much further south than at present. It follows then, that a line "along the middle of Lake Erie," at the time the commissioners surveyed it, must be considerably south at this point, of the line along the middle of the lake now. Which of these lines shall be considered as the boundary line of the United States, the undersigned is not competent to decide. If the first line is the boundary, then it is probable the cast line referred to will intersect it very near its most southern culmination, and to ascertain that, further observations will be necessary, and reference also to the notes of the surveyors employed by the commissioners. If the latter line, there is no doubt upon the subject; the obscrvations are already sufficiently advanced to decide that there will be no intersection. I am, sir, most respectfully, Gen. C. GRATIOT, Chief Engineer. A. TALCOTT, Captain Engineers. Extract from Captain Talcott's letter, dated Albany, New York, May 13, 1835, addressed to the Chief Engineer. SIR: The observations I made at the most southern bend of Lake Michigan, in 1833, with a ten-inch reflecting and repeating circle, gave, for the latitude of that point, 41° 37′ 07" 9. The observations were continued here for seven or eight successive days, and on the sun and stars south and stars north of its zenith, and the results of these observations accorded well; and I have no doubt that the latitude above stated is within less than two seconds (2") of the truth. At the time of making these observations, they were considered as preliminary only to the use of the large instrument which had been ordered for this service. Last summer I made a station on the left bank of the Maumee river, about three miles (by the river) above Fort Lawrence. The station was a little north of a marked line, which was pointed out to me as the boundary line between Ohio and Michigan, by persons residing near; and is, I do not doubt, the line designated as "Fulton's line" on Burr's map, and which was run for a due east line from the south bend of Lake Michigan. The result of my observations at this station, with a zenith micrometer, when reduced to the line above referred to, gave for its latitude 41° 37′ 09" .35. In other words, the marked line, where it crossed the Maumee, was one hundred and forty-five feet north of the parallel of latitude through the south bend of Lake Michigan. No observations were made in connection with this line east of the Maumee.. I can, therefore, give no further information touching its intersection with Lake Erie, than can be deduced from the fact, that as the line was run with great accuracy from Lake Michigan to the Maumee river, it is not probable that any great error was committed in prolonging it east of the Maumee to its intersection with the lake. I am, sir, most respectfully, A. TALCOTT, Captain of Engineers. A true extract from the original on file in the Engineer Department. C. GRATIOT. |