MARYLAND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY                          501

boundary of the county. The line generally accepted has been that run
by Lieut. Michler in 1859-60 in accordance with a joint resolution passed
by the legislatures of Maryland and Virginia. Since that time attention
has been called to the fact that a true north line drawn from this point
would cross the Potomac River and exclude part of the territory lying
on the left bank of the river which, according to the charter should be
in Maryland. A more important discrepancy has also been shown,
namely, that the Fairfax Stone does not represent the head of the North
Branch of the Potomac, which really rises on the slopes of Backbone
Mountain at a higher point and a mile or more to the westward of the
present line. In 1897 as a preliminary to the final adjudication of this
dispute by the United States Supreme Court lines were run northward
from the Fairfax Stone and the " Potomac Stone" placed at the true
head on Backbone Mountain. These lines were both true north lines, one
practically coincident with the Michler line, the other approximately
parallel to it but a mile and an eighth to the westward. These lines
converge slightly to the north on account of the curvature of the earth,
the distance between the two being about 42 feet less on the Mason and
Dixon line than at their southern ends. Should the final decision be
favorable to the Maryland contention the land between the two lines
would be added to Garrett County.

The northern boundary of the county is formed by part of the famous
Mason and Dixon line surveyed prior to the Eevolutionary War. Messrs.
Mason and Dixon were not able at the time to mark this line with perma-
nent stone monuments and there have been occasional discussions as to
the exact location of the line. The recent resurvey of the entire boun-
dary between Maryland and Pennsylvania under the direction of com-
missioners representing these two States involved the accurate marking
of the line with stone monuments placed a mile apart.

The southern boundary of the county lies on the right bank of the
North Branch of the Potomac, whose waters are accordingly within the
limits of Garrett County.