Mounds of Earth, Granite Shafts, and Metal Tablets Also Indicate
Southern Limit of British Territory.
Nearly all the boundaries of the United States are formed by the easy,
irregular lines of waterways. The artificial marking of a country the
size of this would seem a gigantic task, and fortunately it was not
necessary all the way around.
Along the northwestern border, however, there is a vast distance where
something of the sort was required, although it is doubtful if many
persons have ever heard of it.
A glance at the map of the United States shows that its boundary
adjoining Canada follows, the larger part of the distance, an
irregular water-line formed by the Great Lakes and their outlets.
Thence from the Lake of the Woods, on the north of Minnesota, a more
direct course is taken through the wilderness and over the mountains
of the wild West to the Pacific Coast.
This boundary between the countries is marked at regular intervals by
pillars of wood and iron, earth mounds, or stone cairns.
Beginning at the Lake of the Woods, cast iron pillars have been placed
alternately by the English and our government, one mile apart, until
reaching the Red Valley River.
Those set by our neighbor were brought from over the ocean, while ours
were made in Detroit. They are a hollow casting of a pyramidal form,
eight feet in height, having a base eight inches square and octagon
flange one inch in thickness, with a top four inches square,
surmounted by a solid cap.
Into these hollow posts are fitted well-seasoned cedar joists, with
spikes driven through apertures made for that purpose in the casting.
One-half of the length of the pillars are firmly imbedded in the
ground, so that the inscriptions on their sides, in raised letters two
inches high, face the north and south, the first reading, “Convention
of London,” the latter “October 20th, 1818.”
Beyond the Red River, earth mounds and stone cairns, seven feet by
eight, generally denote the boundary line. Whenever wooden posts are
used, they are of the same height as the iron pillars and painted red
above the ground.
Through forests a clearing has been made a rod wide, so that the
course is plainly indicated. Where bodies of water are crossed,
monuments of stone have been raised several feet above high tide.
Over the mountains, shafts of granite, like grim sentinels, guard the
way. Altogether the fixing of the boundary marks was expensive, but it
was well done.