[Mike Collins]

Many months ago Stefan posted a satellite photo which intrigued me. It revealed a wide swath of felled trees across the northern border of Washington. I have had time to research the topic of our international border with Canada. The Treaty of Washington (referred to as The Oregon Treaty in Canada) was concluded on June 15, 1846. Amoung other issues, was Article I which, in brief, stated the border should continue along the 49th parallel to "the middle of the channel which separates the continent from Vancover Island, and thence southerly through the middle of said channel and Fuca Straits, to the Pacific Ocean." Years went by before the American Boundary Commission and the British Boundary Commission were to meet at Semiahmoo Bay on August 13, 1858. At Semiahmoo they agreed upon a lattice for advancing the boundary line. They would "ascertain points on a line by the determination of astronomical points at convenient intervals on or near the boundary by cutting a track of not less than twenty feet in width on each side for the distance of half mile or more, according to the circumstances." Initially the boundary would be marked where the 49th parallel crossed "streams of any size, permanent trails, or any natural features of the country." Where the boundary line came close to settlements the track would be "cut for a greater distance." Of interest is that Captain Hawkins of the British team argued strongly for the boundary to be well defined by monuments at open intervals, cutting much more of the trees along the line. The chopping and felling of trees was obviously quite labor intensive. J.K. Lord, another British member of the Commission writes: "Through patches of these gigantic firs near the Sumass Prairie, the axemen had to cut the Boundary Line. The trees grew thickly together and many exceeded 30 feet in circumference and measured 200-250 feet." The records and documents for these laborious years remarkably disappeared for 30 years. They resurfaced again in a dusty box on the top shelf of an office in Greenwich, England in 1898. The missing report, dated May 7, 1869 was signed by then Colonel Hawkins and Archibald Campbell. Between 1901 and 1907 a newly appointed joint commission surveyed tge same border and made very few corrections to the original work done. People with an interest in this topic are referred to two texts. 1) "Mapping the Frontier: Charles Wilson's Diary of the Survey of the 49th Parallel, 1858-1862" published 1970, University of Washington Press, and 2) "The Treaty of Washington: Its Negotiation, Execution, and the Discussions Relating Thereto" by Caleb Cushing, published 1873, Harper and Brothers.

[REJ]

Beckey's recent book "Range of Glaciers" has a good discussion of the International Boundary Surveys (with some great pictures). By the way this is a must book for all those interested in the history of the North Cascades.