Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/303

 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 243 later date, bvit is here given as it rounds out the story of the state's boundaries in this section. One of the longest boundary disputes in the history of the United States was carried on between Kentucky and Missouri pver the possession of Wolf Island, which lies just be- low Belmont and is the largest in the Missis- sippi river, having an area of 15,000 acres. The main channel of the river lies east of the island and it is separated from the west bank by a narrow channel so that it seems to belong to Missouri. When the state boundaries were defined in 1820 Wolf Island was left as a part of Kentucky because at that time the channel of the river was west of the island. After a time, however, the channel shifted to the east and the i.sland came to be claimed as a part of Missouri. Most people regard it as belonging to New Madrid county and at one time a man living on the island was elected sheriff of New Madrid county. Kentucky, however, claimed jurisdiction over the island and finally the state of Missouri, by its attor- ney general, brought suit in the supreme court of the United States for possession of the island. The ca.se was tried by a number of distinguished lawj'ers on each side and was before the court for eleven years. Kentucky was represented by John J. Crittenden, Gar- ret Davis and Henry Stanberry. Missouri was represented by Governor Blair and F. A. Dick. During the course of the trial a great many persons were examined and a great many old books and maps produced in evi- dence in order to determine the location of the channel of the river in the early days. It was shown by most of the maps that the main channel was east of the island and witnesses said that from 1850 back to 1830 the main channel was east of the island and that from 1830 to 1794 both channels were navigable. It was shown also that the land was surveyed by United States surveyor in 1821 as part of Missouri ; other witnesses, however, introduced by Kentucky, testified that the channel of the river was west of the island during most of this period and that about the year 1830 there was enough water for boats between the island and Kentucky ; it was also shown that Ken- tucky had exercised continuous authority over the island since 1792 when it came into the possession of the title formerly held by Virginia. The court also heard evidence to show that the soil and the plant life of the island were similar in character to those of the Kentucky side and dissimilar to those on the Missouri side. It was also showTi that the level of the island was the same as that of the second bottom of the Kentucky side and four or five feet higher than the western bank. These considerations, together with the fact that Kentucky had had jurisdiction over the island for a great number of years, decided the question in favor of Kentucky.