44 The Financial History of Connecticut. 



and north of the northern boundary of Pennsylvania as claimed 

 by that state. This land, known as "The Gore," was about two 

 hundred twenty miles long and two and one-third miles wide and 

 its ownership was in dispute. About forty miles of the eastern end 

 was claimed by New York and another forty miles was claimed by 

 Phelps and Gorham, to whom it had been sold by Massachusetts.^ 

 With an eye for speculation, two men, Colonel Jeremiah Halsey 

 and General Andrew Ward, had made to the general assembly, 

 in May, 1794, the proposition that if the state would deed to them 

 its claim to this strip, they would sell it and return to the state 

 one-half of the net proceeds. ^ This proposition being refused, they 

 came forward at the October session with another proposition. 

 In this they stated that if Connecticut would transfer to them its 

 claim to this land, they would contend in the courts for the legal 

 title and that upon the establishment of their claim they would 

 return to the state either three thousand pounds in Connecticut 

 state notes or one-half of the land.^ This proposition was carried 

 over to the May session of 1795, and then Halsey and Ward, who 

 were persistent in their efforts to gain control of this territory, and 

 who were fearing another refusal, came forward with the proposition 

 that in return for Connecticut's claim to this land, they would finish 

 the building of the state house, according to the original plans, 

 within two years. Here was a solution of the state house dilemma. 

 The offer proved to be too strong for the general assembly to resist. 

 They granted to Halsey and Ward all claims to any land lying east 

 of the projection of Pennsylvania which extends northward to Lake 

 Erie. The general assembly also allowed them any materials which 

 the building committee had already provided and also the net avails 

 of the lottery held by the same committee.^ 



The story would be interesting if it ended here, but further events 

 were to happen to make it of still greater interest. Attention has 

 already been called to the sale of the "Western Reserve" in Sep- 

 tember, 1795, to the Connecticut Land Company. Although by 

 this sale the state gave up her terrtorial rights, the jurisdiction 



^ The Connecticut Gore Land Company by Albert C. Bates in Annua^ 

 Report American Historical Association, 1898, p. 143. 



2 The Rise, Progress and Effect of the Claim of the Proprietors of the 

 Connecticut Gore, p. 8. Hudson & Goodwin, Hartford, 1802. 



3 Report (Ms.) made to the general assembly October, 1801, by a com- 

 mittee appointed to inquire into the claims of the Connecticut Gore Land 

 Company, pp. 7, 8. 



* Act (Ms.) of May 1795, warranting sale of the Gore to Ward and Halsey. 



