A Treatise on the Law of Boundaries and Fences: Including the Rights of Property on the Sea-Shore and in the Lands of Public Rivers and Other Streams, and the Law of Window Lights

A Treatise On The Law Of Boundaries And Fences: Including The Rights Of Property On The Sea-Shore And In The Lands Of Public Rivers And Other Streams, And The Law Of Window Lights by Ransom Hebbard Tyler is a dense, case-heavy survey of how courts interpret described land boundaries in deeds and grants. It assembles an extensive catalog of American state supreme court decisions and English authorities to articulate rules for locating boundaries when descriptions conflict, monuments are missing, or natural features govern. The work organizes principles around monuments and natural objects that typically control over courses and distances, the treatment of roads and highways (often extending to the center of a street), and the special rules that apply to water boundaries, including navigable vs non-navigable waterways, flats, and coastal shorelines. It also addresses the role of plans, plats, and surveys in interpreting textual descriptions, and the necessity to harmonize all calls where possible. Remedies in equity, commissions to ascertain boundaries, and procedural tools to resolve unsettled lines are examined alongside the broader political and jurisdictional framework that governs state and interstate boundaries. The result is a foundational digest intended for practitioners and judges, outlining how to reconcile diverse descriptions with actual land use while giving priority to monuments, natural boundaries, and the public law governing water bodies.