Statement of the Case.

1. By all the defendants embraced in class one (1), namely, the heirs of James (M.) Marshall and the heirs of his brother, Chief Justice Marshall.

2. By all the defendants embraced in class two (2), claiming under the Kidwell patent, etc., namely, Martin F. Morris, Henry Wells, Edward H. Wilson, Catherine A. Kidwell, Emma McCahill, John W. Kidwell, Francis L. Kidwell, Ida Hyde and George A. Hyde.

3. By one of the defendants embraced in class three (3), namely, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company and its

trustees.

4. By two of the defendants embraced in class four (4), namely, the trustees of the estate of William Easby, deceased, and Richard J. Beall.

5. By all of the defendants embraced in class five (5), namely, certain descendants of Robert Peter.

6. By certain of the defendants embraced in class six (6), namely: (a) Charles Chauncy Savage et al.; (b) The Washington Steamboat Company, limited; (c) Avarilla Lambert et al.; (d) William W. Rapley; (e) Mary A. S. Kimmell Gray; (f) James F. Barber et al.; (g) William G. Johnson, assignee of the American Ice Company; () Thomas W. Riley; () Edward M. Willis; (j) Annie E. Johnson, widow, sole executrix and devisee of E. Kurtz Johnson, deceased, et al.; (k) Elizabeth K. Riley, in her own right and as trustee and executrix of William R. Riley, deceased; (4) The Great Falls Ice Company; (m). Daniel S. Evans; (n) Margaret J. Stone; and (0) Charles B. Church et al.

7. By certain of the defendants embraced in class seven (7), namely, Annie E. Johnson, widow, sole executrix and devisee of E. Kurtz Johnson, deceased, et al.; Charles B. Church et al.; Daniel S. Evans, and William W. Rapley.

The following reduced copies of the plans will assist in applying the reasoning of the opinion:

No. 1 is the city before the conveyances.

No. 2 is the Ellicott plan.

No. 3 is a portion of the Dermott map, sufficient to indicate the river front in part.

Opinion of the Court.

Mr. A. Leo Knott for the heirs of James Markham Marshall.

Mr. John Howard for the heirs of John Marshall. Mr. James V. Brooke was on his brief.

Mr. George E. Hamilton and Mr. Nathaniel Wilson for claimants under the Kidwell patent.

Mr. Hugh L. Bond, Jr., and Mr. John K. Cowen for the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Company, and for Joseph Bryan, John K. Cowen and Hugh L. Bond, Jr., Trustees. Mr. Charles F. T. Beale was on their brief.

Mr. Henry Randall Webb for the Trustees of the estate of William Easby. Mr. John Sidney Webb was on his brief.

Mr. J. Holdsworth Gordon for William F. Dunlap and the heirs of George Peter. Mr. Enoch Totten and Mr. Arthur Peter were on his brief.

Mr. John Selden for the Washington Steamboat Company and the heirs of Moncure Robinson.

Mr. William G. Johnson, Mr. Tallmadge A. Lambert and Mr. Calderon Carlisle for Johnson, assignee of the American Ice Company and others claiming under Notley Young.

Mr. Holmes Conrad and Mr. Hugh T. Taggart for the United States.

Mr. Enoch Totten and Mr. Edward A. Newman filed a brief for W. W. Rapley.

Mr. J. M. Wilson filed a brief for Richard J. Beall.

Mr. William F. Mattingly filed a brief for Daniel S. Evans. Mr. T. A. Lambert filed a brief for W. M. Easby-Smith.

MR. JUSTICE SHIRAS delivered the opinion of the court.

1. The first question for our determination arises out of the claims of the heirs of James M. Marshall and the heirs