New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-06
SAVING THE ACKNOWLEDGES.
ACTION OF THE NETWORK COMMITTEE.

SECRET SESSION AT THE CHAMBERS or COMMERCE
CONFERENCE WITH SENATOR KOCH.
The committee of the Chamber of Commerce met
at noon yesterday, to confer With Senator Koch on
the question of preserving the forests Of the state
Morris n, Jesup was IN the chair, and MesSrs; Cod
dingtOn, James and Bliss present. The re-
porters were excluded, but when Sena or Koch lett
the room after the conference he expressed MS
Willingness TO give such information as the press
might desire, and to reply to such questions as
might be asked He said that the Senate Commit
tee would report next Friday q bill providing for
the appointment of three Land Commissioners, with
full power to create laws for the purpose OF protect
ing the forests and water avs OF the state me
bin would require the segregation of the lands be,
longing to the State within certain Deit nciuued
St Lawrence, Lewis. Clinton, Saratoga and Warren
counties. These would become legally public park
property. and would be under the supervision of
Bureau of Land under the charge Of The three COM
miSsiOners. Said he:
The object the bill is representation of the forests
that hold the water from which the waterways
This subject has been nmy mind for many years.
spoke OF 10 Senators aud Others at Albany and every
ant doubling If the public mind was prepared ior sncn
measure Last year came the Knine inndat3 Pms anu
committee. and everybody voted for It We took testl-
Inony on the spot and obtained large amount of the
most important evidence and framing bill tocover
tnc essential points, when all OF OF sudden te new"
papers took zip subject aud there wild demand
foI the spending millions to do that which the Senate
Committee came into existence 10 do, and which we
believe our committee and that Of the Chamber Of
Commerce are agreed that the State shall not puT-
purchases points that commanded waterways and CON
ferTed riparian rights. The majority or people nave an
idea that the State forest lands something IKE the
Central Park, only much more extensive Ihey DO not
realize the wilderness character OF muc1
of It, and the fact that 1t Ia scattered
over many counties in many parcels. In 1873,
the state owned 40O 600 acres IN one piece Today the
State in round numbers 10000 acres which nave
accrued by the nOnpayment Of taxes In many Instances
at all have been cut on these lands In others
only the pines and spruces have been leied and the
oaks beeches and birches have been left In the Blue
Mountain region there tract Of ten thous and
which has been entirely stripped OF its SOFT timber
but such is the growth OF oaks ana yellow DlTclc5 th
wOuld hardly know that single tree had Decn cut
there over million acres OF forest lands are held by
private indy Iduals in the same region.
The bill will give To the Land Commissioners OF the new
department bureau power to frame such laws "a snail
prevent any action on the part OF these private owners
that shall be detrimental TO the waterways OF the ilel
land of the state For instance lunOeImen dam up wafer
for the purpose of getting good head OF water
ON, when they are going to float down Their
ward of five thousand forest were killed by
the backing Of the waters This niqutOus and most Il
legal procedure will undoubtly he stopped perempoily
sioners with regard to water ways VIII 20 towards making
the major part OF the million acres of private forest
land Improbable 10 the owners cannot say We nave
not considered that matter for this reason ih neither
now, nor in the future does the bill contemplate inc
States lusIn of fresh lands either by purchase or
by eminent domain. go
true economic system, and we believe that tHe common
sense of the community Will lead 10 ITS adoption every
where, without the necessity OF INTRODUCING ailthue'
10 the Constitution lighting WITH the adverse seIi
nent OF tho communities az the northern counties or the
state Yo can always trust TO the American sentiment
coming round the right. There has been superstition
ties clear the land patriotic act and every acre
land stripped OF its trees was an acre won from the
wilderness. Things have now changed ana al we nave
TO do is 10 teach the lesson, and it will be quickly
learned.