New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-01
SAVING THE ADIRONDACKS.
TEE CONFERENCE COMMITTEES REPORT.
SENATOR MILLERs VIEWS IN THE TRIBUNE AP-
PLATDED,

PLAIDED.
The Committee on the Preservation of the Adiron-
dacks met yesterday afternoon in the Chamber Of
Commerce. Morris \. JeSup in the chair, and
MCsSTs. Scion Humphreys, Charles $. Smith. ID.
Willis James and Charles Bloddngion were pres
emf. Mr.. Bliss entered after some of the business
had been transacted MIR. jesse saudi that nc wished
To make an explanation prior to the reading of the
report to he made on the conference which had
been held at Albany by their body with the Senate
Committee. statement had gone abroad, and had
been lndstriously circulated by persons without
authority, that the committee of the Chamber of
Commerce were in favor Of the purchase by the
State for a sum Of ten millions of dollars of the
forest lands held by private ndlvidalsu. This was
unQnalitiedly false. The Chamber of Commerce de-
sired to preserve Eto the State the AdiroudorkS
wilderness without the payment of any money ut
all, II 1t could be done The conference with Sena-
tor Lansing andl others, who had for long time
been investigating the matter and were in POSSESSION
of facts which the Chamber of Commerce had not
been able to obtain made II clear or az least pOsSi
bic that tins might be brought about. The position
was rs follows 4 circle could be drawn winch
would lnClO>c two millions of acres containing
thc y1tor s,,ppIv Of the AdIroudocls OF this grra
the State held 100000 acres. BY the enactment of
proper laws controlling the right OF way and cXeT-
CISlng proper surveillance to prevent the present
misuse OF water courses by dammlng them up
throwing back water upon thousands ,ot acres and
killing the trees 1t would be possible to stop the
existing system of numbering. When the private
owners Of the POO 900 acres of this head-wateT
forest circle found themselves checked in their pres
ent mischlcyous methods, the l,2OOOOO acres
would drop into the hands OF tine State like ripe
pear. Therefore he wished 10 say again tl!dt the
idea of apprOprlatlng vast amounts of money was
not in the intention of the Senate { nmlttec, and
the committee of the Chamber of Commerce had not
the least idCsa of recommending any such measure
He deemed il necessary to say this because already
strong opposition to this measure of protection for
the AdTOrdaCkS was manlieStmg itself IN Albany
and the proposition Ot. spending SlOOOOOOO of the
peoples money was asserted abroad simply that 1t
might be used rs an argument against the measure
itself. The different Boards of Trade and Chambers
OF Commerce throughout the State had responded
warmly to the action of the Chamber of Commerce
of Ncw-NOrk. Influential citizens were signing
petitions urging prompt and decided action by the
Legislature. II therefore highly necessary that
the opposition own organizing sohuld not be able to
say 10 the farmers Of the country places that it was
the intention of the PropcscrS OF measure to
plunge the State into debt
The report Of the committee of the conference Mt
Albany was then presented by Mr.. Jesup, who read
1t aloud. 1t was rs follows:
Mcssrs. Thomas B. Coddngt0n .aud Scion Humphreys,
the Senate Committee Forest Lands ny appoint
m regard To the preservation OF the Adirondack forests
Your committee cordially received and the subject
agreed by All that prompt action by the Lc -l~tatc was
necessary patec the whole Adiroa lack region from
which such great damage had already been done 10 prop
erty and from the destruction Of It, forests by tirr
Your committee urged the Importance or a general
future ary franchise ar c rig Of way To any raj road
company other corporation and individuals The
TI,,Id ,r'IiJ M Ike r. foT thr Gf ryatr own
nrs not the lumber and the land, now Owned by
private parties would gradually revert {" the state Tor
non pa Woui oI laNr~ on AZ Idii tdlt Oh bU ''7' ne
discussion elected the fact that the state had oclWrudY
the HOH-paymcut Of taxes within the last TWO years
about 2o4OOo acres. and il /, now the o"nrr OF nearly
~UOUOO dcrc-. 10 the opinion of III" senate Com
mtcc that u will De necessary TO obtain about 100000
more 10 Thoroughly protect The whole Adirondack water
into it, possession from causes ABOVE mentioned ana the
rypruditm. of Il Llrlr sum would not De necessary.
make Ia the LEGISLATURE ar" mostly I'M accord with those
Of your committee ana they viii accompany their report
itA "A NJ