New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-30
THE ADIRONDACK REGION.
A BILL TO ESTABLISH A RESERVATION.

| An APPROPRIATION OF $500, 900 FOR THE PURCHASE
OF LANDS.
lFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
ALBANY, Jan. 20.-A bill to establish an Adiron-
dack Reservation which it is said was drawn up by
the Chamber of Commerce committee, was present.
ed to the Legislature to-day by Senator Gibbs. 1t
provides for the appointment OF commis-
sioners 10 learn the value OF the for
est lands In tho Adirondack region
owned by private persons. and authorizes the Legs
lature to appropriate $500 900 for the purchase OF
these lands, for the purpose Of adding them TO the
State lands in the region and thus forming q
reservation. The lands to be selected in tho
counties of Washington, Saratoga, Warren Essex,
Clinton, Franklin,St. Lawrence, Hamilton, Fulton.
Oneida, Herkimer and Lewis. 1t is plainly stated
that the lands are TO be selectedmanly with view
of protecting the water supply of the Hudson Black
and Mohawk rivers. Moreover it Is desired to
secure asuppy of water sufficient for the navigation
of the Erie and Black River canals for the preser-
yaton Of the public health, for the protection and
preservation of the valleys of the Hudson, the Mo-
hawk and Black rivers, and their tributaries, from
inundaton.p
The work of selecting the lands and protecting
them from the woodman's axe after their purchase,
is entrusted to three persons, to be known as The
Commissioners of the Adirondack Reservation"
who are to be appointed by the Governor and
Senate. The commissioners are TO serve for
two, four, and six years respectively.
The commissioners are to have exclusive
control of the Adirondack Reservation,
and they directed to adopt system of manages
ment and general regulations for the and bet
terment of the lands waters and forests under their
control. In fact the commissioners are to be a
forestry commission" similar to those which in
Europe have proved of so much value to States by
their protection Of forests from destruction. Under
their care il is hoped that the forests will be source
of income to the State, through the sale of ripe
trees 7-of trees that would unless cut and the
moval OF which would be a benefit to a forest. The
commissioners are also authorized tOappOint forest
" wardensp and other protectors OF the forests from
injury; aud to bring suits against all tresspassers
on the State lands.
The act is noteworthy in one respect. Its authors
have adopted The TRIBUNEs suggestion that the
watershed of the Black, Mohawk and hudson
rivers alone should be p10tec.edi leaving ul-
guarded the watershed of the 81. Lawrence, the
protection of that being unnecessary at tie present
time. ThusOnly yOneLalfo OF ftheAdirondack wilderness
is to be transformed into astate park. his essens tho
magnitude Of the proposed enterprise and may ln-
duce taxpayers 10 look with InOre lenlency on tho
project. The method of selecting the lands s TO DO
a simple one. The State Engineer IS 10 furnish tho
commissioners with amap SLOWING the lands owned
by the State and the lands owned by private per-
sons in the counties named. Upon selecting the
private lands which are to be added TO the state
landS-and thus create park within whose limits
all the ground snail De state pLopeIiy,-the
commissioners are to file " n map of such lands
in the Office of the Clerk of the county where such
lands are situated, and they shall thereupon pub
lish, for two successive weeks In the State paper
and in a newspaper printed and published in such
county, notice declaring that the State of New
York intends to appropriate the lands designated
on the map and forbidding all persons to cut trees,
commit waste, or do any act thereon which will de-
feat, impede or interfere with, or tend to defeat,
impede, interfere with the execution OF the pur-
poses of this act"
Elaborate provisions are given for the ap.
praisal of the value of the lands by agents OF
the Supreme Court and the requirement of the
lands by the State. Apparently the act has been
drawn to protect at Once the owners of the private
lands and prevent them from extOrttng an eXorbi-
tant value for their lands from the State 1t would
seem, however, that the appropriation, $j000
il a small one; and that the authors of the bill must
see that far larger will be required to connect
together the State lands in the Adirondacks by
buying the intervening private property.