New-York tribune., 1891-02-05
THE FORESTRYLNQUIRY BEG UN
COMMISSIONER BASSELIN THE FRS
WITNESS
EXPLAINING THE COMMISSIONS NEGOTIATIONS
WITH THE EVEETON LAND COMPANY
TESTIMONY OF MIR SANGER, OF
THE CONTROLLERS OFFICE.
Try TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUEE.l

TESTIMONY OF MR. SANGER, OF
| THE CONTROLLERS OFFICE
IBY TELEGRAPH To THE TBIBUNEI
Albany Feb 4.-Governor IIills attack upon his
own Forest Commissioners. apparently VIII reco upon
his own head The Governors sole complaint against
the Commissioners Is that in his opinion, they would
make "A bad bargain if they should exchange, as thoy
PROPOSE IL 900 acres Of the states land In Franklin
County for 10000 acres Of land upon the southern
slope Of the Adirondacs owned by the Evcrton Land
Company Commissioner Rasscn is the special per
son attacked in this manner. But commissioner
Bassein's friends declare that Governor Hin himself
urged Mr. Basselin to make this exchange Of lana a.
in the interest Of the STATE The Assembly Commteo
on Lands and Forestry, who conducting this pre-
tended investigation Of the conduct of the Forest Co
missioners, began their work tonight Forest Com
missoncIs Knevals. Basseln and Cox were present.
and had as counsel Recorder lIessberg OF this city
J. y. Fero, and X. G. Annablc Of Hamilton County.
The committee had their counsel a lawyer Hai"cu
| C. F. Adams. Of Utica who showed his sense o Iho
expected fairness Of the investigation by oblecuhs I"
any examination of his witnesses. The Only WI
ncsscs examined were ForesiCommi,soner Ea-Sehh anu
Clerk sanger Of the Controllers Office. The wole ol
the evidence produced in veird to the proposed
exchange # the states lands those Of the EVerton
Lumber Company. Any unbiased person present "ouil
declare that not the slightest testimony tending 10 Sho"
that the Forest Commissioners corrupt was pro
duced.
| In answer to questions by Mr.. Adams, Mr. Ba''ehh
said that the state owned between 100000 and ooo""o
acres in the forest preserve when the commission was
first established The comm had often yi'il@
the different localities In te forest preserve lie s@o
that IL was tho Warlens duty to 10 the enforcement.
| Of the laws. In l-3j the commission had "EWa'"u
the policy Of purchasing and acquiring Oh behau o' 's
state a. much acerage In the forest preserve u pos
| -iblc witness said no member Of the Beaver
|
compauy's stock. He had Been lunbcrman since
| l-7e and before the Beaver River Lumber Company
Was formed owned between 1900 and .O,OOO aIc' IL
| the forest preserve He had sold the Beaver Creek
Lumber Company all the los he had on the 'uds ana
| lad a contract with the company saw logs for It,
/ The Beaver River Company owned no lands ana H"'
arran ngcment, with body to furnish 1t with lumber
The company expected TO get logs from townships 3.
| 4 and ~. Thomas H. McGrth, Henry Patton and
| Theodore b. Bas-cn. individuals, have contract
| with the Adirondack Land and IMMORAL Company I"
furnish logs 20 it, which the company IN turn Is "
furnish To the Beaver River Lumber Company. The
land Of thl, company lies in John Browns tract In
contract il q supply 25o000O0 feet annually unul
| the land Is exhausted. McGrsth. Pato and Bts-
selln owned no land but they owned what Is called
the Shimpace from 5000 70 5000 acres. W!thesa
| himself had no interest in tho Trenton Fails or
| Ever on Lumber Company, and knew nothing about
them.
Mr. Rassclln was then questioned about the Hadley
act allowing the exchange Of Individual for state
lands. lie did not remember any application made
| by man named Hueld for exchange II land Tie
application Of the EvertOn Company for the exchange
Of land was made year or 50 40. Warden harmon
was scnt mp view the tract. lie reported III favor
Of the exchange. The company wanted I" exchange
for 5000 or 1000 Of state Lands The warden
said that II they could exchange for l2.OOo %. l"'o"
acres he thought il would be good thing for the otac
and, Dft
in exchange Garmon had been sent up 10 find ont
about them All witness knew abOut them was tlat
they were in the heart Of the wilderness. lie did not
know whether Garmon made a written verbal report
After the report made. a resolution was adopted
by the Commission, accepting the prop2Sitt9n To- ,c EA
Mr. sanger. Of the Land Department, C1htNli'F
Office wa, then sworn and produced the applications
Tor the exchange Of the land The first one received
was from John liurd, which had been sent - Wv
Forest Commission. and returned by them Win
recommendation that Il be not acceptod The alpIra
ton Of the EveriOn Company vas Tor the -amc t"'
practically a. the Hurd Application. although I'f
larger amount. Various other applications we're "
ceivcd but 10 all 0f them reply wa 'cut I'll" t"Il
trollcr that the Forest Commi--o opposed 10
making any exchange under the prov sion, of pln
dated August = 1-.,O vas read by Mr sanger. Tho
total amount of ird asked for u the application Wa
1335j acre, fIr which the company offered 10 rN
change 80 500 acrc,. from which the stat" could make
select on,. Mr. sanger then read th" action taken by
the Forest Commission september -. 1890 a sent
hy that body to the Controller. re lumcndne
that exchange be made providing that inc
The Controller ref rrcd the matter ~ the Attorney
| General 10 settle the matter Of appraisal The ap
T. Iladlcy. and for Hamilton County, Peter iarrl'
These appraisers subsequently met, aud app int"d
a. a third Appraiser Horucc l.. King The report Of
,ho auprtl,crs 10 the Attorney Genernl was to the
effect that the lands desired among the most
valuable In The po,sc.,ion Of the state while those
offered In exchange in general totally dcnudcd oi
timber. and consequently almost vdluel,-e.
The committee then adjourned until tomorrow night