New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-30
FOR A NEW DEPARTMENT.
PROJECTED CONSOLIDATION OF THE DAIRY
AND FOREST COMMISSIONS.
A BILL CARRYING OUT GOVERNOR FLOWERS
SUGGE>TION FOR A DEP \RTMENT OF AGRI-
CULTURE-TEMPoRARY SUBSTITUTE FOR
THE FOREST CoMMIssIoN-THE
WORK OF COMPLETING

| CULTURE-TEMPoRARY SUBSTITUTE FOR
| THE FOREST COMMIssIoN-THE
| WORK OF COMPLETE 40
| THE STATE PARK
| Albany, Jan. 80 (SpecaD.-One OF the most I'm
portant bills that will before the Legislature
now about ready for Introduction. 1t has been pre-
pared by the statutory Revision Commissioners at the
request OF Governor Flower. and 1t carries out the
suggestion that he made In his annual message the
Legislature this year I'm relation to tho union OF tho
State Departments known as the Dairy Commission
and the Forest Commission into what IS 10 be known
as the State Department Of Agriculture.
| within the boundaries that have been set aside for
! the Adirondack Park there are "70s.OOO Of
forest lands. The original lines they first We're
adopted took In only 2.O7 200 acres. but during the
last year these lines extended by The Forest
| Commissioners. or the park lands the lines now
stand the state owns only 5le2c9 acres. about one
| fifth Of the total The rest Of the acreage OF
| the park Is owned by the private clubs and the um-
bermen the clubs holding about $4,000 acres. Gov
ernor Flower has been In consultation with the MEM
bers Of the various clubs who own this large amount
OF land and has secured from considerable majority
OF them Il promise which will result In turning over
~ the state these lands without the expenditure OF
| large amount OF money. In return for the protection
that the state Viii give 10 these lands from fire ana
in consideration OF the relief from state taxation. TIA"
| club lands TO become part OF the park ana 10
be absolutely under the control OF the STATE forever
| the same aS though they were owned by the state
| This will open them mp to the public, ana TIE cl'o
officers will lose the right ~ prevent nonnrmbris
| from treSpassnG upon them.
The bill provides that contracts OF this character
can lie made BY the Forest commissioners with tho
officers OF these clubs But the club lands ana the
lands owned bv the state together make onlv 1881
.29 acres leaving within the lines OF the PROPOSED
park .6oO.T71 which. owing to the ihcreasih.
scarcity OF timber lands. each year becoming more
valuable. and which are owned by the great lnhoe'
firms The state owns about 100000 acres OF TIMBER
lands elsewhere which the Forest Commissioners nave
mower either TO sell or exchange for lands within
the lines These are good timber lands. and II IS eA-
pected that In exchange for them about 4Voooo OF
$50 600 acres inside OF the lines, from WHICH most Vi
the soft timber has cut. can be secured ii 'he
most liberal estimate OF the possibilities OF such an
exchange TAKEN IL Will still leave over i-oo''o'
., Of land that the State must before II can
control absolutely the property inside the bouhua
| r1es established for the Adirondack Park. 49,
| The growing scarcity OF the forest lands IN tn'
State and tie consequent increase In value OF timber
| lands can be shown By the falling OIL IN one year
| .,one In the number Of feet Of timber Newn In the
| Adirondack forests. In 1880 In this region 30
600 634 feet OF timber we're rot out OF the Au"huc"
forests and In 1891 there were "7d9eoo4l 1ect TAKEN
ont These figures Of the board measure Inc
falling OF 4 nearly 10000 600 feet Therefore, II 10"
Forest Commissioners had at their disposal imnedl-
o.
copld get possession of the remaining 100000 acres
Of reasonable and sdvan terms Much OF tbs
land at least that Which is needed FOR Tie lumber upon
IT, could he secured 70 the state at exceedingly 10"
prIces II the commission had TIE power 10 contract lor
W. purchase OF IT now and 10 agree With the owners
that tllcv could OF all Of the soy timber ap"N" ten
or twelve inches in diameter. Under c1e pro''sonS
a, the bi the Forest Commissioners lave the power
IN cell timber on the state lands above ten iches IN
diameter and lease camping ont sites 10 camper
II IS from the Income 10 be derived from 'Hese '"o
sources that IL IS expected 10 raise money ehonsh 10
pay for the maintenance or uIc coh"lS'ioh "''"'"'
any expense 10 the State.
There Is one class Of owners with WHICH 'he fofe''
Comms S!oners will have considerable uonpir !" so
ling possession Of the lands unless The sa'e '""es
them by the right OF eminent domain. These are ''c
,yoodnuln men, The lumtcr do not care Tor
timber that IS under ten inches In diameter put 'ne
u,ood min paper mills will take timber that is rs
em.u a. II mans wrist. This Size Of timber l. pfac-
cv Of no TO any other class Of business ana -
Of little value Last week the agents OF me for'S'
Commission seized In Hamilton and Fulton counties
900 logs which had been cut on the State lands by
Tho settlers for sale TO the woodpulp mills. "heh
N. Warden came 70 sell them at auction all he could
get for them was $3.50.
II is possible that some member OF the Assembly,
or tho senate NAV Introduce II bill providing for the
oppropriaton Of 100000 this year to be used oS
The Forekt Commissioners, with certain restrictions
for the purchase Of the Adirondack forest lands J.
| {, thoucbt that a measure OF this kind would have
u,tIs opposltIOn II any. All tho cities from when
tho greater proportion Of the state taxes are coo'"u
are I'm favor Of the purchase OF the park ands 81 once
and practically no opposition would come TO 'he Dill
from The central and northern counties. in the opinion
~ several men who supposed to know the minus
-, IN. neople In these parts OF the State pretty we'll
The Commissioner OF Agriculture, VINO Is lmmeuii"S
TO take the place OF the Dairy Commissioner VIII re-
caive a salary OF $1,000 BESIDES assuming all the
du,ios now REFORMED 10y the Dairy Commissioner
uc new comml ,sioncr Is to have the supervision oi
,ho ,nenditurc Of all OF the State appropriations Tor
ric,d,ur, pnrposes which will Include The approldi
aous for the state Agricultural society," lhe FARMERS
institutes the agricultural experiment s'""o'' a.
cnoro and Cornell University. and the dairy schools
Under the provisions Of the bill the Governor - ~ "
relieved OF the employ ment OF experts III thc i''"
,,on n, diseases OF cattle and other domestic ahmai
xcent tuberculosis which Is retained under inc super
vision OF the state Board OF Health lhio 'o"''"''
sioner will also have the power TO enforce tno po
visions of the law In regard 10 the disease WIN WIN"
unit trees are afflicted. including yelowe III pfohs'
black knot and Insects that are injurious 10 'es'
tation , On,
When the final union OF the Dairy Department al"
tho Forest Commission Is made, the ne" uepd' '"'o
will he one OF the most powerful DIVISIONS vi -"
S,o,s government at least from a political point OF
view and its head will become an Important N''"''
in the political affairs OF the state Ihdei MS 'o"
oi viii be all the patronage Of these two great depart
ments with the influence that each has III 'he SeN
sroI countcs It's question in the minds OF many
whether the union will not be disastrous to The sa,e
Tie Dairy Commissioner has now about all that ne
can conveniently attend TO, and the foiest 'on
,,es,opers have all that they can do TO project t'e
,orost Lands that are owned by the state from 'he
,do,,ops Of the woodsmcn who live near theH
II is not intended However that the consolidation Sa
take place for five years Tie new bill provinces III
rho immediate dissolution OF the present Forest So"
oission bu; It directs also The appointments Oh nVo
- ., toll. thcir places who 10 serve Tor hvc