The sun., 1894-09-11
DEPREDArIoNs ON STATE LANDS
state Omcisi- said TO Be IN CoIiu-ior with
the TrespnSser-.


the TreSpns-er-.
ALBASY. Sept. 1O-The following statement
was given out to-day at the state Comptroller's
Office:
Comptroller James A. Roberts has been Civ,
ing much attention for several months TO the
states landed interests in the Adirondack
preserve and the counties contiguous thereto.
The result OF this investigation has been the
disclosure Of condition of affairs which, II not
speedily corrected, points to practical de.
struction OF the Adirondack forest. The dep
relations and frauds, Comptroller Roberts says
ere of three distinct classes:
"First-Where the State lands are entered up
on and the timber cut and stolen therefrom. An
interesting feature OF this class Of trespasses,
Comptroller Roberts says, is that he has in his
possession unquestionable evidence going to
show that State officials appointed TO protect
the State forests against trespass are In coIu-
sion with the trespassers.
"Second-where a form OF selling the land has
been gone through with, the pretended buyer
entering upon the land and denuding It entirely
OF its valuable timber. and then securing a cam
collation. of the sale upon the ground OF defect
either in the tax sale or the State sale to the
"Third Where valuable tracts Of land have
been lost to the state by irregular cancellation
"Comptroller Roberts has Just received q re-
port from the inspectors who have been inyes-
tlRatlng the Essex county wOO0s. IL SHOWS that
lumbermen oyerrun the State lands almost with
IMMUNITY, although the lines indicating where
the state lands are are clearly defined and well
known. The report shows that serious depre-
datiOns were made on lot 81 township 16, Tot
ten and Crossheld's purchase. amounting to
$500 pieces. From lot 30, township 20, same
purchase. n belt OF cedar was cut away. From
lots 10? and 1903, township 90, 1000 pieces were
cut. From lot T5, township IA, same purchase.
400 pieces were cut. From lot 11S, township
90, same purchase, $500 pieces were taken in
one place, IL acres cleared off In another, 651
pieces in another place, 5000 pieces In another
place. and from lot lO3, township 20, los pieces
were cut.
The worst features OF these depredations II
that the trespassers are not satisfied with taking
the large timber, but cut the small growth
well. leaving the land a barren waste. Comp
trOler Roberts says that the evidence In his
hands shows the existence OF a system of plum
dcring the state lands. The trespass Is winked
at by the state officials and n regular stumpage
In the cases Is S25 for every stick cut. The
Comptroller has already entered upon the neces-
sary legal steps to prosecute the trespassers In
these cases, and proceedings will be brought
against the State officials with whose connivance
the trespasses were made as soon as the papers
can be prepared.
"Another report ia now in preparation and will
be completed in two or three days, which comes
under class three. IL involves the title to and
the taxes upon nearly 100000 acres OF Adiron-
dack lands for a long term Of years"
The names of the parties referred to In the
above could not be obtained at the Comp
trolcr's office. IL being stated that more in
ration and would he given out in short time.
At the Office of the state Forestry Commission the
charges made in the Comptrollers statement
were denied in general.