New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-10
STATE FORESTS IN DANGER
OPPOSITION TO A BILL THAT SLIPPED
THROUGH THE ASSEMBLY.

IT NAMES COMMISSION COMPOSED OF LUMBER
MEN AND WOODRUFF MAKERS AND
GIVES THEM CONTROL. OF ADIRoN-
! DACK FORESTS AND STREAMS
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE1
| Albany April s-An attempt Is being made to de-
feat In the Senate bill which passed the Assembly
without attracting attention. 1t is the Edrdge Dill
the innocent title OF which reads ITO provide for the
Improvement OF the navigation OF the Hudson
| River, and driving OF logs and OF the hydrauhc
power thereof and to check freshets therein, and
the better supply Of water for the Champiaih
| Canal" The bill passed the Assembly without de-
bate and was introduced In the Senate by Senator
| Brackett and advanced to n third reading without
| exciting the least opposition. Had not typo
| graphical error been found in II when It was on
It's third reading In the Senate. 1t might now be
| IN the hands OF the Governor.
Within two or three days some decided opposition
to the bill has been developed and this fact ac-
| counts for the presence In the Senate corridor
| during the hours the Senate IL In session OF ten
| or n dozen well-known lumbermen and their attor-
neys. 1t is known that they are lobbying for the
passage OF this innocent-lookng bill. which, II en-
acted into law would not only defeat the objects its
| title mentions. but would in the opinion OF many
persons prove a menace to the preservation or
the Adirondack forests. SHOULD this bill become a
| law" said Assemblyman, to-day, the money OF
the State which has been spent for the creation Of
a State park for the preservation OF the watershed
will have been spent In vain
Tho bill provides that nine wel-known wealthy
umbermen and wood-pup manufacturers shall con-
stitute a commission to he termed commissioners
for improvements the Hudson River They
are to have charge for the purposes OF the act OF
all the State forest lands In Hamilton Fulton Es-
sex, Washington. Warren, Saratoga. Rensselaer, and
Albany counties.
WHO THE COMMISSIONERS ARE
The personnel Of the commission Is a key 10
the objects OF the bill Commissioner No. IL ex-
CONGRESSMAN George West. who has big paper nils
AT Eallson. The others In the order In which they
are named in the bill are ex-senator John II.
Derby OF Sandy Hi. largely interested in the
paper mills at Bakers Fails; ex-senator Lewis W.
Emerson. Of Warrensburg. "A iumberman also In
terestel in paper manufactures; William McEchron.
OF Gems Falls a member OF the Glens Falls Paper
Company, and OF the directors Of the Morgan
Lumber Company. OF Gens Falls: John G. Duncan:
Warren Curtis. OF Palmer Fa.'s. superintendent
~ the paper mills there; William +. Splre. OF
Glens Fails. president Of the G.ens Falls Paper
Company. with capitalization % neary 100000;
George + Underwood and !. II. Powers. also inter
csted IN pulp and paper making.
! The surprising part Of the bill Is that these
| men. vel known FOR their interest for al that
pertains to the advancement OF the corporations
4
| desire 10 take upon themselves the responsibility
| OF preserving ar Adirondack forest region which
| they have been the chief movers In converting
! into lumber or paper BY the provisions OF the bill
| ;hr.sc Commissioners gain absolute control or the
wnternow from Piseoo LAKE and the sacaniaga
| River which il considered Quiet 10 the
Adirondack lakes They authorized TO erect
| dams within any Of the counties named, with
gates which they may open or close at their
pleasure.
THE SCHEME OUTLINED.
II is in this provision that the bill Is dangerous
and II H. probably this that has called for the APP
. uointmeut Of such a commission az Is contem-
plated II Is we'll known that the pulp and paper
manufacturers In the vicinity OF Gens Falls
Bakers Falls and Palmers Falls have had dif
Guilty. which increases with every year. In floating
. the logs cut In the Adirondack forests to theiI
mills II is believed here that It Is to overcome
0 this trouble that the bill has been introduced
Should this commission secure control over th'
streams OF the counties named In the bill. the,
would turn the storage OF water to their own ad
vantage and no sooner would the logs be ready
than they would be noated to the mills by opening
the gates and letting loose the water stored 'fo
IN. IMPROVEMENT Of the navigation OF the Hudson
J. , River"
I Barnet H. Davis president Of the Fish. Gam
and Forest Commission. says OF the bill: "Shoulc
1, become a law. as understand IT, II would giv
d a syndicate OF wood pulp manufacturers practlca
co,,roi Of the AdlrOniackS. and the lands ana IN
= | forests could be used by them ms suited the'
A | Measure The Forest Commission was created am
7. mnlntalned for the protection OF the Forests
| and All that n has accomplished ana intends I,
I | accomplish might be act at naught II thls OIL
y , should be- put In force
4 | STATEMENT OF THE OTHER SIDE
n " + spIer one Of the Commissioners named II
, the hill said today that the entire purpose OF tn
l. measure appeared In Its provisions. that It's SOL
| oht.,, WIS To enable the Commissioners. all o
| whou are themselves personally Interested II
| manufacturing along the Hudson River ana wh
renresent Others heavily interested therein to ties
| nrac,,cally at their own expense the question o
tho feasibility Of storage system on the river, D.
. | o,hlch the might he impoundeu III tinies q
aood or high water and gradually lei OUT III u'
4, | "A % make, as far as possible, UNI
Srm iiow Of water throughout the year, .,,,
- '.Therc IA no purpose" said he ITO do anythn'
I | ,reinaiclal 10 the interests OF the state IN IN
II | forest preserve or anywhere else rVery on WI
| IA damaged Is to he compensated ny me schtle'hse
p Interested and no appropriation II asked from th
?. | state The gentlemen Interested regard WIN ei,
~ forcs, and acquiring the forest preserve. an
are entirely willing that u shall ne ptoVidsu IN IN
J, hin that nothing should be done that couiu III nm
. 49, Meet the lands Of the state without Inc con
, sent OF the Commission nut thcy 90 seri Una, ~,
l. ennrmous manufacturing interests affected hav
!; some practical rights In the question OF me use
l. I Tho water as well as the somewhat seht,menta
reasons that have latterly appeared respecting IN
=, | forest preserve
n CALLS 1T A VICIOUS MEASURE.
=" urNprR OF THE ADIRONDACK CLUB DE
q NotNcrs THE ELDRIDGE BILL. IN