The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-29
TO RECOVER FOREST LANDS
THE STATE TO ATTACK It'll rs TO
LANDS IN THE dDLRONDkCES.

No. 900 Observation-Disclosures 81 TAG saie'
b, Former Comptroi,er- 10 ne set Aside.
ALBANY, May 2s.-Proccedings are under way
which, II successful, will recover 10 the State
the choicest portions OF the lands In the Adiron-
dacks, the annual rental value Of which repro
sents an investment OF S., o00,0 600. Through
these proceedings an effort will be made to d.
vcst the title Of the Saranac Inn Association to
10000 acres OF LAND In township 20. which Is
valued at over $500 900. This association owns
the celebrated Saranac Inn, where former Prcsi.
dent Cleveland was wont to while away the
summer months. and In which DR.. Samuel b.
Ward OF this city is one Of the principal stock
holders. Tho title OF the Saranac Inn Associa-
ton to its hotel site and immediate surrounding
country IL not questioned by the State. but Its
right TO the title Of the remainder OF township
20 Ia. This township includes the largest num-
Der OF lakes in tho woods, as well rs the upper
half OF Upper Saranac Lake.
A law was passed by the Legislature and APP
proved by Gov. Black which authorizes the State
Comptroller, upon tho application Of any one
whomsoever aggrieved thereby, to set aside any
cancellation or sale made by him OF Adirondack
lands acquired by the State at a tax sale. or
which was made by any OF his predecessors in
office, where such cancellation was made upon
an application which the Comptroller. or any Of
his predecessors in Office. had no jurisdiction or
legal right 10 entertain al the tuno OF such can
collation..
The present State authorities allege that dur
ing the past ten years many cancellations have
been made illegally by previous State Comptrol-
lers, more especially upon applications Of per-
sons who were not the purchasers of the lands
at the tax sale. The Court of Appeals has held
that the State Comptroller cannot cancel State
tax sales Of lands. except upon the application
of the purchasers at the tax sale, and that the
owner Of the land should have, previous to such
sale, ample opportunity to correct any errors
which would lead TO the sale Of the lands by tho
State for taxes.
Thirty years ago ex-senator Christopher Nor
ton owned nearly all of townships 20. %, and
25. among other parcels of Adirondack lands.
The townships at that time were inaccessible for
numbering or other purposes, and their owner
ship was Intentionally abandoned. Mr.. Norton
taking this step rather than pay tho taxes. Tho
State acquired title TO some 20. 900 acres in these
townships at tho State tax sales OF 1871 and
1877.
In 1883 and 1891 the then State Comptroller,
Edward Wemple. cancelled tho State tax sales
of about 80. 900 acres OF lands In township 20 on
the application of an agent of DR.. Samuel b.
Ward and others interested in the Saranac
Inn Association. who had bought tho old
Christopher Norton deed to this land. This
cancellation was made in greater part dur
ing the closing days Of Mr.. Wemple's admin
~istratiol. in 1891. and the only compensation
the State received was the payment by the APP
plicants Of the back taxes, which amounted to
several thousand dollars. Tho State Comptrol-
Ter and the State Fisheries. Game and Forest
Commission are looking up this sale and making
preparations to set 1t aside and again vesting
the title to this valuable land In the State. II
for no other reason. the State expects to regain
title to the land under the Court of Appeals de-
cision that the tax sales could only DO cancelled
upon the application Of the purchaser. In this
case the State was the purchaser. and the Comp
troller holds that the decision OF the highest
S ffon b Is eeof0aet maas ana nad stri aSssb every canGeiia-
There arc many other cancellations made by
previous state Comptrollers with not as much
merit in them as that covering the land now
controlled by the Saranao Inn Association. for
that association appears, to be about the only
amount; Frank Campbell Of Bath. who sue,
ceeded Mr.. Wemple as State Comptroller. can.
Of $500. 900. This land was cancelled on the
an agent OF SMITH e R's II. w wee Is 5o snid B. to R Rhss e sea
Martin Van Buren, Turner Of Plattsburg. They
70 this land, but they viii have IT to defend their heir
The State Comptroller's Office and the State
Forest Commission are looking into the ques-
every acre OF land which was secured by the
nivance OF public officials and the Adirondack
land sharks. The latter have grown rich through
been able to carry on In Adirondact State land
through the connivance of State officials. who.
posed IN Them "'i By .' the people o. enc in afu allow o%.
ing The State t., lose tide 70 SO much
va salas % th Esss' land There sharks ark h nam a es aSb.
iished in Albany. who formerly lived in the
woods woods !, They HSln were re the theft first to see the enormous
acquired by the State through tax sales, and
they have on ono pretext or another been attack:
fbae I erad H u su Iecs; Rdrf In r srief parSf FOR f ppi.
vate interests thousands Of acres Of Adirondack
Of the State had her public officials looked after
the States interests as well as they did their
The people of the State generally havo no
idea OF the growing value of Adirondack lands.
mission today that a 'dve.acre tract on the
shores Of Rac3gette Lake was recently leased
$4,000. Recently q company was Incorporated
In New Jersey under the name of the saranac
q now, fighting this company's claim, to
the TIE to throes;aEs5ters Of a Township.
The Middle. saranso Lake. Ieso'' The s"0s actioR
was brought before Judge Coke in Utica over a
Coke 70 undoubtedly waiting for the decision Of
the United States Supreme Court In the Benton
quarter Of Township "a is involved. The State
pea Ssst c an5ner Il n 10 every yssy r eonrt is st THIS STATE State; and he
the constitutionality of the law under which tho
Forest Commission is acting.
Gov. Black is greatly interested In this ques-
ton, with which he became conversant In his
Investigations touching the necessity for the
States acquisition OF Adirondack land for tho
protection of the watersheds OF tho State. Ill is
lending his aid to the proper State authorities
in their determination to recover all lands tho
States title 10 which has been illegally can
celled. The Governor has q camp on Square
Pond, a few miles from saranac Inn, which,
II is understood. he leases from tho Sar.
anic Inn Association. II the States claim 10
valid, there is no moro reason why the Saranao
Inn ASSOCIATE lon should assume TO lease this land
than any other individual, or corporation, as 1t
10 alleged 10 DO the property OF the State.
VredericLson Collection or Autographs SOLD.