New-York tribune., 1901-06-24
AssEMBLYMAN MERTON z. LEWIS.
GEORGE A. CARNAHAN.
Mayor OF Rochester.

ASSEMBIYMAN MERTON z LEWIS
the State. Lest any taxpayer should murmur
about the cost of the railway train. the fact
may be mentioned that the Governor paws for
it: there will be no bin against the State.
MOST THOROUGH INSPECTION.
The work of inspection thus far has been most
thoroughly done. and there is no doubt it will
be continued in this spirit Il never saw a
man look over Sing Sing Prison more sys-
tematicay,' said Cornelius Y Collins the State
Superintendent Of Prisons. q few days ago
than Governor Odel. The amateur inspector
stays in the prison office and examines the
books-which. OF course. are all right: intended
10 be all right. The Governor didn't stay
moment in the Office, but went right out into the
prison yard. and thence into the prison dormi-
tories and workshops There wasn't any place
too high II took him mp six stories). nor too far
beneath the river level for him to inspect. He
went everywhere and saw everything. bad and
good and Indifferent. about the prison. Up IN
the sixth story he a wooden roof that. If il
ever catches fire in the night may doom four
hundred convicts to death propose to put a
I steel roof in its place. and suggested to the
Governor
My plan for Sing Sing Prison. and I brought Il
before the Governor, is not abandon the prison,
but 10 build prison dormitories and work
shops to the northward Of the present ones.
! The State has over 81 100000 invested there. and
since 40 per cent Of the convicts OF the State
are from New-York City, a prison must be kept
near that city. The State owns land north Of
the present prison which be used as a site
for rev buildings"
one who visited the Governor a few days ago
I found him surrounded with maps Of the Adiron-
dack region, indicating the position and extent
of the lands owned by the State within the
limits of the Forest Preserve. Then there were
reports OF the Forest Preserve Board and OF the
Forest. Fish and Game Commission scattered
/ about. The present year the Governor declined
to give his consent TO appropriation OF
S2!O.ooJ for further purchase OF lands in the
.Adirondacks. Referring to the owners of some
real estate in the Adirondaclls. he said They
have been forcing up the price Of land upon the
State, and. therefore it would not be good policy
TO go on with the purchases at present
ANOTHER REASON FOR DELAY
Controller Knight stated to-day that the Gov
ernor had an additional reason for refusing his
consent to the making of more appropriations
for Adirondack lands. The Governor held
said Mr. Knight, that no moro purchases
should be made until plan had been adopted
| a whole for the creation of a forest park.
stating what lands should be bought and what
not and then the land should be bought in big
blocks and the forest preserve lands consoIidAt-
ed into park The State lands
ntermingled with the lands of private citizens.
and thus it is made far more difficult FOR the
foresters of the State TO guard the State f0r-
ests from fires and from timber thieves
Governor Odelf. in the course OF his next jour
ney about the State will inspect in particular
| the States forest lands in the Adirondack
gion and doubtless VIII visit also the scene in
the Adirondacks of Cornell Universitys inter
esting experiment in forest culture. The State
granted the university thirty thousand acres
of land for this experiment. 1t Will be guide to
the State In the proper Of its forest lands
and also will give interesting evidence as to the
possibility of replanting with trees many now
desolate and barren Adirondack lands which
have been deforested. Thousands of acres of
these waste lands are owned by the State.
While in the Adirondack region the Governor
will unquestionaby visit the proposed site for
State hospital for consumptives, at Ray Brook
With Speaker Nixon and Senator Ellsworth he
Is member OF a board Of review whose
ton must be given to the purchase OF any site
for such a hospital is suggested. The resi-
dents OF the town OF Dannemora, in Clinton
County still cling the belief that the consti-
tuition only permits Of the purchase of land
for f. consumptive hospital either in their town
or an adjoining one and Assemblyman O'Brien
of Clinton County, says this matter and the
heaithfulness of Dannemora will be brought TO
/ Governor Odell's attention when he visits Gin
ton State Prison at Dannemora. Mr.. O'Brien
believes that prison labor could be advantage
ously employed in the construction of the sug-
gested hospital.
MAY MAKE TRIP ON CANAL.
Colonel John n. Partridge Superintendent Of
Public Works. hopes to persuade Governor Odell
after he completes his tour of the State institu-
tions TO make a voyage with him in a State
tug from one end of the Erie Canal to the other
The canals may be said 10 be looking up, since
they are carrying much more freight this year
than lest year. Moreover the members of the
Canal Board have just put the canals in a
better position to receive appropriations for
their Improvement The members of the Canal
BOARD are Lieutenant Governor Woodruff, Sec
retary of State McDonough Controller knight.