New-York tribune., 1905-11-05
TAKING PUBLIC LANDS.
Charge That Tracts in Adnondacks
Haze Been UnlawfuHy Secured.

III recent communication 10 'FOreSt and
Stream" Raymond s. Spears. of Little Falls N
Y, calls attention to the fact that the Adiron-
dack forest preserve has lost more than 1170O0
acres which belonged to the people, but which
IS now "squatted" by individuals lumber
companies. clubs and private park Makers
In other words, since the act of February s.
1888. prohibiting the sale of land belonging to
the State of New-York In the counties of CIin-
ton Essex, Franklin. Fulton. Hamilton, Herl<i
mer. Lewis, Saratoga. St. Lawrence and War
rem more than 1S2 square miles of land. worth.
approximately. s10OO,OOO. has been lost it is
charged, to the people of the State.
Mr. Spears states that the proof of this may
be found in two State documents which any
can get. The map of the Adirondack region is
sued by the Forest, Fish and Game Commits
sion shows the land which the State now claims
in the Adirondacks. That part colored with red
| ink marks the State land. The plain white
paper is the land alleged to be private"
| owned by corporations. individuals, etc. In
| Verplanck Colvins report on the progress of the
survey of State lands. issued according to a law
| passed on June 2. 1888 is found complete list
of State lands in the counties of the Adiron-
dack region. This list compiled from docu-
ments found in the Controllers office four
| months after the passage of the act forbidding
the sale of State lands.
OF about 573 600 acres of land owned In the
AQlTOnudCkS Dy the state III 1000. lIo 6di0 OA
which forbidden. more than one-ffth, it is
alleged, has slipped away. In order to prove
his statements Mr. Spears gives a complets
list of the lands which have been thus illegally
disposed of. with the exact location of each
plot, thus enabling any man with the Adiron-
dack State map spread out before him to follow
| the list from lot to lot. He says: "If anything
will indicate fraud it is the location of the lands
control of which has been taken from the State
by fair foul. Let the location of these
! lands be carefully observed. On one of Rookie
| feller's preserves Ode Barr, on the Webb pre-
serve or the William c. Whitney preserve and
numerous others on Lake Placid. around Long
Lake near the Tupper Lakes, near Fulton
Chain, on Plumadore Lake, along the roads, on
streams, in the heart of the forests, around tne
outskirts of villages-in fact, in every conceiV-
able sort of Adirondack place State lands have
been wiped off the map to the extent OF 1873
square miles This would make a strip OF land
more than mile wide from end to end of Long
Island" Mr.. Spears says that in justice TO
few persons it should be stated that they own
their lands, because the courts have declared
their claims to be better than the States, but
this does not affect the general total in square
miles to any great extent
After giving a complete list of the lands re-
ferred TO, Mr.. Spears says in conclusion: "Why
was this land allowed to go out of the possession
of the State Controller. If it has gone out or his
hands? And vino can doubt that the land is
gone from the State when lumbermen SLASH over
1t and the watchers of private preserves hurl
the public from its vicinity? And il the present
claimants of the land have titles to it, where
did they get them, how did they get them and
whom did they pay for them? was told recent
Nv that one man. formerly chief clerk In the Con-
troller's office. had the honesty, courage and
manhood to stand between the land hungry pack
and the State land titles. This man was w. H.
sanger. of New-Rochelle. but he did not last
long"
Commissioner Whipple Of the Forest Fish
ana anne Commission states In eoulunica-
4sop IN Mr. Spears that he is going to make IN
entries about one Of the lots and take action 20
recover it for the State. He says furtheri
do not believe Mr.. Spears wishes to Apply o,, tne
statement -'TWel, you know what money Will
do in politics. was the pessimisto answer, 20
this department TO me personally. IL ne or
any other man believes he can get tGee or
foot of State land by political anceuVrins of
money consideration. let him try IL .
Tbe correspondent to Forest and Stream
states that he is not making a caInpsisH as
any one personally but ne does ESP propos he tsines
which examination Will disclose IN regafa 20 tns
Adirondack regiGon and the manner ~ Ill -
sx handed He believes that Mr. Whippie wants
to do the right thing and that ne mas great
opportunity assist long suHeflhs puDic 10
its rights. ,.x .o .rr,.
Little Falls Journal and Courier which reads:
"The big dam on the outlet OF riseco LAAe' 80
,onq talked about is. according to latest re-
norris an assured fact. and VIII, when built,
make of Pseco lake nearly twenty miles long
extandine TO Arietta. The distance from Glow
ersyiiIe 10 Arietta is about twenty-five miles and
with small steamer on the lake the trip from
the railroad to Piseeo will be materially short
en.d Ard win also be much easier trip than
now Work on the dam, we understand, Will
begin very early In the spring
After stating that the dam Is going TO be put
mn 70 preserve water for power companies Ia
Giens Falls and that It win certainly hood sew
eraI thousand acres OF State forest land. Mr..
spears inquiries: "Hasn't the public got pull
enoush It Albany to prssEvs the Adtrondacks
fnR de pooDloT'