New-York tribune., 1907-01-23
LETCHWORTH BILL OUT.
FINANCE COMMITTEE ACT.
Tote an Senate To-day-Posrer Com
panys Drastic Charter.
rBy Telegraph 70 The tribunal ]


Albany, Jan. 22-After long and bitter de-
bate in an executive session Of the Senate
Finance Committee this afternoon, Senators
Armstrong and Grady We're defeated IN their op
position 20 the bin permitting the state 70 ae-
cept the william Pryor Letchworth property for
s. public park The committee by a vote of
20 decided TO report out the Assembly bill
which contains those features against which
Senators Armstrong and Grady inveighed. but
which Mr.. Letchworth himself demanded Sen
ators Armstrong. Grady. Cordts OF Ulster and
Mullaney Of New York. whose vote on any SUBJ
Sect would be almost certainly swayed by Mr.
Grady, voted against reporting the bill Those
voting for reporting were Senators Sake. Tully.
o'Neil Fuller. Ramsperger, Hill and Cassidy.
Senator Armstrong announced after the COM
rnitfee meeting that he would vote against the
bin tomorrow when Il viii come up for passage.
He committed himself 20 that position In the
debate last night. He was willing 10 make con-
stderable concessions this afternoon however
Following the hearing on the Assembly bill he
presented an amendment 10 the Finance Com
nittee. which gave the custody of the public
park after Mr. Letchwortf's death to the Amerf-
can Scenic and Historic Preservation Society.
until the Legislature shall otherwise deter
mine" This would have done away with the
clause giving only the Supreme Court power 10
take The jurisdiction OF the property from the
society against which he made his fight last
night This amendment was voted down.
though, and, led by Senators Hill and Tully.
She Finance Committee called for the original
bin. embodying Mr.. LetchwOrths own ideas
fhe future Of the gift he is making the state.
While there will be some opposition 10 the bill
when il comes up for passage. little doubt is
felt OF it's being passed
Governor Hughes said this afternoon that It
rg,o
1etchwOrth desired his proposed gift TO the state
Of his great property in Wyoming and Living
stOn counties 70 be accepted if az all, in sub
stantially the form provided for in the bill orig
snalIy introduced. He said he had this impress
sion from AdeIbert Moot. Mr.. Letchworth's at
torney.
WON'T COMMENT ON CONTROVERSY.
The Governor declined TO comment on the
controversy attending the affair. but it is felt
that he took rather a lively interest in It all
The opinion is held in some quarters here that
81 this opposition had not been so promptly
queiled by the course taken by Senators Hill and
Hooker and their supporters. lineup would
have been formed when the bill came to a vote
which would have shown the stand Of the Sem
ate the Governors reform suggestions.
Investigation OF the corporate existence OF the
Genesee River Company. which is the concern
that needs the Genesee River at the point
where Mr.. Letchworth's property Is situated
70 make its chemes feasible, has caused Sem
stor Page 20 determine TO introduce tomorrow
two bills wiping out OF existence that concern.
one bin win repeal its original charter: the Sec
ond viii repeal an act passed last year EXTEND
Ing the life Of that charter.
Those seeking TO amend the Letchworth bin"
said Senator Page "seem very anxious that the
lands should be conveyed by Mr.. Letchworth TO
the state absolutely. instead OF under restric-
tions giving the American Scenic and Historic
Preservation Society control. subject only TO the
review OF the Supreme Court The bill In its
original form would give the state only limited
sitle, under which the land board could not
ALLEVIATE any part Of il TO the uses of private
corporation. do not know that the opposition
10 the Letchworth bin is in the interest OF the
Genesee River Company. but ] shall introduce
the repeal bill 20 make sure
The original charter OF this concern. on ex-
animation to-day. was found TO be one OF the
most drastic and sweeping documents ever per-
petrated on an unsuspecting public. Rights OF
condemnation and eminent domain given
20 the company which would permit It TO take
state land. with the consent Of a majority OF
the land ofice commissioners contingency
which with some land boards might not be too
diffcult-and 20 take city land, town land and
Village land. al with similar scant safeguards.
Examination OF the charter showed why that
concern should not want the deed executed by
Mr.. Letehworth TO be adopted. In the Watkins
Glen transaction Watkins Glen. after its pur-
chase, was transferred to the state. but the
Scenic Society was allowed 20 control # as a
park. The deed executed by Mr.. Letchworth
makes the maintenance OF his property a
public park trust. incumbent the Scenic
Sociefy Under the terms OF the Genesee Com
psny's charter. if the property were conveyed
bodily 70 the state the land commissioners could
transfer il to the Genesee company If they felt
90 inclined.
In 8 special report submitted by Campbell W.
Adams. State Engineer and Surveyor in 1897,
and prepared by George w. Rafter special en-
sineer there IS set forth project for the build
ing OF dam just below the village Of Portage
VILE and just above the upper falls, by which
II is proposed 20 flood certain territory form a
large storage reservoir wiping out the villages
Of Portageville. Rossburg. Wiscoy and Fillmore
as well as a number of cemeteries. OF this Mr.
Eafter says: This is the most delicate Of the
several changes 10 be made" Mr.. Rafter and
his assistants made a very thorough and COM
plete report setting forth the exact cost OF con-
structng the dam and OF acquiring property to
be flooded Well OF the possible fiow and
even presented long comparison as 20 large
dams in Europe. whereby storage reservoirs
were created.
RECOMMENDS BUILDING DAM
Mr.. Rafter recommended that the state should
undertake the construction OF the dam. and stat
ed that either the state itself private COM
pany could reap vast profits from its CONNER
ciai possibilities. AS 10 a private company he
stated that under the laws then existing no pri-
al he Sriz St-stk,