New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-11
DEFENDS FLOODING PLAN.
Senator O'NeH Upholds amendment
quotes Fan AIstyne.

ny Telegraph to The Tritune.1
Albany, Feb. Ex-senator O'Neu, Of Malone IN a
statement issued tonight defended the O'NeI-
Merritt constitutional amendment permitting the
flooding of state forest lands. which has been op-
posed so bitterly for couple OF years. He de-
CARED that tho opponents of this plan undcrs
| neither the purpose Of the amendment nor the con
ditions IN the Adirondack territory which they
thought they were defending Their methods seemed
20 resolve themselves into attack on the char
acters OF the men Importing this measure he said
Senator O'NeIrs statement fayorng this proposed
| amendment IS feature OF the campaign OF
public agitation which the supporters II the meas
ure have adopted 20 gain favor for their PROPOSE
ton The methods being employed to pass the bill
I this year totally different from those OF the
last session. when Senator Mnlby and Assembly
man Merritt simply introduced the measure got IT
cut OF committee and fought IT through to passage
Now, since Governor Hughes has come out
against any scheme to hand the forest pre-
serves and the vast potential wealth their water
power TO any private concerns the friends OF this
plan trying by publicity Offset the publicity
work OF the Association for the Protection OF the
Adirondacks. Thus, Senator o Neils statement to-
night dWeIls on the local sentiment for this
ure. as AssembIyman Merritts statement of last
week limited that much OF the opposition to it came
from rival power interests, who feared the com
petition which would come from power companies
In the Adirondack territory
The ONeil statement was as follows
The expediency OF water storage has resolved
tselt mo more OF an lhyldous attack upon men
the proposition az a whole. some fancied idea
subject. has led many otherwise FAIR minded and
intelligent men to take the opposite view OF a
a revenue equal TO, II not exceeding, the com
bined profits of agriculture OF the entire state
An ttIVl.e0us tGeo prevails with regard TO the
T soa 1ne I" n,cit 6y ne pToposed amendment
or utilizing the waste waters OF the great Adron-
right to build dams Wich mieE aood Sat- sI is6d
should the state desire. the constitution now
stands, to build any dams that might Hood state
land any one could enJoln It from SO doing under
ths provisions Of the section It IS sought TO amend
neen Gec tbe 9y long drawn out tigauon. and
n t5t, au no Iight 10 mood lands which the con-
If the amendment is adopted. the details are 70
mee0p out ad u.s. as to the best means OF
dustTies Of the state without in any Way s4fren
GSSFlns tn@ Auir2hqacks to private individuals
vision Of al dams viii naturally fall under tho
which has shown excellent capability In the last
that almost without drcetj6 I'SI wafer storage
the storage reservoir man a9 Inc eheeers iaE3r
trolled by human effort l have a cIibping, here
OF an interview given out by Henry I'VE Wsr Al
styne. former State Engineer and Surveyor. which
The construction of storage reservoirs In tho Adj
ions Of dollars worth Of eiectrcoI " ene use OF mix
could be used for the electrical propulsion Of the
which IS now unavailable and not made of any
PractcaI use 10 the people OF the state. build
substitution Of an artificial lake for the impassabe
and unattractiVe swamUs that now exist adjacent
to many Adirondack streams. II will regulate tho
now or the hudson River and other streams hay
ing their sources in the Adrondacks which viz
have very beneficial effect upon many OF the
waterways used for The new bnrEc canal ana viii
provide for an abundant supply OF water diIrinc
lEe airy summer months, and at time when these
streams Will otherwise be very low ~ ''
1t will greatly alleviate the flood copdttto,,. H.
the spring on the Hudson. the Mohawk ana otbar
streams obtaining their supply from tb" 4I IrnrI
aicks, and greatly lessen the cost of mainfanir,,
these streams by lessenng the amount az $50
Br5tTyeI DEBRIS ana detritus which is brought intn
OF food. ''S'i'S III unnes
II the waters OF tho upper Hudson are not storad
the new barge canal when completed will taLo a.
nntge proportI9n OF the summer flow of the Hudson
ht IRON Glens rails. leaving tho mills located
TDelWeea tne upper dam elena Falls ana 49,
their needs 'F''' VI wafer Iof
, I'VE and have lived In the Adirondacks all nv
~ 1ii NJ hloW the needs of that portion OF the
state MY people want II; in fact every man ir
the state who Is familiar with conditions IN there
IS WIN US. II isn't the people who know ah0uf
water storage that are araiI us II is this neonie
posing this measure ' w. '"a' are op-