The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-16
NORTH WOODS PRESERVES.
Public Doesn't Take Kindly 10 Exclusios
From Vast Private Domains.

Northrood correspondence Utiec Observer.
The breadth Of territory that Is covered
by the private preserves in the Adirondack
IL probably not generally realized. The
figures. 1, 27o square miles. o rather start
ling. yet that is the quantity OF land upon
which no ~trespass" signs were fxed In 1902,
according 10 the report Of the Forest, Fish
and Game Commission OF that year.
Within the blue line. or within the State
park, ultimately TO be set aside for the pee
pie Of the State. a. 1t is proposed, are Ito?
square miles Of territory upon which the the
"commen herd M set foot without
running the risk Of being fined s25 straight,
plus costs. together with damages. The
preserves numbered sixty. some OF them
with more thar a hundred square miles OF
territory. Within the State pork are 500
square miles, the State owning in 100: about
l.sl7 square miles. Individuals owned
2.l2o. Thus about one-hfth OF the TERRITORY
In the park Is probably preserved by clubs
and individuals to-day. The State has
been buying land, go that o 1t probably
owns. between two-ffths and three-fiths
Of the proposed State park.
The preserves are posted at every forty
rods Of its circumference with noticee
couched in terms according to the temper
Of the owners. Some of the notices merely
state that II is private land and that no tree
passing. hshing OF hunting is allowed. Other
notices assert that II any ~trespassing is
ommitte ed the violstor will be prosecuted
to the limit OF the law, II Is not necessary
to own the land to preserve" 1t. The land
NAV be leased. the camping. hunting and
fishing privileges obtained perhaps for o
! song, and then you may 60 ahead and put
up the notices to keep OF people. Lumber
companies often lease their property to
clubs and individuals In this way. Some Of
| the preserves carry on numbering and thus
help to pay expenses Of the club. Some
preserves cover virgin forest and others are
in regions which have been numbered.
Although a good second growth mag be
standing.
The Adirondack private preserve is .
new creation, having been born about
twenty years ago. Most OF them were
formed since that time and the rate 10
anparently acceleratins. Preserves are
getting TO be quite the fad. with the re-
anti that preserve property 10 on the rise
in price. Curiousiy enough. in 1902 Supt.
Wi,,iam Fox said in his report. The ac-
! ouisition Of these high priced lands may be
safely deferred until the rest Of the Adiron-
dack Park has been bought" He does not
state the premises Of the argument. conse-
o~uentlv IL IL not quite clear how the State
will be the winner II 1t waits until the prop
erty goes higher.
A sort OF fcnd exists between the people
Of the region and the club men. Decker
IL supposed TO have been shot In The back
hecsise OF the war. Forest fires are fire.
o%uentiy set in order to get even" Deer
are Killed lust for spite, In some cases the
we'll watched preserves do preserve the
rarne until 1t gets so tame that to shoot .
dser Ia like coins out shooting a COW. Some
Of the 6sh ponds swarm with trout, A Will
mnrt trespasser, q respected citizen, was
down to Little Deer Lake about midnight .
vesr or 80 ago for the purpose OF getting q
mess Of trout, A watchLui eye caught him
nj II. IL Is said that. the watchful one. hear
inv the brush crack, let ny at him with a shot
gun, taking an aim in the general direction
of the noise. Just as the gun was fred the
respected was lying behind q log and with
To- see what was doing, 4 BIZ shot struck
Inc thumb and made the blood ny, but the
citizen rot away with no further wounds.
Small preserves can do no particular harm,
hut IL n the widespread sff air which shuts
out 20 many people, Amcrice Is so young
that Il has not learned some things. n to
Sc observed that In aristocrattc England and
Scotland IL II counted against public inter-
cst 10 preserve wild waste lands, and thus the
people under proper rsstrictions have the
recreation aud health.