The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-10-05


early IN his admin ration formed . bust
ness corporation. which Ike all minins
corporations wa- more or leas hazardous;
he invested practically no money hinaeh
hut for the financing Of the corporation
depended largely upon those With whom
A. Forrest Fish and Game CommiSs Toner
he was then having and throughout his
entire term has had extensive transact ions
Of an official nature when II became
necessary TO raise money IN the hope oi
saving the anairs Of the corporation the
money to pay comm issioneT Whippe :
share of the assessment NA- raised 10y him
upon notes Endorsed bv George Y Ostran-
der. a man who had more dealings with
tho Forest Purchasing Boari than any
other. aud nv money loaned from Walter
4 Muherhee. a man whose transact tons
with tho previous Forrest Fish and tam"
Commission had been the suhie,t of 'riti-
'i-m and Investigation bv ~" legal de-
partmrnl under tummtS-ioner Nhpple
he improprstv of comm i-- Toner Whip
pies acttpns IN tht- respect II ~slf-Rppare
he head of one ~ tho depart mrnt~ ~
state should have no business dealings
whAieNer with those persons with whom
he has official transactions and certainly
should nn' place himself under financial
obligations 80 them. neither should he
associate himself IN q business way with
nor be dependent upon their financial
support in his personal business dealings.
Of the land purchases in general the
report says
"A careful inquiry has failed 10 reveal
a single instance In which money has
hN@n improperly paid TO influence the
action Of the Forest Purchasing Board or
81 any Of Its employees
The employment by Commissioned
Whipple % John n fnman. the post
master for years Of Mr.. Whipple's home
town. 60 search Adirondack land titles
at a salary Of 81. an il severely criticised.
Mr. lnman did most 81 his work AT his
home in Salamanca and 81 the eo3 titles
referred TO him for examination from
January l. 1897 To September ,. 1909. l5s
are still pending The report declares u
to b. inconceivable that the entire time
of one attorney could he consumed IN the
examination Of these titles
The commissioners state that they have
examined with some care the abstracts
reported upon 10y Mr. lnman and severely
criticlse his work, while they state that
I hey do not not deem II advisable TO dis
close the condition u particular titles.
They also report that the titles pre-
sentsd by George y Ost rander. either on
behalf ~ himself or others whom he rep
resented as an attorney. have ordinarily
been approved With a speed not always
justified by the abstracts Of title. while
persons have IN most instances remained
in Mr.. Inman's hands for more ehan one
year and in a large number If cases for
more than I've years before being disposed
Of
The report states:
The question a. to whether or NOT the
state has generally paid sxorhrant prices
for the Adirondack lands purvh ased for u
through the Forest Purchasing Board has
tsa.a A.
result thereof your commissioners are
satisfied that In the great majority 81 Gases
a price has been paid largely IN excess o!
tho marke' value u the land purchased
Commissioner Whipple and speaker
Nsd~Worth state the prices paid nv the
board were Justified upon the ground that
Ndlrondack lands have advanced IN value
within the last few wears That the value
u lnE.is well covered With soft wood timber
has advanced materially during ths last
i've or ten wears i undoubtedly tr'ie. but
The state has not been purchasing this class
u lands Practically all the lands pur-
chased within the las, Ave years have been
covered with hard wood timber only or A.
he best with small and immature soft Noo,i
We have sought IN vain for any iustih-
'ation for he claim that hard wo,-d Adron-
lack lands have rapidly advanced m value
recent years. bur nnd that NOT only - this
not tho ca-s but that tho prics of hard
wood lumber or timber has advanced but
tbs IN tho las isw wears Hard wood :
umh-ring operations haN" never he~n
.arrted on In the NdtrondaoES 80 any con
.drrah's extern. and owing 20 The fact that
,ard wood logs cannot ." r"l'"d. and
ranspor' alton facilities are 80 limited .
10 ri wood cannot %" lam TERED a. proit .
n The greater part OF hat region
The conclusion ~ the commissioners is
Ia The opinion 81 your commissioner.
10. ordinary safeguards fhaf should have
le-n thrown around N" 'ran-s, 'iou- ~ he
Forrest Purchasing Board have been dsT"-
,atded while We have no "On"lu-tv" cvI- .
lenra ~ the mark. value ~ the land par.
h seal there - reason 20 h"i'a," 'na' large
mounts have been DNp"udsd uuu-- "-~Ifllv .
n making th~S. purchases
But the commissioners expressly state
hat they are convinced that the varipi!s .
Members - 'he Poorest Purchasing Board
appointed Nv the commissioners NJ IN"
and Office aCfed IN entire good faI'h "a
b.. RESPECTIVE matters hich cam" b.for"
h"m during their terms ~ pniC" They
lso state they make no criticism ~ he
purchases II forest land which have h~.n
made since January 1879 IN" report
avs -B4i your comm issIonrrs are Cuu.
'inCed that the various members - IN"
crest Purchasing Board appointed from
h. Comm lssipnsrS of the Land ono"
90 cd m perfect good faith m making all
purchases contaminated during their re-
peCtIv. memberships IN III" Forest Pur-
haslnR Board
Concerning The purchas.. from william
Durant ~ he Ramp Kill kar. IN axe
iimns-r bv TImothv T. Woodruff While he
as a member II the Forest Preserve
Board. Oh" commissioners say
Inasmuch A. ~" 20 tho Lands puruha-ad
y 'he state Vas acquired bv condemnation.
be V'hh"ding ~ MIR purant- consent 80
sale vs. not an oh-'nc" IN the WV pi the I
'ais's getting 'tl" to tho LAX" sumner
not sIhe Proceedings 10 Condemn ~.
nd township =. surrounding 'ka
t4fnner and belonging 20 ne sam" owner.
r.re not commenced until October. ls'7.
sfofe hen Mr. Woodruff Was making
erms for his private purchase 81 the lAae
Imner property. although he did MOI com
lete u until the ,onsumma'ion Of 'h"
rquisition nv the state 81 the surrounding
Inds
Gov. Hughes tonight made public
10 following letter u Speaker " adswortt.
Of the Forest Preserve Land Pur-
lasing Board
The forest purchasing board through
our courtesy has been made thoroughly