New-York tribune., 1910-01-14
ON S4R4TOG4.
Board WdHts State to O7cn Al
Springs.

Albany, Jan. 13.-The State Reservation
Commission at Saratoga Springs. in its
first report TO the Legislature, declares its
confidence that the ownership by the state
or all the mineral springs at Saratoga and
a proper cooperation between the state
and village in their administration and in
the properties incidental to them would re-
suit In a restoration of the worldwide
prestige of those waters for their health
giving qualities and the establishment of
Spa al Saratoga as important as any in
the world.
But the commission declares that the
state ought not to expend any substantial
amount of money until the litigation shall
be ended between the state and the gas
companies, whose enormous pumping at
Saratoga has as is widely believed, de-
stroyed the best known mineral springs
there. The report gives account of the
intervention Of the state in suits brought
by the Attorney General These suits
being preferred under the law, and the
constitutional questions having been de-
termined by the Court of Appeals, the
commission thinks that the legal questions
should be promptly determined
The commission declares against any
partial acquisition OF the springs, pointing
out that If the state should acquire a
part OF them they would he more or less
at the mercy of the owners OF neighboring
springs. and that the necessary assurance
70 the purity and genuineness OF the
waters OF Saratoga could not be given or
the springs themselves protected except
by the consolidated ownership Of the state
under proper cooperative agreement
with the village
The report declares the 100000 already
appropriated to be insufficient for the ac-
quisition Of all the springs, and points out
that If the total amount which the state
Is willing to invest were limited TO this
100000 1t would be possible only, on the
one hand, to buy out the gas companies,
whose pumping has done much to ruin
the prestige of the springs. or TO acquire
other springs which might be injured by
the pumping Of the gas companies. The
commission has rejected the suggestion that
it should simply buy from the gas COM
panies their property. with their lawsuits,
and let the remaining and principal part
of the problem go unsolved. It does not
think 1t would be a ft thing that the
money Of the state should be exclusively or
principally diverted to the gas companies.
The commission holds that the state
ought not to make any substantial ex-
penditure unless the village shall coop
crate by itself expending S250000 for build
ings and proper facilities.
The commission declares its beller thaI
the LEGISLATURE will come 10 the rescue
Of the springs when it shall realize their
unique therapeutic value to the people OF
the state at large Additional legislation
is advised through a bill which is sub
nlitted-
State Geologist John VI. Clarke IN his an
nual report to the Legislature to-day as
Cusses problems presented at Saratoga
Springs from the point OF view OF the
geolOgist Mr.. Clarke declares the state
underta king is 4 worthy but difficult task,
worthy. because Saratoga Springs present
unique geological phenomenon, Wnlch
,sal1uIid be saved from destruction 1rrespec-
tive of the commercial interests involved;
difficult because the intervention OF the
government has come late and is confronted
by large vested rights
The State geolOgist last season organized
a resurvey of the Springs region, which
was confined to a review OF the surface
structures. Tine solution OF the geological
problem. however, he says, is reached only
by the drill, and he recommends that an
appropriation be made for Tedrilling the
area. Mr.. Clarke says a special geological
survey Of Saratoga County will be con-
Quoted during the coming season.