New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-31
Mann, Collier and Many
Others Told to VaCate
Forest Lands.
MUST GET OUT
IN SIXTY DAYS
Conservation Board of Nine
Members Proposed to Con-
stitutional Convention.
IrrOm stan Correspondent of The rribuno.I

! hipaIly, July oV.--ln ne Otdle toHsti-
walton Department served notice to-
day on some of the wealthy squatters
on the Adirondack forest preoerve to
get out within sixty days.
Among we'll known New Workers
who, according to the Conservation
Department, are squatting on state
! land in the Adirondacks are Colonel
William Mann and Robert J. Collier,
/ publishers. More than fifty proceed
ings against rich squatters are about
to be started. There are more than
600 squatters on state lands.
Mr.. Collier, the Conservation De-
partment declares, is occupying an
island in Lake George which the state
owns and on which he has erected a
summer home. He has been ordered
to vacate before October IA.
Colonel Mann also mas been served
with notice to quit on or before the
same day. He. toe, mas a summer
residence, built on state property in
Lake George, II is charged.
No sympathy with Squatters.
with these rich trespassers this
commission has no sympathy what
ever" Marshall Mclean. attorney for
the Conservation Department, said to-
Gay, "and it does not believe that
either the Constitutional Convention or
this department should longer toler-
ate occupancy of this sort"
Mr.. Mclean said that at Indian Lake
and Raquette Lake were communities
which had been in existence for more
than sixty years. They had churches
and schools and were thriving com
munities, and, while on state land IL
legally they were of advantage to the
state. Their inhabitants lived there
all the year and fought forest fires
The department purposes to lease
small areas of land under proper re-
strictions to persons in these places
who recognize the state ownership and
were residents in good faith prior to
December /, 1909, the date when the
title 20 lands on Raquette Lake was
decided in favor of the state.
! A similar policy was advocated IN
the report of the Conservation Com
mittee of the Constitutional Conven-
ton submitted TO that body to-day.
Accompanying the report was pro
posed amendment supplanting the
present Conservation Department with
an unpaid board of nine, one from
each of the judicial districts of the
state.
The report was signed by all the
committee members except J. S. Whip
pie. An outline of it was printed IN
The Tribune several days ago.
To Avoid Political Control.
Chairman Charles n. Dow, of the
committee, issued a statement tonight
which said:
an determining the question of ad-
ministration it seemed necessary that
YOUR committee should provide for
continuity of policy and freedom from
political control The committee
deemed that these ends could best be
secured by an unpaid board, which,
from the nature Of the work and the
opportunity for state service it offers,
would attract TO it men of type
whose services no salary could secure.
Such a board will be deliberative in
function and will shape the policy Of
administering the natural resources
Of the state in response to public SEN
timent and for the best interests Of
the state as whole
"By appointing commissioners for
overlapping terms of nine years, ana
providing that they can only be re-
moved by the Governor on charges,
permanency of personnel and contnu-
itv of policy are secured.
'"By specifying that each Judicial
district in the state shall be repre-
sented on this board, every portion of
the state has its spokesman, and, as
a consequence, the people as whole
will feel that their voice may be
heard. and thus public confidence and
support will be better guaranteed:
Extensive reforestation is provided
for, in order that the large tracts Of
state-owned land now bare may be
reclothed with forests, 10 the i'm
movement Of the water-holding capac-
itv of the soil and the enhancement
Of the forest preserve as park and
recreation ground.
Would Increase Parks.
"The purchase of additional lands
within the blue lines which bound the
forest parks within the forest pre-
serve is not only recommended, but a
nlan for securing funds for such pur-
chases is provided. This plan provides
for the issuance of 100000 bonds an
nually.
"The final change to be mentioned
is the one whereby the city of New
York may use for water supply pur-
noses three small specified tracts
owned by the state in Greene and u
ster counties. Such use is felt to be
of necessity to the city, and by clear
" specifying the parcels in question
no extensive easements are granted
While the state may remove dead
snd burned timber for reforestation,
II cannot sell the timber. The pres
emit provision declaring the state for
est lands shall be kept as wild forest
land, and not leased, sold or ex-