FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. I31 



entire tract was $600,000, which included the settlement of Dr. Webb's claim against 

 the State, amounting to $184,350.60, for damages caused by the overflow or back 

 water from the State dam on the Beaver Ri\er. 



The McEchron Purchase of 17,354 acres embraced a solid tract of contiguous 

 forest in Townships 10 and 2g, Totton and Crossfield, and is situated in botli Hamilton 

 and Warren Counties. The spruce, pine and hemlock have been removed ; but the 

 remaining hardwoods, which constituted more than eighty per cent, of the trees, still 

 furnish a good forest cover, and make the tract a desirable one at the price. It is an 

 unbroken forest, with the exception of a narrow strip of meadow land in the valley 

 bordering the Sacandaga River, and a small burned area of about sixty acres which 

 has already reforested itself with poplar of promising size. Tiie price paid for this 

 tract v/as $26,031.32, or about $1.50 per acre. 



The John Brown farm, once owned by John Brown of Harper's P'erry and Kansas 

 fame, and where he was buried soon after his execution, was acquired through a deed 

 of gift made to the State by an association of twenty persons who had bought this 

 farm and homestead several years ago for the purpose of preserving it. It is situated 

 in North Elba, Essex County, and contains 243 acres, forty of which have been cleared. 

 The farmhouse and barn erected by John Brown are still standing and in good 

 preservation. The former custoilian of the property was retained by this Commission, 

 and he still resides in the farmhouse. The deed of gift was formally accepted, July 

 2ist, ata meeting held on the farm It was made the occasion of a flag raising, 

 oration, and interesting e.xercises at the grave, which were attended by a large con- 

 course of people. 



The details relating to eacii of these purchases, including the reports of the pre- 

 liminary examination of the lands, and account of the exercises at the acceptance 

 of the John Brown property, will appear in the supplementary part of this com- 

 munication. 



Area of tl)e Forest Preserve. 



The area of the Forest Preserve at this time is : acres. 



Adirondack Pre.serve, ........ 801,473 



Catskill Preserve, ........ 49,332 



Total, ........ 850,805 



The area of the proposed Adirondack Park, or territory within the "blue line," is 

 2,807,760 acres. Of this territory the State owns 655,450 acres. The remainder of 

 the State holdings — 146,023 acres — are situated outside the park, much of it in 

 isolated lots scattered through farming regions many miles from the forest itself. 



