134 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



be reserved for a classification of the land, in which each parcel should be described 

 as forest, lumbered, burned, waste, water or cleared, whetb.er in the resident, non- 

 resident or State list. Some such classification is necessary in order that the forestry 

 officials can determine whether the State lands are assessed at the same rate as other 

 property in the town. The Comptroller has already introduced this system; but 

 some legislation seems necessary to make the town assessors comply with his require- 

 ments in this respect. 



The State lands in the towns of Altona and Dannemora, Clinton County, contain 

 about 9,000 acres in the aggregate, but are not in the Forest Preserve, having been 

 excepted in the original law of 1885, under which the Preserve was established. This 

 exception was made in order that these forests might be reserved for the use of Dan- 

 nemora prison. In the meantime, these lands have been cared for by an agent of the 

 Comptroller. We would suggest that, with the approval of the Comptroller, these 

 woodlands be included in the Poorest Preserve, provided that the amendment necessary 

 to such transfer contains some clause reserving a timber right in favor of the prison, 

 permitting the use of timber for prison work only. 



The Commissioners are willing to defend all suits in which the title to the State 

 forests is attacked or involved, although such matters add to its duties and responsi- 

 bilities. But the legal expenses which may be incurred in carrying on this class of 

 litigation are necessarily quite large. Attorneys competent to manage these cases 

 successfully command large fees, aside from the expenses for witnesses, surveys, 

 obtaining evidence, and working up the cases. These expenditures are outside the 

 province of our appropriation, which is available only for the regular work of the de- 

 partment. Thus far, these land suits have been carried on largely through the able 

 assistance of the Attorney-General's office and the use of funds appropriated for the 

 use of that department. It would seem advisable that some appropriation should be 

 made bv the Legislature that will enable this Commission to defray the legal expenses 

 incurred in carrying on certain prosecutions, for the successful conduct of which the 

 public persist in holding this Commission responsible. 



For several years the Forestry Department of the State has annually urged the 

 Legislature to appropriate money for the purchase of forest land in the Adirondack 

 and Catskill regions, but these recommendations have thus far proved fruitless. 

 Impelled by a sense of duty, we would respectfully renew them at this time. In view 

 of previous disappointments, we do not care to rehearse the many reasons which make 

 such action on the part of the Legislature positively necessary to the welfare of public 

 interests. The matter has been so fully discussed in previous reports, and the 

 necessity widel)' known and full)' understood by all our citizens, that we make the 

 recommendation and transmit it here without further comment or argument. 



