FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. 383 



and practicable stream for driving logs ; and that the Beaver River, in its natural condition, is better 

 than the average of streams in the Adirondacks that are now being actually driven. 



HON. WESLEY BARNES, a surveyor and a lumberman of thirty or forty years' experience in 

 lumbering, improving rivers and streams preparatory to driving them, and who has been a log driver, 

 testified that he had made an examination of the Beaver River in June, 1894, for the purpose of 

 determining whether it was a feasible stream to drive ; and again on the 3d and 4th of November, 

 1894, he examined the river, when the gates were open in the reservoir and the water down, for the 

 purpose of determining whether that portion of the river embraced within the reservoir was a drivable 

 stream for logs ; and that the Beaver River, in its natural condition, was a feasible stream for drivinglogs. 



AUGUSTUS KESSLER, a lumberman residing at Carthage, testified that he is lumbering on 

 certain lots in Watson's East Triangle, adjoining Township 5 ; that his lumber is floated down Alder 

 Creek which empties into the Beaver River at Beaver Lake, and from there his logs are driven to his 

 mill at Carthage on the Black River. His lands are about eight miles from the Webb Tract, and he 

 annually lumbers ten million feet ; and that Alder Creek which he drives is not one-third as large 

 as Beaver River. 



JAMES COSGROVE, a lumberman of thirty-five years' experience in driving streams, clearing 

 them up preparatory to driving, testifies that he examined the Beaver River in June, 1894, and 

 November, 1894, for the purpose of determining whether the river was a feasible one for driving logs; 

 that the portion of the stream from the dam down to Beaver Lake (below where logs are now being 

 actually driven), is a feasible stream for driving; that the river from Lake Lila to Little Rapids is a 

 feasible stream for driving, after making proper improvements in the way of blasting out rocks, 

 building dams, etc., which would cost about $2,200; that in November, when he made his examina- 

 tion, the water was drawn out of the reservoir, so that the river was just about full banks; that he 

 found the river within the reservoir a feasible one to drive if the dam was out of the way: that the 

 current was sufficient for driving logs ; that there was sufficient quantity of water, and the water was 

 in good condition for driving ; that there are rivers which are driven resembling the portion of the 

 Beaver River between the State dam and Little Rapids. 



ERASTUS DARLING, a lumberman, residing at Gloversville, N. Y., with thirty years' expe- 

 rience, testifies that he inspected the Beaver River in 1894, for the purpose of ascertaining whether 

 it was a drivable stream, and that the Beaver River from the State dam down to Beaver Lake 

 (which is below where logs are now actually being driven), is a feasible stream for driving logs, and 

 that the Beaver River from Lake Lila down to Little Rapids (which is at the head of the reservoir) 

 is a feasible stream for driving. At the time Mr. Darling was there the water was in the reservoir; 

 and that portion of the river between the dam and Little Rapids was covered up so that he could 

 not obtain any idea of the character of that portion of the river. 



V/ILLIAM HARRIS, a lumberman residing at Northville, N. Y., of seventeen years' experience in 

 driving rivers and improving them preparatory to driving, testifies that he inspected the Beaver River 

 with a view of ascertaining its feasibility for driving logs, and that the portion of the river below the 

 dam down to where logs are actually floated, was a feasible stream for driving; that the river between 

 Little Rapids and Lake Lila was also a feasible stream for driving; and that the water was in the 

 reservoir at the time of his examination, so that he could not form an opinion as to the portion of the 

 river from the State dam up to Little Rapids in its natural condition. 



WILLIAM R. SMITH, a guide upon the Beaver River, testified that the agent of the State 

 when building the dam went up the Beaver River about five miles and cut large pieces of timber 

 which were used in the construction of the dam and floated them down ; that some of the trees floated 

 down were from thirty to sixty feet in length ; that the Beaver River in its original condition was 

 boatable without a carry from Stillwater dam to Little Rapids, and from Little Rapids the river was 

 boatable to Smith Lake with one carry ; that in high water, boats were able to run from Smith's Lake 

 without making this carry ; that the portion of the river between Stillwater dam and Little Rapids 

 in its average condition was from four to ten feet deep, and averaged more than fifty feet wide ; and 

 that the current was so strong it would take three hours longer and harder work to row up the river 

 than down. 



