458 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



Claims. The amount which the Court would have allowed — had not the matter been 

 settled by mutual agreement — will, of course, never be known. But the digest of 

 the evidence, as given in these pages, indicates that the verdict would have been for a 

 large amount. The reader is free to make his own estimate, and, having done so, to 

 deduct his estimate of damages from the $600,000, The remainder will represent the 

 price paid for the land. 



By the terms of the contract. Dr. Webb agreed "to cut a trail from Big Crooked 

 Lake, in Township 43, down through the valley of the outlet of said lake to the junction 

 of said outlet witli the trail leading from Gull Lake across the Triangle north of 

 Township 38, such trail to be cut by the parties of the first part (Dr. W. S. Webb) 

 within one year from the date hereof, under the direction of the Commissioners of the 

 Board of F"isheries, Game and Forests of tlie State of New York as to location, and to 

 their satisfaction." 



This new trail was necessary for the use of the public, as the one formerly used 

 crosses the private preserve of the Xe-ha-sa-ne Park, anil is liable to be closed, thereby 

 leaving no path for the tourists, guides, hunters and fishermen who want to journey 

 from the Beaver, via the Red Horse Chain, to the Oswegatchie waters. 



With this matter in view the Superintendent went to Big Crooked Lake in 

 August, and making a camp there proceeded to select a line along which this new trail 

 could be constructed. Instead of starting from the outlet of Big Crooked Lake, a 

 shorter route with an easy grade was found by leaving the terminus of the present 

 trail at the landing on the lake, and, by passing over the low ground behind the hill 

 on the east side of Big Crooked, strike its outlet farther down. This cut-off saves the 

 trip through the lake and considerable distance along the rocky shore of the outlet. 



In accordance with the contract, Dr. Webb sent a force of workmen who constructed 

 a good trail along the route thus selected by the Superintendent, and this trail, now 

 open to the public, furnishes the shortest and easiest path — in fact, the only one — for 

 persons traveling from the Beaver River to "Sternberg's " on the (3swegatchie. 



The route lies through a grand primitive forest untouched by the lumbermen, 

 through the most remote and unfrequented part of the entire Adirondack W'ilderness. 

 After leaving Chris. Wagner's camp on the Beaver Rix-er, the traveler bound for the 

 Oswegatchie will not pass another camp or shanty on the route, except the little log 

 cabin on Salmon Lake, which in summer is occupied by Mr. Lansing Hotaling, of 

 Albany, N. Y. The journey is too long for one day's tramp; for in going by the Red 

 Horse Chain a boat must be carried as far as Big Crooked Lake. There is no public 

 house, nor even a guide's shanty on the way; the tourist or sportsman who would 

 make this trip must sleep on the ground for one night, at least, with no other shelter 

 except what he may improvise for the occasion. 



