4-0 SEVENTH REPORT OF THE 



Saranac Lake, title was acquired to the land only, Air. Turner having a timber right 

 which included the spruce and hemlock on this property. In compliance with a 

 numerously signed petition from the inhabitants of Saranac Lake village and 

 vicinity, the Commission condemned the timber in order to prevent it from beino- 

 cut, and tendered Mr. Turner $50,000 in payment for the same. He refused to 

 accept this amount and instituted a suit before the Court of Claims to recover 

 $126,656.25. The Attorney-General, assisted by the Hon. Merton E. Lewis, 

 appeared for the State, and the case was tried last spring, the principal evidence on 

 the part of the State being furnished by the ofificials of your department. The 

 award granted by the court to Turner allowed him $46,862.50, which was sub- 

 stantially less than the sum tendered him by the Commission for the value of his 

 timber. He appealed from the decision, and the case has been sent back to the 

 Court of Claims for additional evidence on certain disputed points. 



A large number of suits have been commenced during the past year for the 

 eviction of squatters, actions which became necessary in order to protect the State's 

 title and remove any cloud from the same that might arise from a claim of adverse 

 possession by these occupants. With few exceptions judgment was taken by 

 default in each of these cases; but at Raquette Lake several parties who have 

 cottages on State land, and who dispute the State's ownership to that township, 

 have entered a defense. At this date the cases have not yet come to trial. 



Land Parcl)ases. 



Although no appropriation was made by the Legislature at its last session for 

 the purchase of land, a large addition was made to the Forest Preserve by the con- 

 veyance of various tracts which were bought during the previous year, but which, 

 owing to delay in perfecting title, were deeded or conveyed during the year 1901. 

 These conveyances include 36,458 acres in the Adirondack Park, the aggregate cost 

 of w hich was $140,384.40, or $3.85 per acre. In the Catskill region the conveyances 

 amounted to 5,605 '/^^ acres, costing $12,581.31, or $2.24 per acre. 



In the appendix to the preliminary report of the Commission, January 30, 1902, 

 will be found a list of these lands, showing in detail the name of the grantor, loca- 

 tion of lot, number of acres conveyed, price per acre, and total amount paid. In 

 some instances the grantor conveyed several lots of different values, the price per 

 acre representing the average value. For instance: in the case of William Harris, 

 who received $6.50 per acre, it should be explained that the lands conveyed by him 

 were appraised by the inspectors at various prices ranging from $2 to $14 per 



