140 



A. What we, consider the greatest danger of the forest was the fires 

 and those rules we caused to be put up everywhere. 



Q. The particular class of rules I want is on that subject under 

 section 9 ? 



A. I don't know as there was any particular class covering all that 

 section or lot; the laws of the State, it seems to me, were sufficient in 

 regard to that. 



Q. I call the attention of the committee to a meeting held June 17, 

 1890: "The warden is instructed to investigate the facts in regard to 

 the proposal of the Everton Lumber Company to exchange lands with 

 the State, and report the same to the commission at the next meeting, 

 with his opinion." I call attention to the fact that this meeting was 

 in New York and Mr. Basselin and Mr. Knevals were present only. I 

 call attention to another meeting held July 31, 1890, when all were 

 present. On page 110: "Resolved, That the resolution previously 

 passed by the commission to the effect that the State will not 

 exchange lands with private individuals be rescinded." Further: 

 " The report of the warden in regard to the proposition to exchange 

 land with the Everton Lumber Company was. read, fully discussed, 

 and the propriety of an exchange, of the nature and general character 

 proposed by the Everton Lumber Company, was approved, but it was 

 the opinion of the commission that the offer of two acres for one was 

 not a fair one for the State, and, therefore, the following resolution 

 was adopted : Resolved, That if the Everton Lumber Company will 

 amend their offer so as to. give the State three acres for one in the 

 exchange proposed, this commission will recommend to the Attorney- 

 General, for his consideration, the acceptance of the proposition, and 

 do recommend, to the extent of the land owned by said company, so 

 far as they are available in the laying out of a State park." 



Chairman Ryan. — That at the same meeting? 



Mr. Adams. — That is the same meeting the resolution was rescinded 

 and the report of the warden was received and was acted upon, and I 

 call attention to the fact that the application of the Everton company, 

 a formal application, was the seventh of August and the twenty-eighth 

 of August, I think, still after this. It was on the seventeenth of Sep- 

 tember that the resolution was passed which was sent down with the 

 application to the Comptroller's office. Those are already in evidence. 



Mr. Anibal. — I think, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the com- 

 mittee, it would be hardly fair to take the assertions of the counsel 

 for the committee with reference to when this application was filed in 

 the forest commission office with reference to this exchange of lands. 

 As a matter of fact, a formal application had been made and shown 



