335 



By Mr. Fiebo : 



Q. Was there not a large quantity of land bought in by the State 

 and charged to the county, borne on the records of the State as 

 county land, and afterward turned over to the State ? 



A. Tes, sir; I said that at first. 



By Mr. Ahibal: 

 Q. That was turned over by an act of the Legislature ? 

 A. Tes, sir; or by an act of the county. 



By Chairman Ryan: 



Q. Is that the way you got these additional 20,000 acres ? 



A. Tes, sir; we have not bought an acre; 14,000 acres came in 

 through Delaware, and about 6,000, or 7,000 or 8,000 acres have been 

 added through the counties turning it over to us. 



Mr. Fieeo. — As I am somewhat familiar with this matter, having had 

 considerable to do with it in the time of it, I will say that under the' 

 law, as it stood at the time the forest commission came into existence, 

 the county of Ulster was buying in at tax sale for its own benefit 

 under a special act, and bid in a large amount; afterward by an act 

 of the Legislature, the Comptroller was directed to buy in all the 

 land in Ulster county for the county, and charge it to the county ; 

 tha,t ran along until Ulster county had a great quantity of this 

 wild land which did not belong to the State, and then an act of 

 the Legislature was procured, by virtue of which the county turned 

 over the land to the State by the State refunding the amount 

 of taxes advanced, and in that way a considerable amount came into 

 the hands of the State through the action of the county, which was 

 influenced by the action of the commissioners in that respect, they 

 taking an interest in the land, and the people of the county being 

 desirous that the State should have it for the preserve; that is the 

 history of the transaction, with which I am perfectly familiar. 



By Chairman Ryan: 



Q. Tou are much more familiar with that part down there than 

 with the Adirondack region ? 



A. Tes, sir. ■. 



Q. On the. three occasions upon which you have been in the Adiron- 

 dack park, did you go there for pleasure, or by virtue of your office ? 



A. By virtue of my office, and it was a very pleasant trip except the 

 black flies skinning me; I enjoyed it except that part. 



