352 



report shall be included the reports of appraisers of lands exchanged 

 in accordance with the foregoing provisions. The proceeds of all 

 land so sold, or the receipts from all exchanges so made, shall be 

 invested by the Comptroller, with the approval of the forest commis- 

 sion, in the purchase of forest land adjoining the great blocks of the 

 forest preserve now owned by the State. 



§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately. 



Mr. Fiebo. — I call attention to this bill and offer it in evidence for 

 this purpose; I think there is a misapprehension of its character in 

 that the committee are under the impression that it is directory; it 

 simply authorize exchanges to be made; it is not mandatory. 



Chairman Byan. — We undestand that. 



Mr. Fiebo. — I did not suppose that was understood from the fact 

 that questions were asked in regard to the duty of the commission in 

 that respect. It say, "Such separate tracts or parcels of' land may be 

 exchanged by the Comptroller for lands that lie adjoining the main 

 tracts of the forest preserve upon the- recommendation of the forest 

 commission," so that it simply gives them the power so to do; it is 

 purely discretionary. 



By Mr. Fiero : 



Q, I want to ask you whether you were at that time familiar with 

 the provisions of the act, and knew its general character ? 



A. Yes, sir; I knew it was not mandatory; I wanted to work under 

 it if I could; I suppose, however, that is not a responsive answer. 



Mr. Adams. — I was desired by the chairman of the committee to 

 ascertain the amount of land in the Adirondack region with which 

 the forest commission commenced, and the amount of land they now 

 have. 



Mr. Anibal. — I would answer that by saying that we have put that 

 in already in these reports, and to meet just that question by the 

 reports of the forest commission for each year, as well as the report 

 of the Comptroller which states that, and we are having a compilation 

 made and we are going to put in the figures before -the committee. 



Chairman Byan. — Counsel was requested to show in one sum the 

 amount of land owned therd by the State then and now. 



Mr. Anibal. — We will do that). 



Mr. Adams. — On reference^to the matter which I put in evidence -r- 

 the report "of Mr. Colvin — he was directed by special act of the 

 Legislature to survey the State land, and that report was made the 

 year before this commission went into effect, and the Comptroller fur- 

 nished him a list of the State land in the Adirondack region and that 



