593 



Mr. Adams. — His direct testimony. 



Mr. Fiero. — I think that is his direct testimony. 



Mr. Adams. — Look on the cross. 



Mr. Fieko.— The question is, " What was first .done under that bill 

 so far as relates to the commission? A- The first application after 

 the passage of that bill was John Hurd. Q. Who was he ? A. John 

 Hurd was a member of the firm of Hurd & Hotchkiss, who were large 

 lumbermen on the west side of the forest; the builder of this Northern 

 Adirondack road; the same man whom we had sued for trespass, and 

 from whom we had collected a considerable sum of money. Q. What 

 was there with reference to that ? A. Immediately after the passage 

 of that act, which I always understood was passed for his relief or for 

 his benefit — 



Mr. Adams. — You understand the act of 1887 was procured by him ? 

 A. Yes, I so understand that it was promoted by him, and certainly his 

 application followed directly on its passage; I was opposed 

 to taking any action under the act; the act was not mandatory, it 

 was permissive, and Hurd's operations, aid the operations of his 

 partners had been very destructive to the forests. Q. What where 

 the views of the commission with regard to the exchange of the lands 

 which Hard offered at that time ? A. We deemed it unwise to make 

 the exchange which he proposed; we thought, among other things, 

 that the lands of Hurd's and the State, which formed a sort of 

 checker-board, s small parcels of State ,and Hurd and Hurd and State 

 alternately holding small parcels, served to protect the forest from 

 the extension of his railroad system through there." That is all I 

 have been able to find on that subject. I insist it does not bear 

 out the suggestion in reference to it. The evidence shows, with- 

 out contradiction or controversy, that the reasons for the refusal 

 of the commission to act upon the Hurd bill were that 

 it was very doubtful whether a title could be obtained, 

 that the ' lines of the proposed park were not fixed and that 

 they did not debire to allow Hurd to obtain title to lands in 

 the vicinity of the State land for the reason he was engaged in tres- 

 passing. The principal reason given by the members of the commis- 

 sion, however, is ; the fact that at that time the park lines were not 

 pnly not agreed upon but the park itself was not a fixed fact. The 

 committee will do well to bear in mind the sequence of events. The 

 message of the Governor of this State bearing date the 20th of 

 January, 1800, state : "It is represented to me by those who are 

 familiar with the situation of things in that country, and in whose 

 judgment I have confidence, that a State park from fifty tb seventy 

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