598 



able reservation or park, and the probable cost thereof,-and to report 

 also in regard to the other subjects referred to in said messtge of the 

 Governor^" That would seem to afford a reasonable, full and ample 

 ground for the action of the commission in employing the men at 

 their disposal in examining lands in the Adirondack region, whether 

 State land or otherwise, because it was not only the manifest inten- 

 tion, but the expressed direction of the Legislature that the Adi- 

 rondack region should be examined for that purpose and these men 

 were placed upon that work in accordance with the direction of the 

 Legislature. Certainly this commission bught not to be criticised for 

 following the, direction of the Legislature with regard to the work to 

 be undertaken and carried out by it. 



During the inquiry much testimony has been given with regard to 

 the proposed park, and at the outset criticism was indulged in on 

 account of the west line of the park not feeing entirely satisfactory to 

 the persons criticising it: It was insisted on the part of some that 

 the line was too far to the west; on the part of some it was too far to 

 the east; on the part of some that Mr. Basselin had land outside of it, 

 and on the part of- some he had land inside of the proposed park 

 lines. We iave heard little or nothing of that recently because the 

 critics* did not agree among themselves whether Mr. Basselin was 

 benefited by having the line where it was, or whether he would 

 have been benefited by bavin g it carried further west. But there 

 has been some criticism with regard to the size of the park. 

 ' Now, a single, word with reference to the size of*the proposed park as 

 reported by this commission, and that bears upon both of the ques- 

 tions which are to be reported upon by* this committee, but I speak 

 of it more particularly with reference to the action of the commission 

 with regard Kto a proposed park, and with regard to their special 

 report upon that subject which states at great length the reasons for 

 the park, and'the facts in connection with it. It will-be remembered 

 that the testimony shows there was a difference of opinion among the 

 commissioners as to the size of the park; one commissioner favoring 

 a smaller park; one commissioner favoring a park the entire 

 size of the Adirondack region, over 3,000,000 of acres, and 

 Mr. Knevals the third commissioner favoring a park which was finally 

 agreed on, to consist of 2,307,000 acres. The park lines were fixed 

 according to that fact so as to include that number of acres. They 

 were determined by the commissioners and Warden Fox and Secretary 

 Train were directed to carry out the details in regard to it. They 

 have shown why the zigzag lines which appear upon the small map 

 were adopted, showing the necessity therefor by reason of the fact they 



