284 REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



which has prevailed elsewhere would have devastated these preserved spots; 

 that something has been rescued from the gross selfishness of the pot fisherman, 

 the thoughtless greed of the so-called sportsman, the "worse than an infidel," 

 who skulks along the little streams and murders the fingerlings, and that chief of 

 sinners, the slashing lumberman. These portions of the forest have been, literally, 

 "snatched from the burning." It will at least afford the sad-eyed outsider grim 

 satisfaction to remember that some of the fish and game, bred and preserved 

 here, escape to the yet open streams and forest which he may capture — if he can. 

 He may have some liberal crumbs if not a full loaf, when, except for them, the 

 crumbs would be lacking. Nevertheless, without further loss of time or oppor- 

 tunity, the State, and not individuals, should purchase all the remaining "choice 

 places " and hold them in perpetual trust for all the people. That is the present 

 pressing duty, the performance of which the "plain people" insistently demand. 



The State is struggling against many obstacles, with a wider domain to look 

 after and protect, with laws less effective than the regulations of private owners 

 and clubs, to accomplish the same good purpose. Hatcheries, game protectors and 

 foresters do much, but more stringent laws, well enforced, will aid much, 

 and their aid is needed to carry out effectively the will of the people when they 

 dedicated this State Park for the use of the people. It is of pressing importance 

 to purchase detached tracts which now separate those already owned by the State. 

 The laws already provide for it; let the appropriations follow. These parcels are 

 increasing in value, and it is good business policy on the part of the State 

 to purchase them at the earliest possible time. And while they thus divide the 

 park into detached portions the difficulty of guarding the State lands is vastly 

 increased. 



The effects of dams upon rivers and outlets of lakes in the Adirondacks have 

 been both disastrous and beneficial, so far as the pleasures of sportsmen are 

 concerned. Two notable instances are the dam raising Cranberry Lake, constructed 

 many years ago, the other of comparatively late construction on Beaver River 

 where the Beaver River Club has its preserve. The former flooded a large tract 

 of land, made the formerly beautiful lake a region of ghostly dead trees along the 

 shores lined with the "groaning dead wood, in pain with every wave," and on 

 the low grounds great swamps of tangled upturned roots and still standing dead 

 trees, a veritable picture of nature's woe and despair. Time, however, has at 

 length made the lake shores normal again, and the State has made a commodious 

 passage way up the sluggish inlet to the mushroom town of Wanakena. Enlarge- 

 ment of the lake and the backing of the waters of the stream entering it made 

 this body of water, by its size and other conditions, one of the best breeding 



