FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. . 38 1 



The most that has been done in this State is to enact a series of special Mill Acts 

 applying to individual streams, as, for instance, Oswegatchie, Great Chazy, Grass, 

 Raquette, Saranac, Moose, Salmon and Chateaugay Rivers. These several acts were 

 passed at various times from 1865 to 1877, inclusive. In 1898, a similar act, although 

 on quite different lines from the preceding ones, was passed applying to Genesee 

 River. 



By the terms of the acts applying to Oswegatchie, Great Chazy, Grass and other 

 rivers in the northern part of the State, Commissioners are appointed who may erect 

 dams; and if possible, to agree on terms with the owners, purchase the necessary 

 lands, taking the conveyance thereof to themselves and their assigns forever. If they 

 cannot agree on the terms of purchase then title may be acquired under the general 

 condemnation laws of the State. 



In Genesee River Act of 1897 a private company is authorized to condemn lands 

 for reservoir purposes, the State granting the right of eminent domain for such 

 purpose in consideration of the public service performed by the company of checking 

 floods and improving the sanitary condition of lower Genesee Valley, etc. 



Summarizing this part of the subject, what is needed by the water power interests 

 of this State is a uniformity of law applying alike to all the streams of the State, and 

 the enactment of a broad general Mill Act which shall permit of developing water 

 storage on any stream to its full capacity without any further powers from the 

 Legislature than those granted in the general act. 



THE PRINCIPLES OF WATER STORAGE. 



We may now pass to a brief discussion of the principles governing water storage, 

 the first item demanding consideration being the great variation in the natural flow of 

 streams. In the spring, with the melting of the winter snows, every rivulet is swollen 

 and streams which in August and September are either nearly or entirely dry become 

 raging torrents. Frequently within a week an amount of water flows down the 

 channels of the rivers in this State sufficient to maintain, if distributed uniformly 

 throughout the year, enough water power to drive vast manufacturing establishments 

 and furnish a livelihood for literally hundreds of thousands of people. To so regulate 

 the flow of a stream by water storage as to cause it to flow uniformly throughout the 

 whole year is, therefore, in effect to furnish sustenance for an increased population. 



