FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 213 



in the mill. A second advantage derived by the State would be that, since 

 logs could be taken from the water directly into the mill, avoiding the 

 expense of driving them a long distance or loading them on cars to be 

 taken to the place of manufacture, the lumberman could afford to pay a 

 higher price for the stumpage, provided it were possible to obtain a sufft- 

 cient quantity of timber to warrant the erection of a mill and the building 

 of a spur track to connect it with the main line of the railroad. 



If logs or lumber were to go out by rail, there are the following rea- 

 sons why it would be advisable to allow the construction of a spur railroad 

 track to Sucker Brook Bay. (See available railroad route and mill location 

 on j\lap III, also shown in PI. V, figs, i and 2.) 



There is a large storage area at this point where timber could be held 

 until it was desired to remove it, without interfering with either navigation 

 or summer travel, of which there is comparatively Httle on this part of the 

 lake. All logs and timber should be in this large storage boom or down 

 the stream in the spring before the summer travel on the lakes com- 

 mences. A mill located here would be far enough away from the common 

 routes not to annoy summer tourists who might mistakenly be opposed 

 to conservative lumbering, and would still be within easy reach of those 

 who were interested in seeing how the work was being carried on. The 

 highway running from Brown's Tract Ponds to this point on Raquette Lake 

 has been practically abandoned as a wagon road, and for a considerable 

 distance could be utilized for the track bed of the railroad without doing 

 much cutting. The timber that stood on the right of way along this pro- 

 posed route has already been cut for a portion of the distance, as it was at 

 first intended to bring the main railroad track to the lake at this point. 

 This was not done because the present route shortens the steamboat run 

 to Marion River, making a quicker connection with the Blue Mountain 

 Lake region. A spur could be constructed to this point with less damage 

 to the forest than to any other suitable bay on the lake. A large boomed 

 storage area here would not be exposed to the usual danger of having booms 

 cut or opened by guides and tourists traveling by water, as there is no con- 

 necting water route into this bay. This would not be the case if it were 

 attempted to store logs near the present railroad station, as that location is 

 on a long-used water thoroughfare between Raquette Lake and the Fulton 

 Chain, up Brown's Tract Inlet. Again, the coming of all passenger steam- 

 ers and launches on the la'ke to the present railroad station and steamboat 

 wharf several times a day, coupled with the fact that there is not room 



