3 
payable on the State tax of the year. Sections 275-279 and 281 pro- 
vide for protection against fire, with penalties for violation of same. 
Section 280 provides for actions for trespasses upon the forest pre- 
serve. In addition to authorizing the board to bring suits for tres- 
pass on the lands of the forest preserve, the same as a citizen may 
bring for trespass on private lands, it makes the cutting of trees or 
removal of any tree, timber, or bark from any portion of the preserve 
a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of $25 for every tree so cut or 
removed. The board isempowered to employ attorneys, with the con- 
sent of the attorney-general and comptroller, to prosecute offenders 
against this act, and such offenders may be arrested without warrant 
(sec. 282). 
Article XIII refers to the Adirondack Park; section 290 defines its 
limits and adds: ‘‘Such park shall be forever reserved, maintained, 
and cared for as ground open to the free use of all the people for their 
health and pleasure, and as forest lands, necessary to the preservation 
of the headwaters of the chief rivers of the State, and a future timber 
supply; and shall remain part of the forest preserve.” 
The park is placed in the control and custody of the board of 
fisheries, game and forest, which is empowered to (1) contract for 
the purchase of land within the limits of the park; (2) to contract 
with owners of land situated within the park limits that such lands 
may become part of the park and subject to the provisions of this 
article in consideration of the exemption of such lands from taxation 
for State and county purposes, provided that the owners or their 
grantors shall refrain forever from removing any timber except 
spruce, tamarack, or poplar, 12 inches in diameter at three feet from 
the ground, or fallen, burned or bighted timber, and obey such other 
conditions of occupancy as may be equitable. Owners may also clear 
land for agricultural or domestic purposes, at the rate of not more 
than one acre within the boundary of each one hundred acres covered 
by such contract; (3) to prescribe and enforce rules for the licensing 
or regulation of guides and other persons engaged in business therein ; 
(4) to lay out roads and paths in the park. 
Contracts mentioned in this article require the approval of the 
commissioners of the land office, and every conveyance mentioned 
in this article shall be certified by the attorney-general, to be in con- 
formity with the contract, and approved by him as to form before 
acceptance or delivery. The law further provides that the board 
include in its annual report an account of its proceedings with refer- 
ence to the park. 
The legislature of 1897 passed the following important act (approved 
April 8, 1897), which is quoted entire: 
AN act to provide for the acquisition of land in the territory embraced in the Adirondack Park 
and making an appropriation therefor. 
The people of the State of New York, represented in senate and assembly, do 
enact as follows: 
SEcTION 1. The governor, within twenty days after this act takes effect, shall 
appoint from the commissioners of fisheries, game and forest and the commis- 
sioners of the land office, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, three 
persons to constitute a board to be known as “‘the forest preserve board.” The 
members of such board may be removed by the governor at his pleasure. Vacan- 
cies shall be filled in like manner as an orginal appointment. The members of 
the board shall not receive any compensation for their services under this act, 
