174 FORESTRY INVESTIGATIONS U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Section 272 provides that all income from tlie State forest lands, including receipts for tres- 

 passes, sbali be paid into the State treasury and constitute a fund for the purchase of lands within 

 the Adirondack Park. The comptroller shall audit the accounts of the board, and an annual 

 report of all its doings shall be made in January of each year. Section 273 provides for the divi- 

 sion of lands within the forest preserve in which, the State owns an undivided interest, with indi- 

 viduals. Section 274 provides for the taxation of the forest preserve, All wild or forest land 

 within the forest preserve shall be assessed and taxed at a like valuation and rate as similar lands 

 of individuals within the counties where situated. The assessors shall file with the commission 

 and the comptroller a copy of the assessment roll of their towns, and shall state (under oath) 

 which and how much of the lands assessed are forest lands and which are lands belonging to the 

 State. The comptroller, after hearings, shall "correct or reduce any assessment of State land 

 which may be, in his judgment, an unfair proportion to the remaining assessment of land within 

 the town," and shall otherwise approve the assessment. No such assessment shall be valid with- 

 out the approval of the comptroller. No tax for the erection of schoolhouses or road opening 

 shall be valid unless sucli erection or opening is first approved by the board. Payment of taxes 

 on State lands shall be made by the State treasurer crediting the county treasurer with the 

 amount of such taxes due on such, lands payable on the State tax of the year. Sections 275-279 

 and 281 provide for protection against fire, with penalties for violation of same. Section 280 pro- 

 vides for actions for trespasses upon the forest preserve. In addition to authorizing the board to 

 bring suits for trespass 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 is empowered to employ attorneys, with the consent 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 (1) to 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 blighted 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 1 acre within the boundary of each 100 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 conformity 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 reference 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 commissioners 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. Vacancies shall be filled in like manner as an original 

 appointment. The members of the board shall not receive any compensation for their services under this act, but 



