888 
fOREST AND STREAM. 
The Old Kitchen Fireplace. 
A Reminiscence, 
In these days of ranges, furnaces and steam-heated 
apartments, how many persons, especially the younger 
ones, have ever seen a fireplace, or more especially en- 
joyed seeing an open fire in one? Not ahy of those 
diminutive 2hlx2l/2-fcct fireplaces _ that one _ so often 
sees in modern up-to-date houses, with the pair of little 
highly polished brass andirons about the size suitable for 
a doll’s plardiouse, and on the andirons a pile of gaslogs 
emitting pale, sickly and lifeless jets of flame; or perhaps 
in place of gaslogs a short-lived fire made of broken-up 
boxes or barrel s'taves ; but a real old-fashioned fireplace 
of ample proportions and capable of taking in a big pile 
of wood ; say, one of four feet by five, and some three 
feet in depth with . a flue large enough for a person to 
crawl through. 
Just such an ample fireplace was in the kitchen at my 
boyhood’s home. 
Although the house was a very large two-story one, 
the kitchen was often used, and especially during the win- 
ter, as the family sitting room. The fireplace was not 
only the place for the family to gather about, but was 
made for utility also, for all of the cooking for our large 
family, with the exception of that done in the great old- 
fashioned hrick oven on each Saturday, was done by its 
fire as well. 
It had a long, stout, crane hinged to one side, with some 
half a dozen pot hooks — we called them crane hooks— of 
different lengths strung along for the purpose of hanging 
pots and kettles over the fire. The two andirons were not 
pretty little brass affairs, but were heavy and made for 
business out of wrought iron by some village blacksmith. 
A large, flat, wrought-iron shovej and a stout pair of 
tongs— also made by some blacksmith — always stood near. 
At the close of a winter’s day, when the farm work 
was over and supper disposed of, the fire was fixed for 
the evening thus: A large Jog, some three and a half 
feet in length, called the backlog, was first placed upon 
the andirons and pushed against the back of the fireplace, 
then another, a trifle smaller, called the forestick, was 
placed in front of- the backlog, then other still smaller 
logs and wood were piled up on the top of the other two. 
Chips or brush were put under the heap of wood to start 
it going and the evening fire was ready. ,:So one can see 
that it took no small quantity of wood to keep the big fire 
going. 
Chopping' the trees and getting the wood from the 
forest, cutting it into suitable lengths, and bringing it 
into the house altogether made quite an item of labor ; 
and had we had that w.ood to buy the expense would 
have been considerable, but on the home farm was a big 
acreage and an almost unlimited supply of oak, shellbark 
hickory, sweet ■ birch and other kinds of hard_ wood, so 
there was no need of our being at all economical in the 
use oh even the best of it. 
Early in the evening our large family, with friends and 
callers, gathered around the fire ; the adult members in 
a semi-circle and the girls and boys — “youngsters,” as wc 
were called — between them and the fire, either seated on 
stools or on the big hearth or the floor, or else reclining 
in easy positions before the blaze. 
At the left of the family half-circle sat old “Jim_ Injun” 
as he was always called — an old Narragansett Indian who 
made his home with us. While sitting there he was very 
taciturn, seldom speaking unless spoken to. _ 
At the proper time some couple with a lighted candle 
(let me here remark, that home-made tallow candles were 
the only lights we then used) would take the great 
pitcher and a pan or a basket and repair to the cellar 
after the evening’s supply of cider and apples. There 
was no stinting in the quantity of either._ Then' shellbark 
hickory nuts, butternuts and chestnuts in ample _ quanti- 
ties were brought forth, and the evening’s enjoyment 
commenced. 
There was always in evidence a thick white mug of 
coarse ware with a handle on one side, and holding per- 
haps a quart. This mug was specially for the old Indian’s 
use, and it was called “Jim’s mug.” It was filled with 
cider as his allowance for the evening. 
How well do I remember the way he would carefully 
set that mug of cider near the fire, reach for the tongs 
and take one of the hooks from the crane and place it 
among the live coals. When it was suitably heated he 
would again take the tongs, lift the hook and carefully 
drop it endwise into the mug. Then how the cider would 
bubble and foam, and how old Jim’s eyes would sparkle 
with delight as he took long draughts of the foaming 
liquid. It seemed to be just the right article going to just 
the right place. 
In due time nuts were cracked, then they, with the cider 
and apples, were disposed of in the j oiliest possible ways; 
and chestnuts and apples were roasted and tin cups of 
cider were heated before the blazing fire by us youngsters, 
while the freezing and, pitiless blasts of a New England 
winter whistled mournfully about the' corners^ of the 
house and piling the snow in huge drifts around it. 
One who has never experienced any such pleasures as 
we had during those winter evenings can scarcely have 
an idea of the enjoyment we had. Then when the even- 
ing’s jollity was over, when the friends and neighbors 
had left, and the rest of the family had retired, some one 
of the older ones would “bank” the fire for the night. It 
was done in this way: All of the ashes were scraped 
with the shovel from a space between the andirons, then 
the firebrands and large live coals were taken with the 
tongs and carefully placed together and the ashes piled 
thickly over them with the shovel. 
Next morning the ashes were taken off and there was 
a splendid bed of live coals to start a fire for cooking 
breakfast. 
In these later years, when in a reminiscent mood, my 
thoughts often wander with pleasure to these scenes, and 
to the happy times we had by the great roaring fire in 
that big kitchen fireplace on those cold winter evenings 
away back in the long ago. A. L. L. 
All commmiicatiotis for Forest and Stream must be 
directed to Forest and Stream Pub. Co., New York, to 
receive attention. We have no other oMce, 
Adirondack State Land Sales. 
special Correspondence Forest and Stream. 
Albany, N. Y., Nov. 3.-^A recent number of Forest 
AND Stream contains an article by Raymond S. Spears, 
in which it is asserted that 117,000 acres of land belong- 
ing to the Forest Preserve “have been lost to the people 
of the State.” His assertion that these lands were con- 
veyed “contrary to law.” and his use of the word “con- 
ni\'ancc” constitutes a serious charge against former offi- 
cials connected with the Comptroller’s Office and the 
Forest Commission. While the transactions referred to 
occurred before the appointment of Commissioner James 
S. Whipple, and therefore do not affect him personally, 
nevertheless the influence of Mr. Speaias’-article cannot but 
cause popular misapprehension as to the conduct of the 
State’s forestry affairs by those now in control. Acting 
on the request of the Forest and Stream, your corre- 
spondent has undertaken to learn the facts in the several 
cases cited by Mr. Spears, and the result is herewith 
presented. 
The land records in the office of the State Comptroller 
and in the office of the Forest Commission are open to 
the inspection of the public at all times. Any citizen is 
at liberty to call any day, at any hour, and ask for the 
records concerning any particular piece of land that be- 
longs to the Forest Preserve, or that at any previous 
time was a part of it. If I may judge from my own ex- 
perience, the information will be furnished such an 
inquirer cheerfully and every opportunity will be afforded 
to examine every detail. 
To go through the records and ascertain the facts in 
the cases cited by Mr. Spears has been a task of some 
magnitude, but the results may compensate for it, if the 
showing thus made shall serve to quiet any apprehension 
on the part of the people arising from the publication of 
the charges of illegitimate dealings. 
It is a fact that in 1881 117,000 acres of land or more 
were borne upon the land list in the Comptroller’s office 
which are not now in the possession of the State; but 
that these lands were conveyed “contrary to law” and 
through the “connivance” of any officials is not true, as 
Mr. Spears could easily have ascertained if he had taken 
the trouble to make proper inquiries at the office of the 
State Comptroller. He laj^s great stress upon the fact 
that a law was passed in 1883 prohibiting the further 
sale of State lands in the Adirondack counties, but 
neglects to state that this law was modified at various 
times by acts of Legislature. 
For instance : In this .same year of 1883, and subse- 
quent to the act referred to, the Legislature passed an- 
other act, chapter 470, entitled “An Act in relation to 
State lands,” providing for sale in tracts where the State 
held an undivided interest. A portion of the Tupper 
Lake lands mentioned by Mr. Spears in his charges was 
sold pursuant to this act. Again, in 1887 the Legislature 
enacted, chapter 475, “that whenever any of the lands 
now constituting the Forest Preserve shall consist of 
separate small parcels or tracts wholly detached from 
the main portions of the Forest Preserve and bounded 
on every side by lands not owned by the State, then it 
shall be lawful and the Comptroller shall have power to 
sell and convey such separate tracts or parcels to such 
person or persons as shall have offered the highest price- 
therefor. Such separate tracts or parcels of land may be 
exchanged by the Comptroller for lands that lie adjoin- 
ing the main tracts of the Forest Preserve; but the 
values of said lands so exchanged must be first ap- 
praised by three disinterested appraisers sworn to faith- 
fully and fairly appraise the value of said land, and re- 
port to the Comptroller.” And further, “The proceeds 
of lands so sold, or the receipts from all exchanges . so 
made, shall be invested by the Comptroller, with the ap- 
proval of the Forest Commission, in the purchase of 
forest land adjoining great blocks of the Forest Preserve, 
now owned by the State.” Pursuant to this act some 
isolated lots were exchanged for other lands, the acqui- 
sition of wffiich tended to the consolidation of the Pre- . 
serve. While Mr. Spears takes pains to- point out the 
lands that were thus conveyed bj^ the State, he conceals 
the fact that other and better lands were acquired in their 
place. No lands were sold under this act, but some ex- 
changes were made. 
Again, the Legislature enacted, chapter 332, laws of 
1893, “An Act to establish an Adirondack Park,” that, 
“The Forest Commission shall have power to sell and 
convey any part of the Forest Preserve, the ownership 
of which is not, in the opinion of the Commission, 
needed to promote the purposes of this or the preceding 
article. All such sales shall be made on sealed bids and 
to the highest bidder. The proceeds of land sold under 
this article shall be paid to the State Treasurer, and'held 
by him as a separate fund and special deposit at all times 
available for the purchase of other lands under this 
article. 
Acting under the provisions of this act the Commis- 
sion sold some, of the scattered parcels of lands which 
were situated outside of the Adirondack Park, and with 
the proceeds bought lands within the Park, obtaining 
thereby lands that were equally well ■ timbered, better 
located and of much greater area. 
It must be borne in mind that at that time the State 
had not made and was not making any appropriations for 
the purchase of forest lands, and the only way at that 
time by which the badly scattered tracts in the Adiron- 
dack Park could be consolidated was by purchases made 
possible by the sale of the outlying lands. These sales 
and purchases were all published at the time in the an- 
nual reports of the Compti'oller’s office, and the lands 
offered for sale were , duly advertised in all the county 
papers in which the. tracts were situated, and there is no 
excuse for the concealment by Mr. Spears of this part 
of the transactions. If, as he may claim,' he is ignorant 
of these facts, then he should not attempt to discuss 
these transactions in the newspapers. 
With the liberal appropriations for purchasing lands 
made in subsequent years the consolidation of the in- 
terior tracts of the Adirondack Park can be accomplished 
without resorting to the sale, of^dhe outside lands. _ Fur- 
thermore, in 1895, the adoption ..of the new constitution 
prohibited the sale of any lan^s either within or without 
the Park. Since 1895 no land "whatever has been sold by 
the Forest Commission, and no lands have been con- 
veyed except through the compromise of some lawsuit 
'^Nov. II, 1905. 
in which the conveyance is made pursuant to proceed^ 
ings in some court of record. ; 
But ^the greater part of the lands mentioned in Mr. i 
Spears’ schedule were held temporarily by the State un-* 
der a tax sale. The State did not own these lands; i^ 
never bought them ; it was merely holding them as af 
security for the amount due for taxes. The owners, act- ' 
ing under the law which gives every citizen the right i 
to recover his property under such circumstances, paid| 
the back taxes, interest and penalty, after which the- 
land.s were redeemed. All these lands were redeemed, 
from ten to twenty-three years ago, at which time' a' 
greater latitude was allc-' 1 d by law for redemptions than;J 
is accorded under the present act governing such trans-d 
actions. P or instance, the time for redemption may have- 
expired, but if there was an occupant on the tract who., 
had not been officially notified by the Comptroller’s >1 
agent of the sale, the redemption could be made at anyj- 
time, no matter how long it might be after the sale. ToJ 
allege that these redemptions were made “contrary to] 
law”_ may answer as a roorback, but is not creditable to] 
the intelligence of the person who makes the charge.j 
Another thing: In many cases' lands were recovered j 
by the owners through an application for a cancellation*, 
of the tax title, in which application certain irregulari- i 
ties on the part of the assessors and supervisors were] 
alleged, and which, under the law of the State at that! 
time, rendered the tax sale invalid. These applications] 
for redemption set forth various alleged errors; land'! 
assessed in the wrong town; lack of jurisdiction on the-i 
part of the assesors ; that the lots had been doubly as-', 
sessed as resident and non-resident; that the assessors'- 
had failed to make affidavit to their roll; that they had 
not handed in the roll before the second Tuesday in Au-' 
gust; that the board of supervisors had adjourned with- 
out extending the amount of the tax on the assessment- 
rolls, etc. Under the law, any failure in these respects': 
made it the duty of the Comptroller to cancel the tax' 
sale upon application of the owner. To understand this! 
thoroughly, it seems well to mention here that at thed 
present time these laws are still in effect, and that withJ 
in the past year the State has granted cancellations and 
redemptions for hundreds of acres, properly and legally,] 
which it had acquired at tax sales. But for any news-, 
paper writer to wait twenty years and then assert in ai 
reputable journal that the lands thus lost in 1905 were 
conveyed “contrary to law,” and in addition to talk 
about “connivance,” would be a reprehensible act to 
say the least. 
While the rnotive which has prompted Mr. Spears to 
write the articles under consideration may have been 
most praiseworthy, the following detailed explanation 
of the specific cases cited by him would seem to indicate 
that he has shown himself to be lacking in that judicial 
poise, unrestrained by _ which one should not publicly 
charge State officials with dereliction of duty. , 
State Lands Acquired Prior to 1881, But Not on ' 
Land List of 1905. I 
Essex Tract Henry’s Survey: Lot 128— The State owned onl 
one acre in this lot in 1886, and owns the same acre now Th 
the map. Lot 142-Redeemed Apt 
99 B acquired by State. L< 
ApLl 16 18°94 Hinds, pursuant to Chapter 332, Laws of 189 
T 5— Redeemed June 2, 1885. Lots 6, 51— Cancelle 
jan. zi, iooy. 
North River Head Tract: Lots 13, 14, 22-Sold Jan. 5, 1894, 1 
Geo F. Underwood pursuant to Chapter 332, Laws of 1893. L( 
23-Redeemed Nov. 28, 1892. Lot 83-Sold Dec. 31, 1894, to Ge, 
h. Underwood, pursuant to Chapter 332, Laws of 1893. Lot 84- 
Cancelled. Lot 104— Sold April 17, 1894, to Edward F. Stoke 
pursuant to Chapter 332, Laws of 1893. 
Old Mih'tary Tract Township 1, Thorn’s Survey: Lot 115- 
Cancelled_March 5, 18^. Richard’s Survey: Lot 13— Cancelle 
T Lot 51— Was not acquired by State. Township 1; 
rr .^^^“o^'ttented to Byron Pond, July 6, 1894, pursuant 1 
Lli^Pter e>32, La\^ of 1893. Lot 291 — Cancelled Jan. 31, 1885. L< 
1892. Township 12, Richard’s Survey 
Lot 35— Cancelled April 11, 1893. Thorn’s Survey : Lot ' 67— Pa 
ented to Byron Pond, July 6, 1894, pursuant to Chapter 33 
Laws of 1893. Lot 101 — The State owned 2,400 square feet in 188 
and owns the same small piece now. Lot 120— Redeemed Dec. 
X0«72. 
Paradox Tract: Lot 24~Cancelled Dec. 28, 1888. 
Roaring Brook Tract: Lot 14— Sold pursuant to Chapter 33 
Laws of 1893, to Geo. F. Underwood, Jan. 5, 1894. Lot 15 Sol 
pursuant to Chapter 332, Laws of 1893, to Geo. F. Underwoo, 
April 11, 1894. Lots 48, 50— Cancelled Jan. 31, 1885. Lot 51- Sol 
pursuant to Chapter 332, Laws of 1893, to Geo. F. Underwoo, 
Dec. 31, 1894. Lot 52— Cancelled Jan. 31, 1885. Lot 69— Sold 1 
Underwood, pursuant to Chapter 332, Laws of 1893, De 
q 1, ibyi. 
Totten & Crossfield Purchase, Township 14, N. % and S W 1^ 
T ^ATLancelled Jan. 19, 1884. Lot 62— Redeemed Dec. 9, 188 
102— Redeemed June 30, 1890. Lot 103— Cancelled Jan. 1 
1884. 
Township 27: Lot 35— Redeemed June 26, 1888. 
■ FRANKLIN COUNTY. 
Township 9, O, M. T. : Lot 9— Redeemed May 1 
lco 4 . 
Old Military Tract, Township 8: Lots 65, 66, 85, 87— Sold pu 
suant to Chapter 209, Laws of 1894, to W. W. Wheeler Tune 2 
1894. ’ 
9— Lots 28, 127, 147,' 228, 241, 242, 263, 264, 274, 279 30 
316, 339, 342, 346, 350, 355, 356, 357— Cancelled April 12, 1887 ’Lo' 
30 102, 173, 176, 182, 184, 249-Cancelled June 14, 1887. Lots 9 
1^0, 152, 174, 177, 186, 206, 283 — Cancelled .March 17, 1887. Lot 191- 
Cancelled Jan 4, 1887. Lot 213— Cancelled May;30, 1887. Lot 214- 
Cancelled April 30, 1887. Lots 278, 329, 331— Cancelled April 1 
1887. Lots 97, 171, 246— Cancelled Jan. 11, 1887. Lot 225— Cancelle 
Jan. 12, 1887. Lot 265 — Redeemed Jan. 12, 1886. Lot 295— Cancelle 
June 19, 1887. 
Township 10: Lot 22— Redeemed April 2, 1891. Lot 185— Sol 
pursuant to Chapter 332, Laws of 1893, to M. V. B. Turner Jai 
9, 1884. Lot 186— Sold pursuant to Chapter 332, Laws of 18’93 l 
M. V. B Turner, Feb. 10, 1894. Lot 187— Sold pursuant to Cha- 
ter 332, Laws of 1893, to M. 'Y. B. Turner, April 11, 1894 Lo 
213, 214, 215, 223, 224, 227, 2'28, 252, 253, 331, 332, 350, 351-Sold pu 
suant to Chapter 475, Laws of. 1887, to Luther C. Warner Dec 
1891. Lot 218— Sold pursuant to Chapter 332, Law's of’l893 'i 
Chas. P. Stevens, April 12, 1894. Lot 219— Sold to Ferd W Ch’as 
Feb. 18, 1893, pursuant to Chapter 475,' Laws of 1887. Lots 221 2‘ 
—Redeemed June 25, 1886. Lot 265— Sold pursuant to Chapter’ 47 
Laws of 1887, to M. V. B. Turner, Feb. 10, 1893. Lots 254 349 
Sold to Leonard & Smith, Nov. 14, 1894, pursuant to Chapter 33 
Laws of 1893. Lots- 266, 268— Sold to Leonard & Smith, Feb 1 
1893, pursuant to Chapter 476, Laws of 1887. Lots 269 992 '29 
296, 307, 308, 309— Sold to Luther C. Warner, Dec'.' 28, ’l891,’ pu 
suant to Chapter 475, Laws of 1887. Lot 310— Redeemed Marc 
26, 1889. Lot 311 — Redeemed Dec. 26, 1888.' Lot 3.36— Sold to J. ( 
Merrill, April 24, 1894, pursuant to Chapter 332, Laws of 1893 ' 
Macomb’s Purchase, Great Tract 1, Township 12: Lots 9 10 1 
25, 26, 33, 34, 35, 42, 43, 50 — Conveyed to Everton Lumber ’Co.’, 
'exchange for lands within the Adirondack Park, Dec. 19, 1891, pu 
suant to Chapter 475, Laws of 1887. Lot 12 — Sold to Henry Kerr 
April 7, 1894, pursuant to Chapter 332, Laws of 1893. Lot 48 R 
deemed June 15, 188'7. Lots 46, 47, 54, 65, 56 — Sold to J. C. Shai 
.Dec. 20, 1894, pursuant to Chapter 332, Laws of 1893. 
Township 14, S. V 2 and N.E. Lot 6— Never acquired by Stat 
Great Tract 1, Township 14, S % and N.E. Lots 11 12 1 
14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26. 27, 28, 29, 34, 35' 36 ’ 'Ss’ 
42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 51, 62, 54, 55, 58, 59, 61, 62, 64, :66 f 
70, 71, 72, 74, 81, 82, 84, 90, 92, 96, 99, 101, 103, 104, ios 
