USA > New York > Civil List and Constitutional History of the Colony and State of New York > Part 27
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July
19, 1852
Develin. 2
George J. Forrest ......
July
16,1872
Barr.
Terrence Donnelly
Dee.,
1853
Blunt.
Henry A. Hurlbut .....
May
7,1873
(6 years. )
Thomas Dunlap. ..
May,
1853
Barstow.
George Starr ....
May
7,1873
(6 years. )
John A. Kennedy
Oct.,
1853
Curtiss.2
Daniel Manjer ...
May
7,1873
(4 years. )
Ehjah F. Purdy ..
Jan.
1,1851
Donnelly.
George W. Quintard.
May
7,1873
(1 years. )
Joli P. Cumming
April 12.1855
Dunlap.
Edmund Stephenson ..
May
7,1873
(2 years. )
Elwin D. Morgan
May
2,1855
Marshall.
George J. Forrest .....
May
7,1873
(2 years. )
Cyrus Curtiss
Feb. 10, 1856
Kelly. 2
Joseph C. Pinckney 7
Jan.
15,1880
Wilson G. Hunt .
April 9, 1856
Kennedy.
Joel W. Mason 6 ..
Jan.
15, 1550
Stephenson.
Abiel A. Low
Jan. 17, 1859
Morgan. 2
Charles F. Ulrich ......
Feb.
10,1850
Manjer.
Isaac T. Smith
April 18, 1866
Purdy.5
Edmund Stephenson.
Feb.
12. 1530
Mason.
Cyrus H. Lontrel
April 18, 1866
LOW. 2
Charles N. Taintor ...
May
25, 1851
Pinckney.
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
Chapter 354 of the Laws of 1883 authorized the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint three per- sons, who should constitute the New York Civil Service Commis- sion, charged with the' duty of preparing suitable rules with which to test, by practical and competitive examinations, the capacity and fitness of applicants for employment in the public service of the State, and of those therein as well, to the end that appointments and promotions be made on the basis of merit and competition. An act passed May 29, 1884 (chap. 410), directed that persons who served in the army or navy of the United States in the late war, and have
1 Acted as Commissioner until reorganization of the Board in 1870. 4 Died April 10, 1850.
5 Died January, 1866. 6 Declined.
2 Resigned.
3 Died May 10, 1818. 7 Dled.
...
Mch. 12, 1872
Ilusted.
Caleb Barstow
Nov. 15, 1852
Hicks.2
April 26, 1-70
Ab'bam R. Lawrence
May
29,1850
Collen. 1
April 26, 1870
April 26, 1670
Emanuel B. Ilart ......
Henry L. Hoguet ..
... .
Quintard.
$
232
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
been honorably discharged therefrom, shall be preferred over other persons of equal standing, for appointment to positions in the civil service of the State, and of cities affected by the civil service laws, and the act further provided that persons thus preferred shall not be disqualified from holding any position in the civil service on account of age or by reason of any physical disability, provided such disability does not render them incompetent to perform the duties of the posi- tion applied for. The Commissioners are prohibited from holding other office or place under the State Government ; they receive annual salaries of $2,000 cach, and are in addition repaid expenses incurred in the discharge of official duties. The Commission is authorized to employ an examiner, secretary and necessary clerks. . They are re- quired to make annual report of their proceedings to the Governor for transmission to the Legislature. The act does not fix the term of office of the Commissioners. The Seal of the Commission is the Arms of the State as described in chapter 190, Laws of 1882, sur- rounded by the inscription, "State of New York - Civil Service Commission."
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONERS.
COMMISSIONERS.
APPOINTED.
WHOSE PLACE
CHIEF-EXAMINERS.
APPOINTED.
WHUSE PLACE.
Andrew D. White 1
May
4, 1×3
Silas W. Burt ..
Aug. Schoonmaker
May
4.1$3
Edgar M. Jenkins James E. Morrison ...
May 31.1-3 July 22, 1 -- 5 April 7.15-6
Burt. Jenkins.
Henry A. Richmond ...
May
4.15 3
John Jay 2
May 23, 1333
White.
BOARD OF CLAIMS.
An act of the Legislature, passed April 7, 1883, established a Board of Claims and authorized the Governor, by and with the ad- vice and consent of the Senate, to appoint three persons, residents of the State, Commissioners of Claims, of whom two, and no more should be practicing attorneys and counselors of the Supreme Court, the persons so appointed to constitute the Board of Claims. The first Commissioners to hold office for two, four and and six years respec- tively and until their successors are appointed and have qualified. Vacancies as they occur to be filled by the Governor and Senate for the term of six years. The Governor may remove any Commissioner of Claims within the term for which he shall have been appointed, but before removing him he shall give to such officer a copy of the charges against him and an opportunity of being heard in his defense.
The Board are required to hold at least four sessions, in the city
1 Declined. 2 Appointed to illl vacancy caused by resignatlon of White ; and confirmed by the Senate January 10, 1884.
233
BOARD OF CLAIMS.
of Albany, during each year, and may hold adjourned sessions at such other places in the State as they deem necessary. They have jurisdiction to hear, audit and determine all private claims against the State which shall have acerned within two years prior to the time when the claim is filed, the same not being barred by existing statutes, and to allow thereon such sums as should be paid by the State. The Commissioners may administer oaths, issue subpoenas to witnesses and for the production of books and papers, and may issne commissions to take testimony within and without the State. They have power to punish for contempt in like cases and in like manner as the Supreme Court. Where the amount in controversy exceeds $500, either party feeling aggrieved by the award of the Board may appeal to the Court of Appeals upon questions of law only, which court may affirm, reverse, modify or dismiss the appeal, or award a new hearing before the Board of Claims. Chapter 60, of the Laws . of 1384, vested in the Board of Claims all the jurisdiction and power to hear and determine claims against the State, formerly possessed by the Canal Appraisers and the State Board of Audit.
The Attorney-General is required to attend, in person or by deputy, each session of the Board, on behalf of the State. The Board keep a record of their proceedings and report the same to the Legislature ammally. The Commissioners hold office for six years and receive annual salaries of $5,000, and are allowed, for necessary expenses, not to exceed $500 for each Commissioner. They are authorized to appoint and at pleasure remove a clerk, deputy clerk, a stenographer and a messenger, each of whom are required to take the constitu- tional oath of office before entering upon their duties. The clerk is required to give a bond to be approved by the Board and report his receipts and disbursements under oath to the Comptroller annually. The salaries of each are fixed by law.
The act of 1883 abolished the office of Canal Appraisers and the State Board of Audit, and directed that on May 31, 1883, those claims pending before the Boards named should be transferred to the Board of Claims. The Seal of the Board is the Arms of the State as described in chapter 190, Laws of 1882, surrounded by the inscription, "State of New York - Board of Claims."
COMMISSIONERS OF THE BOARD OF CLAIMS.
COMMISSIONERS.
APPOINTED.
WHOSE PLACE.
COMMISSIONERS.
APPOINTED.
WHOSE PLACE.
Lyman II. Northup ... George M. Beebe
April 27,1883 April 27, 1883
(2 years. ) (4 years. )
Henry F. Allen. William L Muller.
April 27.1883 April 8, 1886
(6 years. ) Northup.
30
234
SETTLEMENT OF THE BOUNDARIES.
BOUNDARIES.
The States General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands originally laid claim,' by right of discovery,? to the country " between New France and Virginia, the sea coasts whereof lie in the latitude of forty to forty-five degrees." In 1632 (May 5) the West India Company 3 referred to the charter of Virginia, as covering the terri- tory from the 37th to the 39th parallels, and that of New England as including the territory between the 41st and the 45th ; claiming for themselves the territory between the 39th and 41st, within which bounds the English had not undertaken any plantation. This was followed by the difficulties with the English on the Connecticut,‘ and the abortive effort to settle the boundaries which was made in 1650.ª In 1656, Adriaen Van der Donck described New Netherland as lying between the Connectient river and Virginia, extending north to the St. Lawrence. This territory was conveyed to the Duke of York,' with an indefinite extension over the region claimed by the French, the St. Lawrence not being recognized as a boundary. With this modification, the English succeeded to the Dutch title and the Dutch jurisdiction." The Royal Boundary Commissioners fixed the Mamaroneck as part of the boundary between New York and Con- nectient ; and the Duke of York released New Jersey to John Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret. Controversies with regard to boundaries continued throughout the entire colonial period.º
One of the greatest obstacles to the adoption of the Articles of Confederation by some of the States, was the title to the western territory. The claim of New York was unique, in many respects. It did not hold solely by virtue of grants from the sovereign, but by purchase and treaty from and with the Indians, and particularly the powerful Iroquois Confederacy. Its sovereignty, as an independent commonwealth, included the territory occupied by the Iroquois. The Dutch had held by virtue of undoubted right from the Con- necticut to the Delaware. The province had been stripped of these natural limits, on each side, along the coast, by the unwise action of the English authorities. The State voluntarily surrendered its claim to western lands, as a seal to its devotion to the Confedera- tion, by an act passed February 19, 1780. The Continental. Con- gress recognized the importance of this act of sacrifice, in the
3 Petition to the States General.
1 By resolution adopted October 11, 1614. 2 See pages 3-6.
4 See pages 61-5. 5 See page 65.
6 Description of New Netherland. See New York Historical Society's Collections, i, 138.
7 See pages 66-7.
& See page 18.
9 The history of these controversies is given in full in a valuable Report of the Regents of the University on the Boundaries of the State of New York, prepared by Daniel J. Pratt, Assistant Secretary of the Board.
235
BOUNDARY COMMISSIONS.
adoption of a report September 6 of the same year, and history has done full justice to our imperial Commonwealth.1 The same spirit of devotion to the common good led to the renunciation of the claim to Vermont. The boundaries thus settled, in general terms, have been subject to critical examination from time to time, by various Commissioners and Agents ; and have recently been re-examined and established by the Regents of the University under authority of various legislative enactments.
BOUNDARY COMMISSIONERS AND AGENTS.
Connecticut Boundary.
1650. Thomas Willett,
George Baxter.
166t.
Richard Nicolls,
George Cartwright, Samuel Maverick.
1631.
John Youngs, Jolm Bell, Phillip Wells, Robert Vorklain.
1718.
Adolph Philipse,
Caleb Heathcote, George Clarke, Isaac Hicks, William Willett.
1723.
Robert Livingston, Lewis Morris,
Adolph Philipse, Johannis Jansen,
David Provoost,
Robert Walters, George Clarke,
Francis fari son, Cadwallader Colden, Lewis Morris, Jr.
1725.
Francis Harison, Cadwallader Colden, Isaac llicks.
1761. Robert R. Livingston, Abraham Ten Broeck, Benjamin Seallin, Leonard Li-penard, William Smith. Jr. William Livingston, Philip Schuyler.
17.5. 8 Thomas Hutchins, 9 John Ewing, David Rittenhouse.
1-9. 10 Russell G. Dorr.
1575. John V. L. Pruyn, 13 Henry R. Pierson, 11 George R. Perkins, Chauncey M. Depew. 15 Elias W. Leavenworth, 16
Pem. and New Jersey. 17
1850.
Ben Field, Samnel D. Backns, Jonathan Tarbell.
Henry R. Pierson Khas W. Leavenworth, Chauncey M. Depew.
I See Report of the Regents of the University, referred to in Note 9, on preceding page. 2 In place of Car- roll, declined.
3 Commission to settle the Title of the Duke of York, to territory between the rivers Kennelge and St. Croix ( Penneqnid), which was transferred to the Government of New England, September 19, Eso. (See Civil Divisions. )
4 Surveyor-tieneral, added to the Commission, November 11, 17St.
5 Court of Arbitration, under the article of confederation,
7 In place of Rutledge, Harison and Grayson.
8 Appointed by resolution of Congress, pursuant to acts of the Legislatures of New York and Massachu- setts. 9 Geographer to the United States. 10 On the line of " Boston Corners," ceded by Missachusetts. 11 Committee for replacing monument near Lake Erie. 12 By a resolution of the Senate, passed April 19, 1867, the Regents of the University were directed to examine the true location of the boundaries of the State. An act was passed May 26. 1-75, directing them to resume the work, and to locale the boundary between this State and Pennsylvania and New Jersey. A Committee was appointed Jane Ist, for this purpose.
13 Chairman mutil his decease.
Il Appointed Chairman on the death of Chancellor Bruyn.
15 Appointed in 1877, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Regent Perkins.
16 Appointed in 1978, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Chancellor Prnyn.
17 Chapter 300, Laws of 1850, directed the Begents of the University to designate three of their number as Commissioners to act with three Commissioners from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, in restoring and re-marking the lines between New York and those States. The New Jersey line was under this law com- pleted in Jas2 and the Pennsylvania Hne in 1535
John Morin Scott. James Duane. 1773. John Watt .. William Smith, Robert R. Livingston, William Nicoll.
1723.
Robert Yates, Philip Schuyler, Gerard Bancker, Simeon De Witt. 4
1774. Samuel Holland.
1735.
17st. James Dnane, John Jay,
Robert B. Livingston, Egbert Benson, Walter Livingston. 5
17-5. 6 John Rutledge, 6 Robert II. Harrison. 6
William Grayson, 6 Samuel Johnson, 7 William Fleming, 7 John Sitgreaves, 7 Thomas Johnson, George Wythe,
George Rord,
James Monroe,
Isaac Smith,
William Patterson.
1774. William Wickham, Samuel Gale.
Southern Boundary. 12
1731. Cadwallader Colden, Gilbert Willet, Vincent Matthews, Jacobus Bruyn, Jr.
1767. William Nicoll, Bobert R. Livingston, William Smith, Jr. 1768. William Smith, Jr. -
Vermont. 1790. Robert Yates, Rotat R. Livingston, John Lapsing, Jr., Ginlian Verplanck, Simeon De Witt,
Egbert Benson, Richard Sill, Melancton Smith. ~1812. Smith Thompson, Simeon De Witt, George Tibbits.
Pennsylvania.
Secretary Beach, Attor'y-General Schoon- maker, State Engineer and Sur- veyor Seymour.
Massachusetts.
163. 3 Thomas Sharp, John Allen. Richard Pattishall, Alexander Waldrop, Thomas Gy les. 1753. David Jones,
Philip Schuyler, James Clinton, Simeon De Witt.
1787. Abraham Hardenbergh, William W. Morris.
1869. 11 John V. L. Pinyn. George R. Perkins. Samuel B. Woolworth, George W. Patterson.
New Jersey.
John Thomas, Panl Richards, William Walton, Henry Cruger, John Watts. 1751. Cadwallader Cokden,
Joseph Murray, William Smith, Benjamin Nicoll, William Livingston.
6 Declined.
12-0.
Thomas B. Carroll, Isaac Platt, Jacob Vroman, Leander D. Brown. 2
5
236
GEOLOGICAL RESEARCH.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
In 1835, the Secretary of State was directed by the Legislature to report at its next session a plan for a Geological Survey of the State. In this report it was recommended to divide the State into four die- tricts, and to appoint two Geologists to each, a Draftsman, a Zoolo- gist and a Botanist. An act was passed, April 15, 1886, authorizing a survey, and the proposed plan was changed to the appointment of a Mineralogist for the whole State, and a Geologist and an assistant for each district. These appointments were made by the Governor, excepting those of Assistant Geologists, who, after the first, were appointed by their principals. The State was originally divided into four districts, as follows :
DISTRICTS.
COUNTIES.
COUNTIES.
COUNTIES.
COUNTIES.
First District.
Schenectady,
Third District.
Fourth District.
Albany,
Schoharie,
Cayuga,
Allegany,
Columbia,
Suttolk,
Genesee.
Broone,
Delaware,
Sullivan,
Herkimer,
Cattaraugus,
Dutchess,
Ulster,
Jefferson, 1
Chantanque,
Greene,
Westchester.
Livingston,
Cortland,
New York,
Second District.
Monroe,
Niagara.
Putnam,
Clinton,
Montgomery,
Queens. .
Essex.
Oneida,
Seneca,
Rensselaer,
Franklin,
Onondaga,
Steuben,
Richmond,
Hamilton.
Ontario,
Tioga,
Rocklaiul,
St. Lawrence,
Orleans,
Tompkins,
Saratoga,
Warren.
Wayne.
Yates.
At the end of the first season (antimm of 1836), a re-organization of the third and fourth districts was recommended by the Geologists, and made by the Governor, by which Cayuga lake, and a line drawn north and south from its extremities, became the west boundary of the third and east boundary of the fourth district. Tompkins county was divided by this line. An exchange was soon after made between the Geologists first appointed to the third and fourth districts, and a Palæontological Department was recommended. To this, Mr. Con- rad, the Geologist of the fourth district, was chosen April 1, 1837, and Mr. James Hall was appointed to fill the place thus made vacant. The following persons were commissioned in this survey : 1
ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT.
James E. De Kay, of Oyster Bay, N. Y., Zoologist .......... June 2, 1836 John W. Hill, of Nyack, N. Y., Draftsman. June, 1836
BOTANICAL DEPARTMENT.
John Torrey, of Princeton, N. J., Botanist.
July 2, 1836
MINERALOGICAL DEPARTMENT.2
Lewis C. Beck, of New Brunswick, N. J., Mineralogist .. June 2. 1836
1 Previous to the re-organization, in 1837, Mr. Conrad, of the third district, consented to allow Jefferson county, which originally was included in his district, to be included in the second.
2 Dr. William Horton, of Craigsville acted as assistant in Orange county, and Dr. Leonard D. Gale, in New York county.
.
Kings.
Madison,
Erie,
Orange,
Washington,
Lewis,
Chenango,
237
TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY.
GEOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT.
1st District William W. Mather, of Albany, Geologist. July, 1835
27 District Caleb Briggs, I of Troy, Assistant Geologist July, 1-36
Ebenezer Emmons, of Williamstown, Mass., Geologist. June 2, 1-36
James Hall, 2 of Troy, Assistant Chologist .... June 2, 1536
31 District Timothy A. Conrad, 3 of Philadelphia, Pa., Geologist ..
June. 1-36
James Nights, 1 of Albany. Assistant Geologist. August, 1- 36
Ath District Lardner Vamixent, 5 of Bristol, Pa .. Chologist.
July, 1536
J. W. Boyd, 6 of New York, Assistant Chologist.
July, 1826
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT. 7
Timothy A. Conrad, 8 of Philadelphia, Pa.
James Hall, of Albany
.. June, 1543
The labors of the above-named persons terminated with the pub- lication of their final reports, excepting in the Palæontological De- partment, which is still continned.
STATE SURVEY.
In the latter part of the last and early in the present century, most of the lands in the State were parceled out for sale and settlement by rude chain and compass surveys, made under the authority of the owners of the various grants. The object was simply to measure and mark in the cheapest manner the boundaries of lots offered to the incoming settlers.
The first map of the State was made by putting together the re- sults of these special surveys. Its errors and deficiencies were such that Gov. De Witt Clinton, in his message to the Legislature in 1827, urged the necessity of "an authentic and official map of the State." No action appears to have been taken in the matter. In a communication to the Legislature, Feb. 18, 1852, Gov. Washington Hunt again brought the subject before the Legislature, appealing to " the example of other governments in furnishing to the world an accurate delineation of the topographical features of their territory." In 1853 Gov. Horatio Seymour, in his first message, set forth the reasons for " an accurate survey of our State and the establishment of permanent momments."
Afterward the Board of Regents of the University interested themselves in the matter, but without effect. Several reports juade by Commissioners to locate the boundaries of the State also set forth the difficulties resulting from want of an accurate survey.
I Resigned in spring of 1-33; Mr. J. Lang Cassels, Mr. - Seymour, and perhaps others, were subse- g intly employelas assistants in this district, but none of them were commissioned by the Governor.
2 Transferred to the fourth district in 1-37; E. Emmons, Jr., afterward acted as assistant.
3 Transferred to the fourth district in 1836, and to Palavontological Department in 1837.
4 Resigned in 1-37; E. S. Carr, atel perhaps others, afterward acted as assistants in the third district.
5 Trut ferred to the third district in IS ;.
6 Transferred to the fourth district in IN'7 ; resigned in 1539; E. N. Horsford, and others, were afterward employed as assistants in fourth district
7 Formed In 1815; discontinued in 1:51.
8 Resigned in antumin of 1812.
Ebenezer Emmons, of Albany. PALEONTOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. April 1, 1937
238
STATE SURVEY.
In the autumn of 1875, the American Geographical Society of New York appointed a committee to examine into the necessity for a State survey. The committee found and reported that there had never been an official survey of the State; that there was no topo- graphieal map of its surface; and that the maps published by private parties were grossly erroneous, the misplacements on them of important towns and cities often amounting to several miles. The representation of these facts to the Legislature of 1876 resulted in the passage of an act1 making an appropriation for " an accurate trigonometrical and topographical survey of the State," and appoint- ing for one year seven Commissioners to conduct the same.
The first meeting of the Board was on May 31, 1876, when Chan- cellor Jolm V. L. Pruyn was elected President. The Commission- ers appointed Mr. James T. Gardiner Director of the State Survey, July 11, 1876, and on the 24th of August, the Board authorized the Director to proceed with the execution of the work in accordance with plans submitted by him, and field-work was begun.
By an act passed May 16, 1877,2 the Legislature reappointed for one year six of the Commissioners, filled a vacancy in the Board, and appointed an eighth Commissioner. On the 6th of May, 1878, a new act 3 was passed, reappointing for an indefinite term the seven surviving Commissioners, and limiting the survey to trigonometrical work. Chapter 280, Laws of 1883, empowered the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to fill existing and future vacancies in the Board. The Commissioners receive no salar- ies but may be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the discharge of official duties. An act passed May 18, 1886 (chap. 414), directed the Commissioners to perfeet and complete the records and computa- tions of the State Survey so as to put them in the most permanent and convenient form for future use, and to prepare for printing such records and results as should be published, the same to be transmitted to the Legislature of 1887 in complete form for printing. The act further provided that all other records shall, when the work is com- pleted, be deposited in the office of the State Engineer and Surveyor and the arrangements for the prosecution of the work were required to be made with the advice and approval of that officer.
1 Chapter 193, Laws 1876
2 Chapter 276, Laws 1877.
3 Chapter 216, Laws 1878.
3
239
ADIRONDACK SURVEY.
COMMISSIONERS OF THE STATE SURVEY.
COMMISSIONERS.
APPOINTED.
COMMISSIONERS.
APPOINTED.
John V. L. Pruyn
April
29,1876
David J. Johnston
May 20,1950
William A. Wheeler
April
29,1876
Sammuel B. Ward
May 20, 1886
Horatio Seymour I
April
29,1-76
David M. Greene
May
20,1886
Frederick Law Olmstead 3.
April
29,1-76
President.
Francis A. Stout .
April
29. 1876
John V. L. Pruyn
May 31.1-76
William Dorsheimer ..
April
29,1876
Horatio Seymour 1
Jan.
9,1878
George Geddes 4
May
16,1877
William Dorsheimer
May
23, 15-3
Frederick A. P. Barnard
May
16,1877
John D. Van Buren, Jr. 5 ..
May
4,1553
Director.
Theodore M. Pomeroy 6
May
4,1883
James T. Gardiner ..
July
11,1876
ADIRONDACK SURVEY.
That elevated portion of the State lying to the northward of the Mohawk river and bounded on the cast by Lake Champlam, on the west by the Black river and on the north by the Canadian frontier and the St. Lawrence river, has come to be known as the Adiron- dack region, and its interior as the Adirondack Wilderness. Of the latter, though beautiful and picturesque beyond description, and containing vast tracts of State lands, but little has been acenrately known until a recent period. Under George III during the Colon- ial period compass lines were run for the boundaries of the land patents granted by the King. The "Royal Grant," now in the county of Herkimer, was laid out for Sir William Johnson in 1763, and Bergain's purchase ia 1785. The Jerseyfield patent, forming the southern line of the Wilderness, was marked out in 1770, and in 1772 the great Totten and Crossfield purchase of nearly one million acres was located to the northward of these traets, by Ebenezer Jessup.
At the close of the Revolution, lands on the border of this region were given to soldiers. Among those who settled there and attempted to reduce the forest to a state of cultivation was Baron Steuben. Subsequently King Joseph Bonaparte made a settlement at the lake which still bears his name. In 1791, Alexander MaComb obtained from the State the vast tract known as MaComb's purchase, which was an unknown forest region of an arca of about four millidn acres, covering the northern portion of the present Adirondack dis- trict. On this tract the State made no survey, nor had any definite knowledge of the land lines established by MaComb, consequently when assessments were levied on the lands it was found impossible to accurately locate subdivisions. Although compass surveyors were sent
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