- November 11, 1929 – JSA to Harry Smith (Sanitary Inspector) –
Dear Mr. Smith:
Mr. William Hill our good neighbor living on the Trout Lake Road, suggests Dr. Brailley who is, I believe, identified with the Brailley Boarding House, as an excellent speaker at the public hearing and the possibility of his college chum Mr. Paul Boyce. No doubt the people who are violating the law by having structures on the State land under water with sleeping accommodations above, and those who may wish to erect such structures will, with the encouragement of Dr. Hudson’s lawyer, work up quite a crowd, particularly if they know that you are doing likewise.
Incidentally someone told me that Dr. Rogers was interested in the Algonquin. The land being very limited here, it would be very natural for those who take over the property, if not in sympathy with the wild beauty of the place, to build a dance hall or some cafeteria over the water, thus giving them more space between the shore and the highway. This is of course only one of many possibilities that might influence the people who would otherwise be in sympathy with our effort to preserve the wild beauty of the b=natural shore and the purity of the water.
The filling I spoke to you about between the “Hudson terminal” and the shore is held by a cribbing. There is a space between the main structure of 24 feet to a point where the structure is ? feet 8 inches from the shore. Similar space is filled in to about 4 or 5 feet of the shore, thus the owner has virtually added that much to his land by filling in. I don’t think it is well to stress this point too much in view of the large area he has already taken over by more extensive filling of cribs and building of structures. I will try to send you a sketch. It might be well for you to keep in mind that the south end of the structure extends out 47 feet from the shore, the water at the present time being approximately 11 feet deep at the end of the dock, and with docking facilities sufficient for 4 or 5 good sized motor boats.
I hope you will be able to get your letters off to the Schenectady people we discussed Saturday night.
An old timer identified with the fire underwriters’ work has just called my attention to the great increase of fire hazard by a structure of this kind, entirely a frame structure, highly combustible, with many motor boats, gasoline oils, etc. being used and close to the dry forest timber with a prevailing wind from the south blowing these burning embers into the dry brush above. Such a structure at this isolated part of the mountain, in flame, would be so hot as to make it impossible to fight without improved equipment which is not available. Comparing this with the single open dock it is certainly a serious fire hazard to the State owned forest land a few hundred feet away.
I just had a talk with Mrs. Stanton, and she informs me that the Doctor will not return from a hunting trip in Canada for about a week, which is discouraging. He would be deeply interested and I am sure will attend the hearing if he returns in time.
I am very anxious to know what you have heard about my dues to the Lake George Association. Please advise me on this at your earliest opportunity. Otherwise I will send you a check for two years dues and expect you to either determine that I am a member of good standing, and accept what dues are coming to the Association, or definitely advise me that I am not a member, in which event I will of course have to organize another association.
Cordially yours,
JSApperson