- September 17, 1929 – JSA to Henry Goddard Leach –
Dear Mr. Leach:
I enjoyed a brief and interesting talk with Franklin today, showed him the pictures of the precipitous slopes and told him of the impending loss of soil on the Boreas Mountain. He agrees that trees should not be cut on slopes where the soil is endangered by washing away. He also agrees that the State should acquire the Paradise Bay land and is checking my statement regarding the available funds and the State’s authority to appropriate.
The Conservation Commission claim to have TENTATIVE plans for using all the funds now available. This is in my opinion only a mental condition and does not constitute an obligation on the State. Much of the land which the Commission have TENTATIVE plans to acquire is land which the owners are so desirous of selling that they will help to secure any new appropriations that may be needed, whereas it required three years of hard labor to make funds available for the Paradise Bay land.
As you probably know, the State has established land values in the Paradise Bay neighborhood by the purchase of other land and these values will not hold a year or two hence. Not to follow up this advantage would certainly be viewed as gross negligence on the part of the present administration. When you talk to Franklin on his way south I hope you will make this clear to him if you think I failed to do so.
Be sure to advise me sometime in the near future when you and Mrs. Leach will visit my camp. With best regards,
Cordially yours,
JSApperson