Mr. SEELBACH. I would like to ascertain if it is mandatory on the
city to accept any plan the commission recommends?
Mr. TAWNEY. It would be mandatory if the two Governments, by treaty,
agreed to the adoption of the recommendation; but as far as the
commission’s recommendation is concerned it is not mandatory. If the
commission recommends certain remedies, and the two Governments,
by convention or treaty, adopt the recommendation, it becomes the
supreme law and would be mandatory upon the municipalities.
Mr. SEELBACH. If it could be shown to the commission in a reasonable
time that a certain system would be more economical and hygienically
superior to the proposition of the commission, would that be accepted?
Mr. TAWNEY. You appeared before the commission in 1914?
Mr. SEELBACH. Yes.
Mr. TAWNEY. And presented a plan of treatment?
Mr. SEELBACH. It was more upon the garbage proposition; but I have
taken up this matter and submitted a plan. I have a scheme to burn
the sludge.
Mr. GARDNER. The commission is here at this time for the discussion
of the plans submitted by our engineer, as to whether or not they
are acceptable; if not, what particular objection these different
municipalities have to the plans as submitted in this report, and we
can not take up anything that is purely outside of that question.
Mr. SEELBACH. I submitted my proposition to you people, and I never
heard anything about it.
Mr. TAWNEY. I can say to you that it was disposed of as not coming
within the purview of our investigation.
Mr. SEELBACH. I would like to know the facts in connection with that.
Mr. TAWNEY. I do not think it was formally disposed of, but that was
the consensus of opinion it did not fall within the scope of the
investigation.
Mr. SEELBACH. If I can show to the city of Buffalo that my system is
more hygienic and more economical, would it have your approval?
Mr. GARDNER. I have no doubt it might have the approval of the
commission informally, but I doubt whether they could take it up
properly and consider it under the reference.
Mr. SEELBACH. But the city of Buffalo?
Mr. GARDNER. They can do as they please.
Mr. POWELL. Have you laid your scheme before the city authorities?
Mr. SEELBACH. Not as yet; I would like to.
Mr. GARDNER. You have not as many men to deal with as you had years
ago.
Mr. SEELBACH. If the commissioners could find my statement there, I
would like to make a correction.
Mr. TAWNEY. We have not it with us. You can address the secretary at
Washington, or see him here personally, and give him any corrections
you want to make.
Mr. GARDNER. I was going to make the suggestion that you might be
allowed to make your correction at this time, if you care to. But we
have not your statement here.
Mr. SEELBACH. I can not make it without the statement before me.
Mr. GARDNER. We do not seem to be getting anywhere; we are traveling
around in a circle. I submit this proposition to you--whether or not
we could take a recess, and your engineers or your representative
men and our engineers spend the remainder of the day in going over
this report, to see whether or not you can not come in here to-morrow
with some tentative agreement at least as to what your differences
are, whether they are irreconcilable, or what may be the prospect
of coming to some understanding with each other. I want to repeat
again that, under the terms of the reference, this commission has
nothing whatever to do with the supplying of pure water to any of
these municipalities. The question referred to us is to determine
whether or not these boundary waters were polluted to the injury
of health and property on the other side of the line, and if they
were--and it has been clearly demonstrated that they were--what
remedy we would advise and submit to the two Governments for their
adoption. We are anxious to have the cooperation of the people here
in Buffalo and elsewhere to work out a plan possibly that will answer
the terms of the reference and make it as easy as possible for the
people interested here and elsewhere. That is what we are here for.
The commission could sit down in its offices in Washington or Ottawa
and develop a plan, but we want to consider you people here; we want
to work with you to devise a scheme that will be best for you and
acceptable to the Governments at the least possible cost. That is my
idea of the situation in a nutshell.
Mr. POWELL. I would suggest that Mr. Seelbach prepare a typewritten
brief and give a copy to each member of the commission. If his idea
is good, I, for one, would like to take advantage of it and have it
considered, but you understand we can not adequately consider any
scientific scheme here by simply an oral statement. You had better
typewrite your brief and submit it.
Mr. SEELBACH. I can submit it. How long will you remain here?
Mr. GARDNER. We can remain here two or three days.
Mr. POWELL. And if it is not ready you could send copies to the
Washington or Ottawa offices.
Prof. PHELPS. I would like to suggest that we have not heard from
all the officials of Buffalo. Capt. Norton looks as though he had
something to say, and it might be well to fill in time hearing what
these people have to say.