STATEMENT OF MR. R. L. SEELBACH,
OF BUFFALO, N. Y.
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.