Mr. Powell. Is your debt diminishing or increasing?
Mr. Dewey. I think it is diminishing. Our local improvement debt constitutes the bulk of the debt.
Mr. Powell. And these public utilities carry themselves?
Mr. Dewey. Yes. The local improvement indebtedness is paid largely by the property owners.
Mr. Magrath. It might be well to state for the information of those gentlemen who have come here from a distance that we are to hear this afternoon Mr. Paterson, an expert in the matter, in reference to methods of treating pollution. It might be interesting to these gentlemen to stay here to hear Mr. Paterson.
Mr. Powell. It may interest these gentlemen, because Mr. Paterson claims that the municipalities could make a large profit out of the treatment of this sewage.
Mr. Gardner. You would be able to pay off your indebtedness, perhaps, if you took Mr. Paterson’s advice.
(The commission took recess for luncheon.
After the luncheon recess.)