Mr. Whitehead Kluttz,
Secretary International Joint Commission,
Southern Building, Washington, D. C.,
City Hall, Buffalo, N. Y.
Dear Sir: Commissioner Biggs wishes me to explain to you that owing to extreme pressure of duties in the department at this time it does not seem possible for him to have a representative of this department at the meeting of the International Joint Commission at Buffalo on June 21.
The commissioner wishes to assure you, however, of our continued interest in this subject, and to assure you also of our extended cooperation and assistance at any time so far as it is within our resources.
Very truly, yours,
Theodore Horton, Chief Engineer.
Mr. Gardner. Mr. Clinton, do you appear in behalf of anyone other than yourself?
Mr. Clinton. Mr. Chairman, I represent the Erie & Ontario Canal Co., which has a plan that will take care of all this sewage. That plan has been presented to this commission three times, and I, therefore, did not propose at this time to speak upon the subject. You have among your records a full exposition of the plan and what it is expected to do. I am here this morning rather as a listener. I expect subsequently to present our views to the council of the city of Buffalo, they having had no opportunity to investigate the questions. I have read your report, and I must say that it exhibits not only thorough research but also some——
Mr. Tawney. Mr. Clinton, will you allow me to interrupt you in order to ask a question? You have read the report of the consulting sanitary engineer of the commission, have you not? I refer to that part of it at least which deals with the project in which you are interested as a means of sewage disposal.
Mr. Clinton. Yes. In the press of business I have read it rather hastily and without making it a study.
Mr. Tawney. I wanted to ask if you took issue with the report of the consulting engineer with respect to the conclusions which he has reached regarding the drainage or diversion canal. Do you appear for the purpose of making any criticism of those conclusions?
Mr. Clinton. No; not at this juncture. If the commission will permit me, I may subsequently submit a printed brief without taking the time here by either criticizing or attempting to modify in the minds of the commission the views of the experts. I think it would be a loss of time now and result in no good.