The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-01-27

work Of the Commission was organ
izatiOn, passing resolutions OF the
death OF Senator Carter, ard making
official calls on the President, the
British Ambassador and the Secretary
Of State. The next day was spent in
considering the form OF procedure,
the next in considering rules of pro-
cedure and naming a rules commit
tee. Then came three days Of wait
ing for the committee TO report.
Fifteen days after the rules COM
mittee reported the rules were
adopted. The waters Of the ST.
Mary and Milk rivers were then con-
sidered, and the commission adjourn
ed. With the s~emi-annual meeting
on April > real work began. From
that date to the present the chronicle,
while interrupted, shows considerable
matters of moment before the Com
mission whenever a meeting " held.
Seven special sessions have | & held
in the life of the Commission. Jesides
the regular meetings.
Why Created.
The Commission was created by
Congress in response to the need OF
some tribunal to settle boundary line
disputes the United States
and Canada. But the act creating
the Commission gave it much broader
powers than boundary questions, al
lowing 1t to settle any question arts
ing between the two countries. In
boundary affairs, the Commission has
exclusive jurildiction, even to the
point of making an agreement be
tween the two countries valid wheL
without the consent of the Commits
sion it would not be binding.
Biggest Present Problem.
The biggest problem now before
the Commission is to find a remedy
for pollution Of the waters between
the United States and Canada. {
gigantic undertaking. The Commits
sion has already made an investiga
ton Of the condition of these waters
an inquiry said to have been tn
most exhaustive in the world on
similar topic, More than 1900 sam
pies of water from the lakes an,
streams separating these two Oun
tries We're tested ARCHAEOLOGICAL,
and some of the best sanitation ex
perts in the world were employed il
making the tests and submitting thei
conclusions.
The boundary line between tn
United States and Canada is 400
miles long, and half Of this line
marked by water. The great lakes
the st. Lawrence and other river:
make up the greater part of tn
water. Large cities, such as Chicago
DoiAoAO1 All IL Alc1NS 7
these waters, and sewage from thes
cities is dumped into the lakes an
rivers. The pollution spreads to til
other side, and there the problel
for the Commission begins. The ceI
sus of the floating population of thes
lakes and rivers in 1912, meanin
!, those who travel across or on tn
water during the year., amounted
, fifteen million people. This almo
donnie the savage nrOhlQm
The Commission has finished tf
first task in connection with this Pc
luton, namely, having discovered tn;
the pollution is there and to VIII;
extent it exists. The e necessity
to get rid of the present pollution ar
to safeguard against pollution in tt
future. It is a tremendous SAINT;
ton problem, in that the Commissic
: must look to the conditions Of IL
8 cities on the banks and suggest ar
enforce means OF disposing of the
: sewage without dumping it into tt
lakes and rivers.
0 Diverting Boundary Streams.
n Another activity Of the COmmissit