711.42157 R 72/35
The Secretary of State to the Canadian Minister (Massey)
Sir: Adverting to your notes of April 2, and April 4,38 1928, in regard to the improvement of drainage in the valley of the Roseau River, I have the honor to inform you that Mr. N. C. Grover, Chief Hydraulic Engineer, United States Geological Survey, has been designated to confer with the Canadian engineers for the purpose of formulating suitable terms of reference of the Roseau River problem to the International Joint Commission.
[Page 58]Mr. Grover suggests that a meeting take place at St. Paul, Minnesota, or Winnipeg, Manitoba, on May 23, or June 5, 1928. I shall be pleased to have you advise me whether either of the dates and places mentioned are satisfactory to the Canadian Government and to Mr. Cameron, the engineer last designated by the Canadian Government to represent it in conferences with the United States engineers.
With respect to the observation made in the last paragraph of your note of April 2 that the Canadian Government assumes that there will be no objection to proceeding with the preliminary works now under construction on the Canadian side of the International Boundary, I beg to inform you that I am advised that the United States engineers lack authentic and specific information as to the location and dimensions of the proposed works in Canada and are, therefore, not in a position to form an opinion as to the probable effect of those works on the United States side of the boundary. However, as indicated in my note to you of December 12, 1927,39 people who have made a study of the Roseau River drainage problem apprehend that after the dikes and dam which are said to be under construction are built extensive damages would ensue by the flooding of lands in Roseau and Kittson Counties, Minnesota. It would be extremely unfortunate if the solution which the International Joint Commission recommends after investigation would be rendered difficult or impossible of execution by reason of construction in Canada which may be completed or under way before the Commission renders its report. In the circumstances, I venture to express the hope that the Canadian authorities can see their way to suspend the construction of any works which would affect the entire drainage problem in the Roseau valley.
Accept [etc.]
- Note of April 4 not printed; it requested that the name of Mr. It. de B. Corriveau, Chief Engineer, Department of Public Works, be substituted for the name of Mr. K. M. Cameron as the Canadian representative.↩
- Foreign Relations, 1927, vol. i, p. 493.↩