Canada. St. John River Commission : The Saint John River Commission was officially created under the authority of Order in Council, P.C. 2544 on August 13th, 1906. The Commission was international, including representatives from both Canada and the United States. It was created to investigate and report upon the conditions and uses of the Saint John River (bordering Maine and New Brunswick) after the United States expressed their displeasure at Canada's suggestion that the existing International Waterways Commission be responsible for the river. The Commission was created in response to friction between Canada and the United States over alleged violations of the 1842 Webster-Ashburton Treaty that established the Maine- New Brunswick international border along the natural division of the Saint John River. The increased activity of the logging industry along the river in the early 1900s raised disputes regarding use of the river. The purpose of the commission was to resolve the international question of rightful use of the river.
The Government of Canada appointed two commissioners to the commission, Alexander P. Barnhill and John Keefe of Saint John New Brunswick on December 3, 1908. H.A. McKewon, K.C. of Saint John, New Brunswick and W.P. Johnes, K.C. of Woodstock, New Brunswick were appointed as counsel on behalf of Canada. The United States appointed Hon. George A. Murchie of Calais, Maine, and Hon. Peter Charles Keegan of Van Buren, Maine as commissioners representing the U.S. Honourable O.F. Fellows of Bangor, Maine was appointed counsel on behalf of the United States. Alexander P. Barnhill served as chairman until his resignation in December, 1911. Mariner G. Teed of Saint John, New Brunswick was appointed in his place. Upon the death of U.S. Commissioner, George A. Murchie on July 1, 1914, John B. Madigern of Houlton, Maine, was appointed in his place.
The Commission held meetings at Van Buren, Calais, Bangor, Augusta, and Houlton in Maine. In New Brunswick, meetings were held at Fredericton and Saint John. As the proceedings of the Commission progressed, the commissioners began to focus on the potential of reservoiring the Saint John as a means of alleviating international tensions through improving the usability of the river for log driving. The commission thus hired a staff of engineers who took surveys and made recommendations on creating dams in the Saint John River to control river flow. The general recommendations of the commission featured the suggestion that storage dams be built at the joint expense of the United States and Canada. The commission also suggested that a permanent International Board of Commissioners be instituted to regulate the Saint John River.
