D. C. Renton to C. L. Bates on Pittsburg Dust Exhaust Estimates (1933)

A one-page memo of June 26, 1933, from D. C. Renton, J-M's chief engineer of factories and mines, to C. L. Bates, superintendent of the Pittsburg, California, factory, filed with the letters it answered. Bates had told S. A. Williams on June 21 that dust collecting systems for the pipe covering, cement, rigid shingle and roofing departments would cost $5,561, "which it will be necessary to expend to take care of our dust conditions," and Williams asked Renton to review the layout because the expenditure "runs into a total of $5,561.00." Renton replied that the estimates were "a bit startling," since on his visit he had understood "that a few minor repairs and additions to the present shingle machine dust system would give us a good job," and he felt certain Williams would question him about a $2,700 expenditure "after my telling him that to meet those conditions would not entail any great expense."

What it shows

The exchange shows the Pittsburg plant asking for money to control dust and J-M's chief engineer questioning the cost. It continued with Renton's June 29 memo to Williams and Bates's letter of July 31.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

Johns-Manville's own chronology of what the company knew describes this document as follows:

D.C. Renton memorandum to C.L. Bates (Pittsburg Plant Manager), 6/26/33, states that the estimates for the dust control systems mentioned in Bates' memorandum to Williams (6/21/33) are a "bit startling." Renton states that it was his opinion after visiting the plant with Bates, and he felt it was also Bates' opinion, that no major reforms were needed.

Related documents

• D. C. Renton to S. A. Williams on Pittsburg Dust Exhaust Layouts (1933)