Asbestos Magazine, 1934

Johns-Manville's notes

1. Jan. 1934, pp. 8-10 summary p. 54

   NRA set up a working organization designated as Code Authority and Sub-Code Authorities. Lewis Brown is Chairman of the Code Authority. Sub-Code Authorities are asbestos paper div., asbestos cement div., magnesia products div., etc.

2. Jan. 1934, p. 30 summary p. 55

   Oct. issue of Architectural Forum has five-page article on J-M's new 40th St. offices.

3. Jan. 1934, p. 32 summary p. 55

   J-M resignation of James S. Adams.

4. Jan. 1934, p. 35 summary p. 55

   Statue of Liberty renovation includes installation of asbestos wood in the ceiling and for enclosure of landings/ passageways.

5. Feb. 1934, p. 10 summary p. 55

   Tentative specs for Asbestos Roving have been published by ASTM (D375-33T). "A.S.T.M. Standards shall not merely be standards that have been adopted by the Society, but standard specifications and test methods developed by industry itself." Criticisms should be sent to ASTM.

6. Feb. 1934, p. 16 summary p. 55

   W. Jacobsen heads Asbestos Fibre Distributors, a new unit of J-M.

7. Apr. 1934, pp. 3-8 summary p. 55

   Bureau of Standards issued, through Letter Circular 406, its findings on theatre safety curtains.

8. Apr. 1934, pp. 10-14 summary p. 55

   Code Authorities and Committees held conference under auspices of NRA. Chairman Lewis Brown gave presentation (prices, hours, etc.).

9. Apr. 1934, p. 14 summary p. 55

   English shoe manufacturer introduced asbestos soles for children's sandals.

10. May 1934, p. 12 summary p. 55

    Asbestos industry code amendments announced by NRA (set out in their entirety). Item 5: Members may prepare Simplification and Standardization Specifications and a Merchandising Plan.

11. May 1934, p. 22 summary p. 55

    H.R. 9002 and S. 3402 are before Congress providing for adjustment of contracts made with the U.S. Government "where higher costs have been subsequently placed upon contractors because of compliance with the President's Re-employment Agreement."

12. May 1934, p. 22 summary p. 55

    Membership of A.C.N.A. (Asbestos Contractors National Association) now totals 200.

13. May 1934, p. 32 summary p. 55

    J-M personnel changes/elections.

14. May 1934, p. 34 summary p. 55

    BuMines publishes "The Asbestos Industry of 1933."

15. June 1934, pp. 2-8 summary p. 56

    Article "Asbestos in Use on Boulder Dam Project": (1) brakes, friction bands on power shovels, trucks, etc., (2) packing on pumps, (3) pipe insulation in steam plants, (4) siding/roofing for temporary power plant buildings, (5) control switchboards, (6) asbestos brick furnace lining, (7) insulation of circular furnace fans, and (8) mixed with coal tar for coating headers and penstocks.

16. June 1934, p. 31 summary p. 56

    "Asbestos Curtains to Conquer Ship Fires" "How serious fires on board ship--such as that which probably destroyed the mammoth French liner L'Atlantique early last year--might be prevented with the aid of suitable asbestos protection was the subject of a demonstration at Slough, near London, recently." "Highly inflammable materials in a tunnel representing a corridor on the passenger deck of a modern line were set on fire. The heat thus generated set an alarm clock in action, and asbestos curtains immediately isolated the flames from all other parts of the 'vessel.'" "A fireman wearing an asbestos uniform then entered the burning compartment, walked thru the flames, and extinguished the conflagration." "An official of Bestobel Works, Slough, where the asbestos curtains are manufactuerd, stated that a similar demonstration had recently been given before representatives of important British shipping interests, who were highly impressed by it. Similar success with actual demonstrations aboard ship is likely to lead to the widespread adooption of this protective system."

17. July 1934, p. 39 summary p. 56

    Asbestos suits used on aircraft carriers by firemen who stand on the deck while planes are landing. The suits offer protection in the event the plane catches fire, endangering the pilot's life.

18. Aug. 1934, p. 12 summary p. 56

    British Air Ministry, after stringent testing, has ordered a large supply of asbestos gloves for the Royal Air Force. They will probably be used by mechanics needing to work on the engines without waiting for them to cool, by workmen in forging and welding and in rescue operations.

19. Aug. 1934, p. 27 summary p. 56

    ASTM Textile Committee will refer the following proposed revisions for yarns and rovings to ballot: (1) Yarns -D299-33 change from 75 to 100% asbestos; (2) Roving D373-33T - grades changed.

20. Sept. 1934, pp. 26-29 summary p. 57

    Article "Asbestos in Aviation" - "… no other material is available that will answer so well." "A visit to any one of the large comercial or Government owned airports will reveal that asbestos is rather extensively utilized in the form of wall board as a fire screen around the engines of airplanes, and it is employed as a roofing material and for the siding of airport structures either alone or as an exterior coating for sheet metal. Also, at such places asbestos cement or asbestos magnesia covering insulates piping, tanks, and other parts of the station adjuncts where insulation is desirable." "Afloat, on any of the Navy's big airplane carriers, asbestos is made use of to minimize or to localize fire and especially, to safeguard the storage of gasoline …. Planes leaving one of these carriers take off after an initial run on the vessel's long and flat deck, and the same aircraft when returning have to alight upon the deck which, if the seas be rough, may be rolling. The naval aviator, expert as he is in getting back on to his floating base, still always faces a possible spill and perhaps a smash-up in doing so. Accordingly, a certain number of the crew, clothed from head to foot in asbestos garments and armed with portable fire extinguishers, are always on duty at such times to immediately smother any flames that may result from a ruptured fuel tank, thus nipping quickly a fire that might otherwise acquire destructive proportions and imperil the ship, itself." "It is not permissible to publish particulars about the internal organization of one of our naval aircraft carriers, but in a general way these vessels are much like other fighting ships. They carry ammunition which must be shielded from high temperatures as well as fire. Their primary source of motive energy is high powered boilers, and inside and out those steam generators are insulated in one way or another. Steam pipes, hot-water pipes, refrigerating-brine pipes, cold-storage compartments, oil-burning cooking apparatus, etc., etc., are insulated either with asbestos cement, asbestos magnesia covering, asbestos wallboard, or asbestos fabric of some kind. Insulation is necessary not only to insure operating economy and efficiency, but also to contribute to the comfort and to the well-being of a personnel of 1,300, officers and crew." "In addition to the foregoing services that call for asbestos, U.S.S. Saratoga and the U.S.S. Lexington, the outstanding units of our Naval Air Force, are each provided with a well-equipped foundry, a machine shop, a blacksmith shop, and an electrical repair shop. In all of these important departments asbestos is utilized for one purpose or another, and in most of the forms found in similar repair and upkeep facilities ashore. Asbestos lends itself aboard these airplane carriers either directly or indirectly to the efficiency of the ships as units in our mobile defense." The Navy airdock at Sunnyvale, CA, which houses and maintains the great dirigible Macon, is described. Asbestos is widely used at that facility, which is a self-contained naval shore station.

21. Sept. 1934, p. 36 summary p. 58

    J-M issues a new Packing Catalogue (48 pages) describing J-M packing products.

22. Oct. 1934, p. 13 summary p. 58

    "Asbestos Safety Curtains on Ships" - (refers to June article on subject). "The Morro Castle disaster calls attention to the fact that final tests are now in progress at the big asbestos research laboratory at Slough, England, of Bell's Asbestos & Engineering Supplies, Ltd., on a device which may revolutionize fire protection at sea." The invention is for surrounding the site of an outbreak with a ring of asbestos curtains which would completely isolate the source of fire and eliminate any possibility of its spreading. "These curtains which have been in the experimental stage for a considerable time, would be hung in fireproof asbestos boxes fixed to the roof of a ship's passages and stairways. On an alarm being given, the curtains in the affected area would be instantaneously let down like window blinds, thus completely stopping the further progress of the conflagration. The experiments have proved highly successful and it seems likely that in a short time the curtains will be given a practical test at sea. It is hoped that they will be installed on the Cunard White Star liner "534", which is to be launched at the end of September."

23. Oct. 1934, p. 26 summary p. 59

    "In describing the fire-ruined ship 'Morro Castle' - the fire disaster that shocked the world - one writer says 'Asbestos, defiant of flame, was hanging in tatters from ventilator pipes.'"

24. Oct. 1934, p. 40 summary p. 59

    "Marine experts say two developments are likely to come out of the inquiry into the cause of the Morro Castle tragedy. First, lightweight fire-resisting superstructures to replace wood now used; second, a change back to coal in the bunkers instead of oil burning boilers."

25. Oct. 1934, p. 40 summary p. 59

    "Someone suggests that passenger ships be compelled to provide an asbestos suit for every passenger on board or at least for the ship's crew, so that rescue work might be carried on without danger of the crew being roasted alive."

26. Nov. 1934, pp. 13-14 summary p. 59

    British use asbestos to soundproof subway cars.

27. Nov. 1934, p. 16 summary p. 59

    J-M introduces a new braided packing -- Interlocked Braided Asbestos -- described in its new 48-page catalogue on Packings.

28. Nov. 1934, p. 16 summary p. 59

    ASTM publishes new "Standards on Electrical Insulating Materials" covering all specs. Revisions cover asbestos roving, yarns and tape.

29. Dec. 1934, pp. 8-12 summary p. 59

    Census of Manufacturers 1933 - sets out production figures for asbestos products.

30. Dec. 1934, pp. 12-13 summary p. 59

    U.K. introduces new automobile safety accessory - A two-feet square asbestos blanket to be carried near the driver for use in extinguishing car fires.

31. Dec. 1934, p. 29 summary p. 59

    1934 edition of ASTM standards printed and contains all 236 tentative specs and proposed revisions.

32. Dec. 1934, p. 29 summary p. 59

    The Normandie, the world's largest ship, is being built in France and uses asbestos for "greater protection from fire hazard than the laws governing ship construction demand".

33. Dec. 1934, p. 34 summary p. 59

    Annual meeting held of Pacific Coast Asbestos Association. Elected: Secty.-Treas. A.W. Knight of J-M in San Francisco. All 34 members attended, representing all area asbestos companies.

34. Dec. 1934, p. 36 summary p. 59

    J-M - personnel change.