Sumner Simpson to F. E. Schluter of Thermoid Sending the Saranac Memorandum for Signatures (1936)

A one-page letter of November 25, 1936, from Sumner Simpson, president of Raybestos-Manhattan, to F. E. Schluter, president of the Thermoid Rubber Co. in Trenton, New Jersey. Simpson enclosed the memorandum of agreement for underwriting Dr. Leroy U. Gardner's asbestos dust experiments at Saranac Laboratory, already signed by Johns-Manville and Raybestos-Manhattan, and asked Schluter, as president of the Brake Lining Association, to sign for Thermoid and gather the other companies' signatures before sending it on to Vandiver Brown. He suggested getting as many signatures as possible before approaching Gatke and Union Asbestos & Rubber Co., which "may be more inclined to go along if they have tangible evidence that numerous others are participating."

What it shows

The letter shows how the asbestos companies organized their joint funding of Gardner's experiments after their meeting the week before. Simpson wanted Brown to handle the work because "by education, he is better fitted than I am," and because Brown could confer with Dr. A. J. Lanza of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company "on a moment's notice, which is a considerable advantage in dealing with Dr. Gardner and Dr. Lanza." Nine companies were named in the memorandum, with space for three more. Schluter's reply is his letter of November 28.

In Johns-Manville's index

Johns-Manville's attorneys indexed the Sumner Simpson Papers. Their index describes this document as follows:

Transmittal letter for Memorandum of Agreement re: industry sponsored studies on asbestos dust by Dr. Gardner at Saranac Lab. Agreement has been signed by J-M and Raybestos. Requests that Schluter as President of Brake Lining Association obtain other signatures. Requests that memorandum be returned to V. Brown after signatures obtained.

Related documents

• Sumner Simpson to Vandiver Brown on Signing the Saranac Memorandum of Agreement (1936)
• F. E. Schluter of Thermoid to Sumner Simpson Returning the Signed Saranac Memorandum (1936)
• Asbestos Companies' Memorandum of Agreement to Underwrite Gardner's Dust Experiments (1936)
• Vandiver Brown to Sumner Simpson Sending the Memorandum of Agreement for Signatures (1936)
• Sumner Simpson's Secretary to Vandiver Brown Confirming the Dust Meeting at the Biltmore (1936)

About this copy

This is document 03046 of the Sumner Simpson Papers, as numbered in the collection's index.