F. E. Schluter of Thermoid to Sumner Simpson Returning the Signed Saranac Memorandum (1936)

A one-page letter of November 28, 1936, from F. E. Schluter, president of Thermoid in Trenton, New Jersey, to Sumner Simpson, president of Raybestos-Manhattan, returning the Saranac memorandum of agreement signed for Thermoid Company and Southern Asbestos Company, which covered Thermoid's plants at Charlotte, North Carolina, and Trenton. Schluter had understood that each operating company would sign separately, so that Raybestos-Manhattan's companies U.S. Asbestos and General Asbestos would sign too, and he thought this would "show Union and Gatke that we are taking a larger share of the cost." He declined to circulate the memorandum himself: it had been understood at the meeting that Simpson, or Vandiver Brown of Johns-Manville, would do it, and "While I am President of the Brake Lining Manufacturers Association, this is more a textile problem."

What it shows

Schluter's count of companies at the meeting left out American Brakeblok, Union and Gatke, "who had a receptive attitude, but who did not commit themselves." He put Thermoid's signatures on a separate sheet numbered 5, estimated the cost at "as little as $200 or slightly less per signature," and added by hand, "But we'll pay whatever share necessary." Southern Asbestos, Thermoid's Charlotte company, was at this time defending a large group of asbestosis claims (see G. S. Fabel's letter of December 9).

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 regarding industry sponsored dust study conducted by Dr. Gardner at Saranac Lab. Schluter signed for both Thermoid Company and Southern Asbestos Company understanding that each individual operating company would sign. Informs that he would be glad to obtain signatures but it was his understanding that J-M or Raybestos would perform this task.

Related documents

• Sumner Simpson to F. E. Schluter of Thermoid Sending the Saranac Memorandum for Signatures (1936)
• Sumner Simpson's Secretary to F. E. Schluter Acknowledging His November 28 Letter (1936)
• Vandiver Brown to F. E. Schluter of Thermoid Rubber on the Progress of the Saranac Dust Experiments (1936)

About this copy

This is document 03047 of the Sumner Simpson Papers, as numbered in the collection's index.