J. P. Kottcamp to S. A. Williams on Waukegan Dust Collecting Equipment (1935)

A one-page "Personal & Confidential" memorandum of July 2, 1935, from J. P. Kottcamp at Johns-Manville's Waukegan, Illinois, factory to S. A. Williams, J-M vice president, copied to Vandiver Brown. Kottcamp reports that the Illinois legislature had adjourned on June 30 without passing either the proposed "Blower Act" or an occupational disease act, and that "we find ourselves today in exactly the same position as previous to the proposed legislation." He then asks: "Now that we have a definite decision, what shall we do" about four approved budget proposals, with money already appropriated, for dust collecting equipment in the cement, Transite pipe, Transite pipe fiber and magnesia departments.

What it shows

At the June 27 Officers Board meeting, Williams had reported that large sums were set aside for dust control at Waukegan but that spending had been deferred until the legislature adjourned, because the Blower Act "might have very important bearing upon the type of equipment to be installed" (Officers Board minutes). Kottcamp's memo shows that the approved equipment was still waiting on that decision. It does not say what was decided.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

J.P. Kottcamp (Waukegan) asks S.A. Williams (General Headquarters), in a memorandum dated 7/2/35, what to do about certain approved budget proposals for dust control systems, since the Legislature has not passed any occupational disease legislation.