J. P. Woodard to C. M. McGaw on Approval of Dust Control at Asbestos, Quebec (1949)

A personal and confidential one-page note of August 18, 1949, from J. P. Woodard at J-M's General Headquarters to C. M. McGaw at Asbestos, Quebec. Woodard wrote that approval had been granted the day before to extend the dust shed and Cottrell system at a cost of more than $5½ million, and that he "was able to make good use of Dr. Smith's study on the 708 men." He hoped the work would "make a real improvement in your working condition situation, both within and without the plant."

What it shows

Ten days earlier Woodard had sent Smith's survey to L. C. Hart, writing that many cases were likely to become claims and urging approval (Woodard to Hart). A Cottrell system is an electrostatic dust precipitator, and "without the plant" points to dust outside the mill, in the town of Asbestos.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

Woodard writes McGaw (Asbestos), on 8/18/49, of approval for appropriation in excess of $5.5 million for dust controls at Jeffrey; reports he "was able to make good use of Dr. Smith's study on the 708 men, which he prepared some time in the early part of this year." "I was glad that this approval was granted and hope that this will make a real improvement in your working condition situation, both within and without the plant."

Related documents

• Dr. Kenneth W. Smith, Industrial Hygiene Survey of 708 Canadian Johns-Manville Mill Workers (1949)
• J. P. Woodard to L. C. Hart on Dr. Smith's Survey of Men in Dusty Areas (1949)
• J. P. Woodard to George K. Foster on Dr. Smith's Comments on the Saranac Report (1949)