Document 93KaBkyKnq9ZwzOXN18nq35MV

FILE NAME: Railroads (RR) DATE: 1987 July 7 DOC#: RR022 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Letter to Barry Castleman from Jones & Granger Law Office Regarding Documents for Trials NORMAN R. JONES J. WELDON GRANGER DAVID Q. HAAG ROBERT M. TRAMUTO MARC A. ZITO J. SCOTT HUTZELL JOHN D. ROVEN H. CHRIS CHRISTY WILLIAM R. MOSELEY, JR. MICHAEL L. KAPLAN ALISON PETTIETTE GARY F. EASOM DOUGLAS OGLE JOE M. INABNETT Jones & G ranger ATTORNEYS AT LAW P.O. BOX 4340 10000 MEMORIAL DRIVE HOUSTON, TEXAS 77210 1-713-668-0230 1-800-231-3359 Toll Free July 7, 1987 BRANCH OFFICES: 2400 THE EQUITABLE BLDG. 100 PEACHTREE, N.W. ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30343 404/522-4414 WATTERSON TOWERS 1930 BISHOP LANE SUITE 402 LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 40218 502/458-3944 Dr. Barry Castleman John Hopkins University 1722 Linden Avenue Baltimore, MD 21217 Re: General Managers Association Documents Dear Barry, I enjoyed speaking with you on the telephone on Friday. I apologize for the lack of communication concerning the trials which were set last week. I have informed everyone here not to let the type of thing develop in the future. At your request, I have enclosed several of the most illu minating documents in the materials most recently produced to me by the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad Company. We have not yet fully cataloged or evaluated the documents, but I did want to give you an idea on the basic nature of what is been pro duced. As I mentioned to you on the telephone, we are planning an authentication deposition soon with more to follow. From a general overview of looking at the documents, it appears that there was an organization in Chicago during the 1930's called the "General Managers Association". It appears that the General Managers Association consisted of various attorneys, claims people, shop superintendents, foremen and other supervisory personnel from railroads in and around the Chicago-St. Louis-Illinois area. You will recall, that the 1937 AAR documents have exten sive reference to the passage of the Illinois Occupational Disease legislation, and that there is a fairly long discourse in the 1937 AAR documents by Dr. D. B. Moss, Chief Medical Officer of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. At that time, Dr. Moss expounded on the nature of the Illinois legislation and mentioned that "silica, asbestos and lead were the principal toxic substances to which railway employees might be exposed". Dr. Castleman Page 2 July 7, 1987 The General Managers Association documents appear to pick up on this theme in more detail. I have tried to attach key documents and will address them in chronological order to give you an overview of what appeared to have been happening at that time. As you look through the documents you will note that the General Managers Association apparently appointed a special committee to study the Act and to make representations concern ing matters of compliance and election to operate under the Act. The letter of November 28, 1936 appears to be the first written minutes of the meeting of the "Railroad Engineering and Shop Committee". You will notice that representatives of seven railroads were on this committee. Several of these railroads are now merged into successor organizations. For instance, the CB&Q (Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, spearheaded by Dr. Moss, is now part of the Burlington Northern System). I will let you review these documents without any further editorial and would ask that you give me a call after you have had an opportunity to look through them. I hope this letter finds you well. JDR/hak Enclosures