Document jgzERw5Kay0n5on47Lqjew4NR

PUBLISHED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT, HUMBLE OIL & REFINING COMPANY Vol. 8, No. 20 October 20, 1966 Foreign Voyage Notes and Comments We are a little behind (if you'll pardon the expression) in reporting some of the movements of our offshore vessels. First, the Esso Seattle (Captain Harry Bansen, Chief Engr. Peter C. Kessler) . She left Beaumont Aug. 17, discharged at Rota and Cartagena. Spain and Donges, France between Aug. 28 and Sept. 5. Then she re-crossed the Atlantic, loaded at Amuay, Venezuela, Sept. 14-17, arrived at Yoko hama, Oct. 11 to discharge part cargo and the balance at Bataan, Philippines, Oct. 19. Next on the schedule is the Persian Gulf, about Nov. 4 to load for Japan. Esso Scranton (Captain Taisto A. Johnson and Chief Engr. Franklin E. White, Jr.) is due to arrive at Bombay Oct. 22 to discharge part of her lube oils and then go on to Calcutta (about Nov. 2) to deliver the balance. Esso Miami (Captain Edmund F. Mahoney and Chief Engr. Ralph W. Sullivan) loaded her second cargo of wheat at Portland, Ore., Oct. 1-10 and is now enroute to Yokohama for bunkers and then Bombay, about Nov. 7 to discharge. After the Miami docked at Portland, the entire crew went on paid leave except Third Mate Jack T. Stillman, who asked to remain aboard. The latest foreign voyage is still shaping up. The Esso Newark (Captain Julius E. Wend and Chief Engr. Nunzio Consoli) is to take a second lube cargo to India, loading at Baytown, Good Hope and Baton Rouge Oct. 16-22 for Bombay, due about Nov. 17. Captain Wend will take her out again "by popidar request." as they say in show' biz. Concerning the handling of the Newark's first cargo at Bombay, the consignee, Esso Stan dard Eastern. Inc., wrote: "In spite of the many difficulties that the vessel and ourselves encountered in this movement of cargo (reported by Mr. Price in the Oct. 6 issue) .. . we are extremely happy to report that the products received ex the Esso Newark were entirely free of any contamination. "The high degree of success of the operation was made possible by the magnificent help and coopera tion extended to us by the crew of the vessel and in particular by Messrs. Wend and Price, the Master and the Chief Mate ... As our particular port and discharge problems are now known to them, . . . we request that if possible Messrs. Wend and Price and the same crew be assigned to the Esso Newark on her second voyage." If the Miami and Newark's schedules turn out anthing like the estimates, the 2 ships should be in Bombajr together for part of their discharge time. With the Miami due Nov. 7 and the Newark the 17th, it isn't likely that the former vessel will get away before the latter arrives. About Sailing Foreign While we're on the subject of foreign voyages, we might answer a question that was recently received, to wit: "I hear that the Company is having trouble get ting men to sign foreign articles. Why couldn't the Company give some kind of bonus for men who have to sail foreign? I'm certain then that the Company would not have any trouble." Actually, we don't have much trouble getting men to sail foreign. It is a little more work for the Seagoing Personnel Section and Branch Offices but you couldn't call it trouble. Employees awaiting assignment are normally shipped in turn whether the vessel is scheduled coastwise or foreign. However, the Personnel Sec tion tries to find men who want to sail foreign and are available at the time. This usually in volves extra telephone calls but that's not exactly trouble. Many men ask for the long voyages for the adventure, change of scene, less handling of lines, a chance to save more money, etc. Then too. some foreign voyages are not much different in length of time than an ordinary 80day assignment. The Esso Newark's recent trip to Bombay and back was 72 days; the Miami's wheat cargo to Bombay and then to the Persian Gulf. Okinawa, Korea and Oregon was 96 days; and the Jamestown's trip from Port Everglades, April 19 to Aruba, Pearl Harbor, Guam and back to Bay town (June 19) was 61 days. It would be difficult EXX- M O R-006441 to regard these voyages as deserving of some kind of bonus, wouldn't it? The Esso Seattle, of course, is different. Her men sign on for a minimum of 8 months. The biggest "trouble" we've had here is not to send the same man back when others want a chance at it. Construction of Benicia Refinery Started Groundbreaking ceremonies for the Company's $100 million, 70,000-bbl. per day refinery at Benicia, Calif, were held Oct. 3. "Northern California is going to be a bright spot in the nation's pattern of progress for many years to come," M. A. Wright, Humble's Board Chairman, said. "As a contributor to the West Coast's rising economy, and as a good neighbor and citizen, Humble expects to share, and be a part of, that progress." The Company now has 400 service stations in California. "As we add to these stations and develop industrial markets, we expect to expand our activities considerably in the West Coast mar ket by the time the Benicia Refinery goes on stream in 1969," Mr. Wright said. Esso New Orleans Loads Record Cargo With her keel 39' below the waterline and her tanks crammed with 7 clean products, the Esso New Orleans (Captain William Hamilton and Chief Mate Robert H. Stotts) eased away from Berth No. 4 at Baytown, Oct. 12, with a record pay-load -- 520,896 bbls. Volumetrically, the cargo was 529 bbls. more than the Esso Houston's record at Baton Rouge on Feb. 7. By weight, the Houston's 63,459.82 tons were 926.56 tons more than the New Orleans'. The new record marks the 4th time in the past 3 months that a 67,000-tonner has taken more than a half-million bbls. out of Baytown. Baton Rouge has had three 500,000-bbl. loadings so far this year. An exceptionally high tide and the completion of a channel dredging project made it possible for the New Orleans to load to a deeper draft. Esso New Orleans looked like this, only a little deeper, when she sailed from Baytown, Oct. 1 2 with a record 520,896 bbl. cargo. Camp Stoves, Lanterns, Torches You might like to know that there is a Jersey affiliate named Sievert, Inc., of Stamford, Conn., which sells high quality gasoline and propane camp stoves, burners, lanterns, blow torches and related equipment. Organized Nov. 1, 1965, Sievert, Inc. handles products made by a Swedish Company, A. B. Sievert Apparater, which is an affiliate of Svenska Esso. The Swedish Sievert was started 84 years ago and has a world-wide business. Sievert products in the U. S. are obtainable from such firms as L. L. Bean, of Freeport, Maine and Abercrombie & Fitch, in New York. They are also available to Company employees (at a substantial discount) at the Jersey Standard Club room, Esso Bldg., New York and, perhaps later, in Houston and Baytown. This brass camp stove, hardly bigger than a can of condensed soup, weighs only 1 lb., 2 oz. and will burn 45 min. on 1/3 pint of regular gasoline. No pumping is required and a safety valve is fitted in the filling cap. One filling of this larger, Sievert propane-burning stove will last 4 weeks with normal use. It is readily convertible into a lantern. What's in a Name - the Humble Name? Felt like a pilgrim last Sunday -- pilgrim in the sense of one who makes a pilgrimage. Ye Ed and Mrs. Y. E. drove up to Humble, Texas, the name sake town of the company to whom we look for paychecks. Thrift Plan contributions, retirement benefits and such. It was nearly 50 years ago (June 21, 1917) that Humble Oil & Refining Co. was incorporated. The company is an outgrowth of the Humble Oil Co., organized in January 1911, and several other small companies and interests of its directors. The name Humble descends from the oil field where the original directors were operating; the ESSO FLEET NEWS is published for the seagoing em ployees of the Marine Department, Humble Oil & Refining Co.: Joseph Andreae. General Manager: Sydney Wire. Assistant General Manager. W. E. Gardner. Editor. Contributions and suggestions are invited and should be addressed to The Editor, Esso Fleet News. Humble Oil & Refining Co., P. O. Box 1512, Houston, Texas 77001. This sort of takes you back, doesn't it? The running boards, mud guards, thermometer on the radiator cap, gas tank up forward and 4-cylinder engine you could really understand. JOSEPH R. Hendershott, AB in the Esso Lima, sent us the picture of his 1931 Model A Ford. He said, "She still runs like new but needs some more work on her. "I run it practically every day while I am home," Joe added, "and usually spend $8 to $10 for gas in a 40-day period. I paid $200 for it about 4 years ago and have been offered as high as $700 but am sav ing it for my boys." Joe lives in Cadiz, Ohio and has 13 Vi years' serv ice in the Fleet. town 17 miles NE of Houston, near the oil field, and one Pleasant Humble, a justice of the peace. It is interesting to note that $94,000 worth of the new Humble company's capital stock was "subscribed and paid for by R. L. Blaffer, Trustee, to be appropriated by him to employee stock pur chase contracts, it being the intent that faithful employees should have the privilege of purchasing limited amounts of stock at par."* `History of Humble Oil & Refining Company Original License Joseph K. Mayerhoff-- 3rd Asst Engr., 9/8/66 <--------- taffrail talk Amongst things exposed to ready criticism and forgotten praise is the mail. Thus, it's refreshing to read the comments of the wife of Third Mate Jack T. Stillman, who wrote: "I would also like to say I think the Humble mail department does a superb job of getting the mail to the ships. They certainly seem to be on the ball and I send my thanks to them." Mrs. Mary Peace, wife of First Asst. Engr. William T. Peace, was pictured in the Sept. 28 Baytown Sun holding a 37-lb. red fish she caught while surf fishing at Galveston. *** Chief Mate Bert Christensen (Esso Baltimore) recently returned to root up work after a 3-week tour of Europe, including Kobenhavn, Amster dam, London, Madrid, Toledo and Lisboa. "It has been very enjoyable." Chris said, "only hardships have been my wife's shopping sprees but at the prices -- particularly here (Madrid) -- I can't complain." Llewellyn L. Buck (Chief Steward, ret. 4/66) is a patient at a Daytona Beach hospital and, according to a note from Captain Bernard Roberts (ret. 6/63) "as he will be on the sick list for some time to come, I thought a few cards from former shipmates may help to cheer him up." Mr, Buck's home address is: Route 1, Box 584, Port Orange, Florida. About himself, Captain Roberts said, "I A little business and pleasure were mixed up together in a recent letter from 3rd Asst. Engr. James E. Fowler, ex Esso Jamestown. ----....... v " First the pleasure -- in the ice chest are 107 white perch (crap- pies) caught by Jimmie and his wife Barbara in Sam Rayburn Reser voir*, about 20 miles east of the Fowlers' home in Lufkin, Texas. Jimmie said they used cane poles and live minnows and gallantly added "my wife did most of the catching." Now the business -- the other photo shows screens and doors with locks that Jim built and installed on each side of the switchboard in the Jamestown's diesel room, as re quired by a Coast Guard inspector. "I will close now and get on with my fish fry," Jimmie concluded. * Sam Rayburn Reservoir, relatively new, was formed by a dam across the Angelina River, jim says it covers 141,000 acres and there are plenty of camp and picnic areas. >S"V3254 aaSoXKr* M8B| *; . * EXX-MOR-006443 keeping fairly well tho under a doctor's care for an ailment which so far he has not been able to diagnose." ** * Former Oiler Harry M. Glock, 3407 Wiscon sin St., Baytown, Texas 77520, would be pleased to receive a note or visit from shipmates. "All he talks about are the ships," Mrs. Glock wrote. "He did love his work." Harry has been on total disability for nearly 3 years. ** * A fairly common sight on coastwise voyages are Russian trawlers. A recent issue of the British Shipbuilding and Shipping Record tells of one Soviet ELINT (electronic intelligence trawler) that fell in behind the U. S. cruiser Newport News and stayed with her 4 days during NATO exercises off northern Norway. At times the cruiser was making 22 knots in fairly heavy weather, which indicates that the trawler must have very powerful engines, large fuel capacity and excellent sea-keeping qualities. The magazine also reported that "it took the Soviet Navy 60 hrs. to reach the exercise area whereas in the past they have often been awaiting the arrival of the NATO ships." -v - - - WORDS OF THE WISE^^i He has a right to criticize who has a heart to help. -- Abraham Lincoln SERVICE EMBLEM AWARDS 30 YEARS James A. Mercer Master May 15, 1966 John D. Hall Second Mate September 5, 1966 20 YEARS Ernest H. Gates Pumpman October 28, 1965 Jose A. Plaza Chief Steward August 27, 1966 Cleto D,, Bantang Chief Cook January 26,1963 Some people regard free enterprise as a tiger to' be shot. Others look at it as a cow they can milk. Not enough people see it as a healthy horse pulling a sturdy wragon. -- Winston Churchill Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it. -- Proverbs mmmm RECENT RETIREMENTS awswsaw Able Seaman Anjan W. Quist left the Esso Chester Sept. 28, undoubtedly smiling outwardly and inwardly at thoughts of Captain James A. Mercer's best wishes (on behalf of all hands) for "clear skies, a soft seat and good fishing," gifts from ship mates and good prospects that life (as a young annuitant) can be beautiful. Mr. Quist's prospects are indeed bright. He plans to move from White Plains, N. Y. to the shores of North Carolina, where he can have a place of his own, a boat, fresh and salt water fish ing, a small garden, peace and quiet. A bachelor, he has managed simultaneously to enjoy life (he has a Thunderbird and has seen most of the U. S.) and gain enough financial independence through the Company plans and wise investments to retire early. A U. S. Navy veteran, Mr. Quist was on north Atlantic convoy duty during most of his 3 % years of World War II service. He sailed with Mobil for a while after the War, then tried the Esso Fleet -- and stayed. His service, from Oct. 2, 1948 to his retirement, Oct. 1, totals 17 years, 8 mo. and was all as AB or DM. Messman Homer Patrick lives in New Orleans and plans to "stay put" for the fall and win ter. But come springtime, he and his wife Cora will buy a new car and do some leisurely traveling in the U. S. After that, there are 2 choices: 1. stay in New Orleans (where they own their own home and have 3 married children and 7 grandchildren) and "pick up a little job for something to do," or 2. move to Mississippi. Both Mr. and Mrs. Patrick were born and raised in Ole Miss., have relatives there and the idea of about 10 acres, a few pigs, chickens and cows might look pretty good. Mr. Patrick retired Oct. 1, at the mandatory age, with 19% years of credited service. He joined the Fleet in Dec. 1946 and except for one Wiper assignment, always sailed as Messman or Utilityman.