Document k9rgez43bwYbOwXrknBxnJMLy

Et h y l Ga s o l in e Co r p o r a t io n Ma n u f a c t u r in g De p a r t me n t MAIL ADDRESS: BOX 688.WILMINGTON. DEL- FREIGHT ADDRESS: CARNEYS POINT. N.J. TELEPHONE: PENNS GROVE,N.J. 280. EXTEN SION 213. May 10, 1932 Dr. Robert A. Kehoe University of Cincinnati Eden Avenue Gincinnati, Ohio Dear Dr. Kehoe: Attached hereto is copy of my letter to Mr. Mittnacht under date of May 6 commenting in connection to the letter of May 3 addressed to you by the California Chemical Corpora tion, Mr. Paul A. Gross, reporting the details on the accident that they had during the washing of some loaned ethylene dibromide drums. I believe this will frankly explain the full situation to you insofar as the plant is concerned. I await your further comments. Yours very truly, . JHS:J P.S. I acknowledge with thanks receipt of your letter of May 7 on this subject. J -chaefer KZ 0017036 Et h y l Ga s o l in e Co r p o r a t io n Ma n u f a c t u r in g De p a r t me n t DEEPWATER PLANT Is t e k -Of imc e COJEt-RKSPOiTIX-K yc E Memorandum: Mr. A. E. Mittnacht PJEA'XS GROYK, N. j . iusy 6, 1932 Thanks very much for your copy of letter to Sam Wagner on the subject of the trouble reported on the empty ethylene dibromide drums v?e shipped to the California Chemical Corporation For your information, I am attaching hereto copy of letter received today addressed to Dr. kehoe and written by Mr. cross of the California Chemical Corporation. In all my experience here at the plant, I do not believe I have ever received a letter which has upset me as much as this one. There\is absolutely no doubt that the responsibility for this mishap\was directly on this Depart ment. There is ncm no question in my-Biindv'but that the drum con tained residual ETHYL Fluid. I had a meeting this morning-with all of our men connected with the blender and advised them~-.of\the seriousness of the whole case. The mere fact that the man'-is./apparently out of danger has but little bearing on the situation as that was a matter entirely beyond our control, i told the men^that this was a pure and simple case of lack or supervision on their part and their work and that I felt that some(~substantial reprimand was due each of them who had in his worl^ someNresponsibility;.'for this occurring. I have not yet decided t&exnaturel of this, but at the present time feel that they deserve sectething xaore than a mere verbal reprimand. It is, of cmrse,perfectly possible that the drum had been washed before being%placed at the storage pile or empty P.I.C. drums; the men feel ''thjrt; jthis was the case, but of course, tnere is no positive proof ^o;jLt. Now, if a drum'had been washed, as you know, it would still contain certain vapors from the ETHYL Fluids The method of washing drums containing poisons, either ETHYL Fluid or ethylene dibromide, as used by the California Chemical Corporation is certainly not beyond reproach, but that is neither here nor there as far as our own particular participa tion in this accident is concerned. JHS:J J. H. Schaefer KE 0017037 N20945.01