Document wDpKBoaDO7mrgJv9kZp7e5XqD

Hr. Dearden Hr. I.'core (Personal} *,wi..s V j. j* W; J*WlX> lean in:-; ran -<0* I-Iorfolk fhila ;UX>: ST 2-17-40 /1th reference So your letter of the 15th, under the abov3 subject, X show ijselow a report covering this, which X believe is com plete in detail. I Our records agi'e with yours in that he was colored, ago 32 ana resided at 1001 Culpepper S. t., So.u.th_ Norfolk* He was married about 13 or 14 years ag o, though hi3 wife deserted him in 1930 and her wheroabout3 at present aro unknown. IIs lived with his mother who claims that si.is was depe ndent on him for support, though the claim of support would be questionable since he has four brothers all working, also a 'carried sister an . they all contribute to the general support of the family, You will note from the attached report showing moneys paid by us to him that it would be impossible for -Mia to contribute $10.00 t o 515GO a wee*kr- (towards his mother's support unless he had other income which I Jojubt very much. X should mention he has never been a regular employed, working only on the unloading of tankers and occasionally cleaning up about the plant. he signed tip on lj-1-40 for the 'unloading of the b. g. oulftido, signing the usual mimsogrkphed contract of employment we use for this purpose. On 1-2-40, he was leaned to the Construction department for general laboring work with a change of rate shorn on our payroll. This employee first v/ont into $JL1 tank on the morning of the 30th of January with several others to!handle the fire hos in washing down. &&.was also in the tank the following day and on 2-1-40 was in Wakefield with Schumacher and Dlackv/o 11 eleaning-thelr kerosene tank. He worked with the Construction ^apartment crew on 2-2-40 and 2-5-40 at general labor and wa3 laid off on the 5th. During this time, no one having contact with him noticed anything unusual or erratic. On the afternoon Of 2-10, some one called this office end stated that he was ill and he was advised to see Dr. `woods, which he did at 7:00 o'clock that evoni ng. Dr* Woods treated him and sent him home and visited him the fc 11owing morning at which time his condition had become so serious that he was sent to r>t. Vincents Hospital. This man died on the morning of 2-15-40. - Your records agree with ours in that is 37 year3 oi age, colored and resides at 945 Middlesex St., ilerkiey, Korfolk, Va. He is not married and the only possible dependent lie could have would be his mother and pur information shows that he contributes to her support though that is questionable since his mother has remarried and her husband isj working An older brother is living with hla mother with three small children and it is possible that he might b contri buting to the support of these children rather than his'hiotlier -which Hr. Hrarden i.r, Ho ore Norfolk Phila. 2-17-40 ila v.'a3 employed by us on. 1-1-40 for the unloading of the S. $, Gulftido and loaned to the Construct ion Department on 1-2-40 for general labor v;ork with a change of rate shown on our payroll. As in the case of Olds, this employee first want into #11 tank on the morning of the 30th of January with several others to handle the fire hose in washing down. He was also in the tank the following day. H remained in our "employee until 2-8-40 finishing, tip work in the tank field and pump house when he was paid off. His actions and conduct subsequent to his being in #11 tank and during this period were normal until he reported to Dr. Hoods at 10:30 a.m. 2-10-40 when he was treated and sent to dt. Vincents hospital. H is still in the hospital seriously ill and any prognosis will be uncertain for several days, though I understand ho la this morning rational. With reference to the facta surrounding the cleaning of - T ank pH, the following is cased on my questioning the construction group and pers onal observations made whiid they mvQ doing' this job. `diOSC show tha t fank -#L1 was steamed from 4:00 p.m* 1-25-40 until 3 *30 a.n. 1-22 -40. 1'his was opened for cooling and about 5:00 p.m. 1-29-40, ?. v;. Schumacher, properly quipped, with A. D. Blackwell handling the a ir pump, went into tbs tank for an inspection and to shovel out the sludge . He shove^^th^3ludgethrou|dxt^ manhole while his a,crow con3i3tin whit and colored, were digging a pit approxi- natoly 60* T rylng the sludge. Late tlxis same afternoon, this crew washed down the tank with the fire hod e, pumping the residue into the pit that had been prepared. These men, I know from personal observation, were equipped with boots, rainCoats and hats and were wearing leather-palmed, canvas 'work gloves. The sludge removed from the tank remained outside the mardiole over nxyfht and was carried in shovels to the pit the follow- ing afternoon we re it was covex*ed over, fhese men were wearing approximatoly the same clothing they had had on the previous day. made Work in this connection and the necessary pipe changes were 2*2-40, at which time the tank was closed and ready for service `resigned on 2-2, Olds laid off 2-4, v/hite, Williford and kept for additional work and laid offj the 8th. Lth 'ofersneo to the sixth paragraph of your letter, only _____wore the gas mask while in the tank for cleaning the. 'sludge, but no ono wore masks for washing down, 4HWB* having assumed probably that they were unnecessary after the steaming and his 1 laving remove d the sludge. . In conn oction with your last paragraph,. .Mr, MBI notified me ho was ready t o clean fill tank.about 1-22-40 and I asked him if : H E 0021027 t Mr. Bearden Hr. Moor Norfolk Phi la. 2-17-40 -3- he load the proper equipment and knew that The Ethyl Corporation must be notified and he advised that he understood the procedure and would take care o. it, though he apparently forgot as there is no record of their ha.vin& been notified. Messrs Lewis and Cole and Dr. Hackle of The Ethyl Corporation arrived on the 15th and nation, he found that were in a satisfa story condition. were suffering from a mild degree, from ng. Dr. Ma^hle states that to what extent lead has contributed to their condition will be established more completely after analysis of the various samples taken during the tests. He has advised in this connection that we employ the last three mentioned men about the terminal for at least a week so that we may note anything unusual or abnormal in their behavior. I believe this covered the incident in detail, but if there are,, however, any!points which I have overlooked, I can dig them up if you will advise me. I understand Mr. Alveraon of the Travelers In surance Company ha3 forwarded you a full report covering H. Olds and T. Jordan. Dr. Machle has requested that I give him a copy of this letter to you and since they are as interested and concerned in this as The Gulf Corporation and have cooperated 100$ with us on t$js, I assume that it wll~1 bo satisfactory to do so unless you advise me by phone a3 early as possible Monday. P. S. The viscera and brain * 'understand, has been sent to Richmond for some necessary test^^wnich will, we hope, determine the exact reason f"or his death. We expect a x^eport concerning this some time during next week. 0021028 \ WIHTD received from H. G. Southworth of Gulf Oil Corp., Pittsburgh, Pa. 2/14/40 Hegret to adyise death one temporary employee and serious illness of second, temporary employee, both colored, at our Norfolk Virginia ter minal Stop Travelers Insurance Company Panel physician Dr. Wood at Norfolk reports symptoms of lead, poisoning in both cases Stop Work of cleaning No-Nox Sthyl tank completed. February fifth and, death reported yesterday Stop Will follow with additional information when received.. Bxcerpt from (Jack Cole's weekly letter of April 22, 1939* Mr. Whitmarsh! of Gulf advised that all of their tank cleaning was handled by Mr|. E. P. Moore, Asst. Division Mgr. in their Philadelphia office. Mr. Brooke Shehan the Agent of their Baltimore Terminal ad vised that in! July 1937 they had noth an Sthyl and a "Q," tank cleaned at this terminal. According to my records I have no record of ever receiving a notice on this and I do not believe it was supervised by anyone from this office. I believe it would be a good plan to have Jim Baldwin of the N.Y. Division contact Mr. Moore and see if they anticipate any cleaning in this division this year. In the Northern part of this division Gulf has 52 hulk plants. Excerpt from Jack Cole's weekly letter of April 29, 1939* Gulf Oil Corp.|, Norfolk Terminal, Norfolk, 7a. - Mr. Beardon the Supt. of this terminal was contacted regarding their tank cleaning schedule. Ke ^.dvised that they had cleaned no tanks since we were last notified and at present anticipated no cleaning in the near future. He alo advised, that he had an ample supply of notification cards on hand ind. tha.t we would, be duly notified when same occurred. 0021029 N 24460.01