James R. Harris letter to J. Barraja Frauenfelder - November 15, 1918
Transcript
off Sunday Lake [November] 15, 1918 Mr. J. Barraja Frauenfelder, The Lake Torpedo Boat Company, Bridgeport, [Connecticut] My dear Mr. Frauenfelder: On [November] 10th I sent you the following telegram from Atlantic City: - "Kindly send at once to St. Louis copy of new wages schedule for ship yards. Also copy of letter sent Rotter regarding changes in specifications for new contracts. stop. I will be in St. Louis Wednesday." Upon my return to St. Louis I received your telegram of [November] 13th as follows: - "Refer your wire from Atlantic City. Sending new wage schedule today letter regarding changes specifications sent to St. Louis by mistake instead of Milwaukee." This morning I received your letter of [November] 13th, your file 58-65-301-1, and also the printed copy of extracts regarding wages and hours and which you enclosed with your letter. I greatly appreciate your sending the only copy of the wages schedule which you have and as you have not asked for its return, I presume you will be able to get another and that I may retain the one you sent. It will not be necessary for me to obtain the original decision of the Shipbuilding Labor Adjustment Board, the printed copy you sent me being sufficient for my purposes. I note that by mistake the letter covering the changes in specifications for the new contract was sent to St. Louis instead of to Milwaukee, but no harm has been done as we received a copy of the letter from Commander Shane prior to receipt of the copy you sent us, and Mr. Hawks had already forwarded copy to Mr. Rotter at Milwaukee. It was my understanding that you were to be in St. Louis next Monday to discuss with Mr. Rotter and Mr. Hawks the purposed changes in the specifications for the new contract and I had requested Mr. Rotter to be here and in order to make sure that you would also be present, I send you the following telegram this morning:-
Transcript
[page 2] "Arranged for Rotter to be here Monday -Will you be here," and have just received your reply as follows: - "Will be St. Louis Monday." It is very necessary that the specifications for the new engines be settled at the very earliest possible moment as we have received a great many castings for the new engines and we cannot get out our shop specifications and commence work until the engine requirements are definitely decided upon. I feel therefore that after conference in St. Louis it would be greatly to our mutual interest if you and Mr. Rotter proceed directly to Washington with a view of getting all pending matters settled. While I asked you to send the Bureau's letter regarding proposed changes in specifications direct to Mr. Rotter at Milwaukee so that he might have time to look over same before your arrival in St. Louis, you, of course, understand that all future communications in connection with our Company's business should be sent directly to our St. Louis office. With kindest regards and thanking you for the courtesies extended to Mrs. Harris, Ruth and me when in Bridgeport recently, I remain Yours very truly, 1st V.P. & Gen. Mgr. JRH-C
Details
| Title | James R. Harris letter to J. Barraja Frauenfelder - November 15, 1918 |
| Creator | Harris, James R. |
| Source | Harris, James R. Letter to J. Barraja Frauenfelder. 15 November 1918. Busch-Sulzer Collection. Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin. |
| Description | Letter from James R. Harris, Vice President and General Manager of the Busch-Sulzer Brothers Diesel Engine Company, to J. Barraja Frauenfelder of The Lake Torpedo Boat Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Harris inquired if Frauenfelder would be in St. Louis soon for a meeting with Max Rotter, Vice President of Engineering for the Busch-Sulzer Brothers Diesel Engine Company. He also discussed the necessity of settling on the specifications for new engines being manufactured for production to continue. |
| Subject LCSH | Diesel engine; Submarine boats; Busch-Sulzer brothers Diesel engine company; The Lake Torpedo Boat Company |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Contributing Institution | Wisconsin Historical Society |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the Wisconsin Historical Society: 608-264-6535 |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. |
| Date Original | November 15, 1918 |
| Language | English |