Evening journal., 1916-07-11
correspondence OUer Sale of T. c. dons Stock Put In Evidence

properly watch our plants, but we all /
realize that this is difhcult Of accom-
plishment and we are prepared for
some trouble in this line So far
nothing has happened TO cause un-
due alarm. There was an explosion
in the Leamoke dryhouse on the
Brandywine a few nights ago. (about
800 a. M No machinery OF any
kind in the house. which was heated
by steam, the latter having proved
hardly sufficient for proper heating,
there seems little likelihod OF acct
dental overheatng. No cause has
been assigned the explosion. but Il
seems unlikely that the trouble should
have been Of incendiary origin. as
the point of attack could have moth
ing. absolutely. to do with the war
condition. The best theory is that
the gun cotton dust on the powder
worked back into the heating-coil
which was sufficiently heated to cause
spontaneous decomposition. No one
was hurt in the accident. but quite
a little damage. such as broken win
dows, etc, occurred in the neighbor-
hood.
The Engineering Department have
responded splendidly to the heavy
calls made upon them. The first ex-
tensions have come in ahead of time
and we are now working at what
would have seemed an enormous out
put a few months ago; though It is
not nearly half Of what we expect
to do. The whole force, from one
end to the other. seems working en-
Enthusiastically and in harmony toward
obtaining the best results in the pres
ent emergency. There seems to be
no trouble in diverting men from one
department to another, or for get
ting hearty cooperation in carrying
out any work that needs attention.
Commercial business is extremely
sad, December was the worst month
for long time. l do not think the
prospects particularly bright, though
II would seem very unlikely that
business will decline further: any
change should be the other way. II
is much 20 our advantage that the
commercial end should not demand
too much attention at this time. al
though we could stand a large in
crease without much extra effort
The Moxham-Ae Explosives
Company's entrance into the gun cot
ton and possibly smokeless field gives
me. some concern, not that ] believe
they will materially interfere with
our business at this time, though I do
] believe they will give us a lot of trou-
ole in the future. However. this
part Of the problem is small COM
pared with the risk that 1 believe
MoXham is running in branching out
into a new field, when he has not yet
started to straighten out what he now
owns. 1 should be very sorry to see
him get into further financial diff
culties but L believe that he Is in
great danger Of doing that very
thing.
Now here is a very long letter
but Il gives you a look into our bust.
ness minds today. It is a large and
rapidly developing situation of grea
interest. but one where many unex
pected difficulties may arise before W,
are through with these large orders.
Looking for your continued and
rapid improvement. remain,
Your affectionate cousin.
Pierre S. DUPONT
Vice-Presiden
Coleman duPOnt's Reply.
After a few questions put 10 tn
witness about the contents OF the let
ter. Mr.. Graham read into evidenc
T. c. duPonts reply. in which ther
is a reference TO his Equitable Il
nances. The letter follows:
Rochester, MINI, 1-11-15.
Dear Pierre-I have just writer
Buss about a room and II occurs L
me the new working force may wan
more of the rooms 1 occupy. If so the,
ought TO have them and let me &
some other place in the building, /
is not important now that 1 am II
the middle Of things but 1 would lik
quarters somewhere near you. Keel
this in mind and IL you see it an ad
vantage to the company. let me know
, Your letter just received and I wa
very glad to get IT. As you see W
moved back to hotel today rathe
. sudden, but this hotel Is one-hal
hospital and I think they needed tn
. rooms. Eloi and I had at hospita
three rooms and one patient probabl
was not business.
AS to stock subscription 1 believe
= II was a good thing for the compan
-' when I made the offer and made
price that 1 thought low. but I cor
t cede that l have always placed
r higher value on the stock than other
q l did II for the good of the new CON
{ mittee but am not anxious from
n selfish standpoint to carry It out. eS
c cept for the good Of the compan
: and that is more important than pei
sonal reasons.
II you feel It a good thing fc
!, the company talk TO Willie an
i do il. If not. don't It may max
: some diff in my Equitable Financ,
J. but 1 think not that is 1 think / ca
y make some arrangement when I &,
q back that l cancelled before leavir
e so use your own judgment.
n Glad to note British govt ha
IS signed. / don't follow the Russia
n Bond cash payment argument; yc
say 5000 900 payable 1-2 BIDS sos
~ IL cash at 100 per pound due 2 /.
per cent. fund payment or alterna
70 5O,OOO,OOO 1-2 per cent at s5, ar
that a substantial sub at this tin
10 would help them Why not take II
10 1-2 cash now and the 1-2 bonds tC
Is now that would be a sale of $4,000
II 600 bonds and give them receipt f.
st interest until Powder was at the
g disposal certainly a sub of 25.00O.Ot
l. would help them more than 5000, ,OO
rs l don't think selling to Agt for a
n Allie would let us out of the law
lg IT PASSED, but shipment to Spai
'e Norway or Sweden would
D. If we accept all BIDS at SO-s5 4
D. 5000, 900 It means 20,OO0,0 900 cal
ID to make powder so we would ha'
v 70 snend the 90 or sell bds at wha