Ordo Weekly Activity Report for Week Ending February 20, 1948

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2. CLASSIFICATION CHANGED TO: Approximately f i v e carloads of equipment have been received a t the site for the base sheet nanufacture line in Building K-1037. The electrical switch gear is now being installed in the sub-station for The coal receipts f o r the week ending February 15 vmre 12,503 tons; the coal consumption f o r the week was 16,723 tons. a 118 day stockpile of coal f o r two-boiler operation and a 88 day stocLpile of coal f o r three-boiler operation, Radiochemical Laboratory Design Kernorandm No. 1 has been issued describing plans for the constructiorr of a hot laboratory a t K-25 i n connection with work t o be done on the Hanf'ord Ylaste Recovery problem. The group track tests on closer J-G gaps with L shaped anodes mre continued f o r the second week. week's runs show poorer performance than those of l a s t week; however, indivi dual statistics for two runs remained comparable. Computed averages for this -0 corporate the most desirable features of the X-8a u n i t . It i s anticipated Rvo new Beta 4-5 units are being assembled. units Were designed by the contractorrs Engineering Departnont. that these units will be ready for operation sometime i n the latter part A new 1-J variable radius unit is also being assembled which will be 'used i n the magnetic field studies oonducted i n Beta track 6. An experinent, using fluorine gas Wsh t o recover normal showing pra is in guranium material from a copper standard 11-12 %ta unit, believed t h a t more complete recovery can be obtained with the re-design of several Beta unit parts t o permit better circulation of the gas. In the latest test 90% of the material tms reco$ered and it is

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The collection of the two isotopes o f Indium, In 113 (4,s$) and In 115 (95.5%) vms continued i n XAX for the entire week and i n XB X for the first five days o f the week. and accelerating voltages were identical i n both tanks, field and the beam radii were the only parameter which were inherently dif - ferent. The output as measured by total beam received was roughly twice as great i n tho XRX tanks as i n the XAX tanks, The charge material, source units, It should be noted that the Ki. @.idrain ratio is greater i n XAX (48'l radius) than i n XBX (24" radius). This indicates that the attenuation o f the F beammay be a function of the length of the path it travels. Results similar t o these have been noted i n the Uranium program. This suggests that greater output might be received with some units of The collection of the six isotopes of calcium began in both X X tanks on February 15. the Stable Isotope program t o date. factor i ly producing total beam strengths o f 53 and 108 ma. i n two runs of 18 and 33 hours innage. This i s the third series of calcium runs i n Calcium metal has performed satis - 3. CLIXTON XATIONAL UBORATORY (X-10) Tine present agreement under which the customer receives There aro approximately 180 0utst;anding radioisotopes protects the Nonsanto Chemical Company from s u i t s arising from improper use of the isotopes. orders for radioisotopes acoepted by Uonsmto- whioh will be shipped by the new contractor, Carbide and Carbon Chemicals Corporation. customer agreement form is being prepared by the Isotope Division but may not be i n operation before Eiarch 1. Carbide and they may operate f o r two o r three weeks under the rgreement forms which ham been previously signed f o r hlonsanto. The situation has been explained t o The Ekreau o f I:ines has refused a contract for $lO,OOO with Oak Ridge National Laboratory f o r research on zirconium, preferring t o have one principal contract with A,E.-C. Washington t o cover requests from meantime the Bureau will fulfill the zirconium roquirements of this Such a contract will be negotiated and in the 6 laborat o r y. First reports from North American Aviation, Inc., concerning their nuclear research, have been received and made available t o the fi y sics Department of this laboratory. The Biology Department of the laboratory i s planning a About 100 guests aregeneral information meeting f o r February 25 t o 26. expected. Subjects t o be covered are of general nature i n biology and medicine.

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The Kellex Coq oration plan,. to finish their completion reports on various projects z1,ou.t IIzrch 1. Romn 229 "T" Bd l ding turned over t o Monsanto February 19, I.This is the f'irst"'T" k il ding rooz! officially transferred. son nel will use this stock rom for preparation of p urch med equi2ment requ.ired for dry box in sk ell at ions. an early date, Additional room xi11 be coniplcted a t Received teletype February 13 fron Kre %, A. IIo ritz, to our request of J z nun ry 6; he advised that the tyro 4C,OOO Lrva transin mtc ly Pin;. 1. It is antic ipa bed that the Personnel 3ra.nch training section Tir ill in the near future, assuze there s ~ on sibi lit yof giving kmual rcr.ort for the i ht ional Traffic Safety Contest for the city of Oak Ridge coiz2lztod o n 7CbXz.rjT 16, c-nd for-Cmrded t o the Vat iom l Sa2et;. Council. This repork vi11 bo used 4y tho ; ; at iom l Safety Council in 5udg:ng Oak Ridze on am tio ml conpe-titive basis ir it li other cities in the Vnited States subr,itting similar reports. Ne got ict ions are conti nu in s 1:rith S!:idnorc, &rings & ::errill t o ai;;eild their -43 contract for the do sign and inspection of zt ii a j or portion or the nevJ oonstrv.ction program d for the 17l- l9aS. sent Skidinore, Ovrings 2i kr rill contract ?rovides Tor reirnburscible cost including fee of about $9Oo,OOO. aniendlxilt will further increase these costs It i s con%ex?la';ed tinat the 2roposed about $1,800,009 includin; foe.

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met with W. C. Rot hemel, Chief of the Deparhnent of Administration and other menbers of this department, for informal discussions regarding the financial phases of the reports submitted by Lyrnan S. Noore, Consultant ; and Touche, Niven, Bailey & Smart, Certified Public Accountants. The ,Office of the Assistant General Counsel has comple ted a proposed amendment to the Stuart Oxygen Company contract which will permit distribution of deuterium gas by that company directly to projects under the juris dic timi of the AEC. will be authorized by the Isotopes Division. D is tri3uti on to project facilities Switzerland was approved by the State Department February 12 t o receive shipments of radioisotopes. Dr. Earl Hiller, of the University of California Medical School, visited this office to discuss problems associated with thz measurement and therapeutic use of Iodine 131. Dr.N iller also has opportunity to discuss measurement of Iodine 131 with the Clinton National Laboratory 9. SERVICE AND SUPPLY DIVISIOX Shipping instructions received from WAI? this month t o A et u al shipments this month to date - $422,650. 200 trailers sold at VU sale on February 12. Second WAA tentatively plans s nle sale offering 160 trailers in progress today with approximately 500 veterans of balance of approximately 175 trailers on Lhrch 4, WAA antic ipn tes all will bo sold. WAA snle of office furniture and equipment scheduled Shipment of three oar loads of surplus bolts,nuts, screws and washers coa plot ed this week. *on temporary stop order received from WM. to obtain clearance for com;,letion of ship err t. Fourth and final car being loaded Washington Office requested

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A complaint was registered by the Dayton Office concerning the manner i n which shipments from Hanf'ord t o Da-fion are being handled by A i r Transport Command. delays a t sto2over points apparently for the convenience of the pilots and crew and extraordim-ry delays i n permitting unloading after arrival, The latter situation apparently arises because of extremely low priority afforded these shipnents compared with regular f i e l d business. The Hanford Office d c e s the arrangenents for those movements and the matter i s being taken up with them. Principal difficulties have been unusual Security of information aspects w i l l probably be under stress during the trial in 7ederal Court in box ville, Tennessee, on February 20 as a result of testimony t o be presented i n the case of Edward of classified project information from disclosure at trial proceedings have been instituted. Keasures t o insure protection Five aircraft were sighted flyin2 over the area a t an altitude too high t o be identified. Kembers of the press, representing the KNOXVILLX JO-ITZNAL m4P*& visited this office and obtained information upon which t o base a feature dory on the Oak Ridge Area Protection Branch t o appear in that newspaper i n the near future. A meeting was held on February 13 a t X-IO between menbers of t h i s division and the Nonsanto Chemical Company a t which kime emergency plans for that instal1ai;ion were discussed and suggestions made for the revision of the present plans, On February 12 a meeting was held i n the office o f D r . Shields Warren; Interim Director of the Division of Biology and Kedicine, Dr. Lucius A. Salisbury i n attendance. National Laboratories, the Cancer Research Program a t the Oak Ridge Hospital, and the Radioisotope Tracer Technique School a t the Oak Ridge Institute were the main subjects o f discussion. The Biology Program a t Clinton On February 17 a meeting rms held a t the Oak Ridge Hospital t o review the physical facilities which will bo used for thc clinical research program for cancer. turned over t o the Engineering Section of tho City Management Division for final details and completion. The design and sketches have now beon This offico has boen notified that hliss Wilma E. Branch 'formerly employed a t the Decatur, Illinois, plant, died approximately one week ago. EIedioal follow-up of this case i s under way.

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trial Hygienist, has been assigned t o the Oak Ridge Area for approximately one year of training i n industrial hygiene and its application to radio - active and health-phys ics problems. Er. Richard T, Page of the U. S. Public Health Service visited this office on February 19 and 20, 12e BUDGET DIVISI OX All budgets from the various offices and divisions have been received although some vere delinquent. Summary figures were compiled and reviewed t o the extent t h a t the time limits established by the Washingreductions i n requests were effected. S~unmaryfigures were transmitted t o Washington f o r the 1948 and '49 budgets on February 16. were supplied t o the lashin@on Office on February 13 t o be used i n the per instructions by Vashington, on the original $183,000,000 budget for office, that the Commission had now decided t o use the latest estimates on the basis of revised programs t o support the supplemental 1948 request. This called fora major revision; the figures Seing supplied t o 7i7ashi;~ton by telephone within three hours a f t e r tho request had boon received, branch i s continuing t o work a t top speed i n preparation of the complete budget document for O-mO, which i s due i n Vashington by February 27. workload i n the branch i s tremendous and i s augmented by the fact that even cursory review of justification material submitted by the various divisions reveals numerous vreaknesses. A s a result, conferences have beon held with major divisions i n which these weaknesses were pointed o u t and assistance w a s provided. As a result of this very cursory review, several justification for the supplemental 1948 request. These figures were based, +z& Information vas received on January 17, by telephone from Fie & errs a. Clinton National Labomtory * - legotiations between Carbide and AFL were continued a t h i s week on February 16, 18, and 19, Contractor i s offering vmgc increases only t o the lovmr paid groups t o bring them up t o the K-25 area rates. and hopes t o substitute its disability pay plan and group health and accident insurance i n lieu of tho cxtremely pm rous sick leavo pol-icy that has alrmys been i n effect a t the Laboratory. bidets mandatory retirenent age of sixty-five, which would lead -to a layoff of thirteen individuals and vacations tractor and union are working against the deadline of 3hrch 1. negotiations Nil1 be crucial, Conflict has developed over Caralready approved undzr the Monsanto Vacations for the first two years under Monsanto plan are more gonerCarbide expects t o give i n on these two items. Con-

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tive Xitchcock feels strongly that the Firefighters' Union will not settle f o r the contractor's offer of an increase i n monthly earnings of $17.45, but will expect a pension and greater vacation benefits because Roane-Anderson has already given these benefits t o the maintenance employces. In most municipalities firemen and polioe receive retirement and more generous vacation benefits long before other municipal employees. It I s proposed . %o reorganize benefit plans o f the Police Department by granting pension benefits; if pension benefits a r e not givento the Fire Department a serious drop i n morale and possibly more serious consequences may develop, The Electriciansf Business Agent met with the contractor on alleged violations o f an agreement reached with the union l a s t summer on construction line work. The union w i l l not furnish construction men direct to the contractor,therefore the contractor has taken bids on a purchase order to ge-i; construction electricians and linemen through an electrical subcontractor, He will probably do the saEe thing for plumbers and fitters.4 meeting will be held with the representatives of the box - vifle Building Trades Council Bebruary 28 to settle the issue on construc-