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1 i Los Angeles - April 24-, 19^5 Mr. Walter H* Braoken: You have copy of my letter April 23rd requesting approval of an amendment to Railroad Co. AFE No. 20 extending the physical limits to provide for a 2^w line down Charleston Boulevard, and Increasing the expenditure from t$5,06o to |2gg,^90 R&E. * If this meets with approval of Omaha and New York, I anticipate authority will be received around June 1st, at which time we will file an amended application to WPB for authority to perform the work and for 5-y®ar amortization of the cost. In order to obtain any consideration on the part of the War Production Board for amortization, we will have to show some reason for changing from the original plan to the present more expensive one, and I am hopeful we can show a substantial increase in employment on the Basic Magnesium premises as between February 1, 19 $$ (the date the data was compiled for previous application) and June 1st, or whatever date upon which we make the amended application. It occurs to me that, owing to impending ohanges, the payroll as of February 1st may not be available later on, so in order that we may be prepared for amended application I request that you make an effort now to find out Just how many employes were on the payroll at the Basic plant as of February 1, 19^5 • Then, as soon as authority is received, I will ask you to secure similar information as of that date, and I am hopeful that the second date will show a substantial increase. Frank Strong 1 \AJ M I APB 28 1945 ? H