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EGT '4 ask me to a v o id by sp a cin g o f the t i e s . The consequence o f th is would be th a t should the s t r in g e r sag in the c e n te r the s it u a t io n would be ju s t as bad as i t was b e fo r e the s tr u c tu r e was put in . I w ish a ls o to p o in t out th a t should the b lo c k in g s e t t l e when the ground g e t s s o f t as i t w i l l do in w et w eather or from a lea k in the p ip e , w ith the s t r in g e r s as shown in the s k etch o f n e c e s s it y la id n e a re r to the p ip e than the t i e s , #K£9b the s it u a t io n w i l l be more dangerous than b e fo r e . I am q u ite sure you would n ot re q u e s t me to put in th ese s t r in g e r s and b lo c k in g s , now th a t you a re p r o p e r ly in form ed once, more o f the c o n d itio n o f the p ip e l i n e in th e y a rd . I wish a ls o to say th a t Mr. Branson was c a r r ie d ±a on r o l l s and to a l l in te n ts and purposes w as?an employe under my o r d e rs . He l e f t h is work w ith o u t le a v e o f absence or any p e rm is sio n from me, went to you r o f f i c e and made a r e p o r t which i f tru e would show th a t I had been n e g le c t in g my duty and was incom petent and u n r e lia b le . This r e p o r t your l e t t e r shows you a c cep ted as tru e and in s tr u c te d me to r e p a ir my supposed e r r o r s and d e f ic ie n c ie s in p u ttin g in the work. I r e a l l y th in k th a t I am from a p r o fe s s io n a l, b u sin ess and departm ent s ta n d p o in t e n t i t le d to some e x p la n a tio n o f t h is m a t t e r ,and I demand th a t Mr. Branson be c o n fro n te d w ith me and my a s s is t a n t s and made e it h e r t o 'p r o v e h is a s s e r tio n s o r to make w r it t e n r e t r a c t io n o f them, as you have accused me in w r it in g o f my Supposed d e f ic ie n c ie s and th ose cf my a s s is t a n t s . I w ish i t d i s t i n c t l y understood th a t I w i l l not submit f o r one moment to any attem pt b e in g made to fa s te n upon me o r my a s s is t a n t s the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r w h atever fa ilt r . e th e re may be in the perform ance o f p ro p er work by the p ip e l i n e . I had a b s o lu t e ly n o th in g to do w ith making or r e v is in g the p la n s o f M I P t h is work, fu r n is h in g the p ip e or o th e r m a teria l^ a n d I claim , th a t e v e r y p o s s ib le e f f o r t has been made on my p a r t and th a t o f my ass i s -