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Erie, Pa.
Monday, May 8, 1939
Arose at 5:30 AM and caught the 6:28 AM train for Cleveland. Dave Buttles of Cummins Engine was at the office when I got there, and presently Martignone and Hoddy appeared. We repaired to Republic Steel for a session on the locomotive proposition for Cleveland, most of which concerned the Cummins engine at 1800 RPM and Buttles did an A-1 job. I do so little of that sort of work that I never feel very sure of myself although I think I did a fair job on our end of it. Larsen, the Chief Engineer was rather ominous and mostly I think because he doesn't know much about locomotives. Tull, the District engineer, whom Martignone got the job years ago when Tull was with G.E., is a former North Carolina man, mild but keen and very pleasant. Seidell, the head maintainer, was rather critical at first (because he wants more Electro-Motives, two of which he now has) but he warmed up later and I think we made some progress. They aren't ready to buy yet but later when business picks up.

Spent afternoon at the office. Martignone had got the idea (probably from Gantt) that we blamed him for losing the Buffalo order to Plymouth. I was careful not to give Gantt that impression when he was in Erie (or so I thought) but it taught me again to curb criticism to the bone - "speak ill of no man; speak the best you know of every man."