Gilmore Co.

Mr. Jenner. Is that a Dallas concern?

Mr. Raigorodsky. No; that was a California concern, specializing in the building of gasoline plants and refineries. Then, I worked for Newton Process Manufacturing Co. and for Signal Oil and Gas Co.—just, that is, progressive—you see, it was going from one to another, getting higher pay and things like that, and then in 1928 the Newton Process Manufacturing Co. was sold out and three of us, I was at that time chief process engineer, and the other man was chief construction engineer, and the third one was chief operational engineer—we organized a company called Engineering Research and Equipment Co., and we started to build gasoline plants and refineries. Then, I was sent to Dallas because our business was good—I was sent to Dallas.

Mr. Jenner. Your business was growing?

Mr. Raigorodsky. Oh, yes; growing. I was sent to Dallas and I organized an office here. Then, we moved the company from Dallas and made the Los Angeles office a branch office. Then, I went to Tulsa and opened an office of our company there, and that way we were building lots of plants in Louisiana, in Texas, in Oklahoma. Then, I sold out my third in 1929. It was a good time to sell out, and I organized the Petroleum Engineering Co., which company I have had ever since, until just now—it is inoperative.

Then, I continued to—I opened an office in Houston and continued to build gasoline plants and refineries under the name of Petroleum Engineering Co. and built about 250 of them all over the world and in the United States—lots of them—even in Russia, though I never went there, we had a protocol (I believe No. 4), under which we were supposed to have given them some refineries and gasoline plants—you know the "chickens and the eggs" situation. The fact is I had an order from the Treasury Department and one of them was sunk. Maybe this should be off the record?

(Discussion between Counsel Jenner and the witness off the record at this point.)

Mr. Raigorodsky. Let's see, now, Pearl Harbor was in 1939?

Mr. Jenner. 1941; December of 1941.

Mr. Raigorodsky. 1941?

Mr. Davis. 1941.

Mr. Jenner. December 8th.

Mr. Davis. The war started in 1939.

Mr. Raigorodsky. Yes.

Mr. Jenner. The Germans invaded Poland in September 1939.

Mr. Raigorodsky. Already then we had the War Production Board, though to begin with it was the Defense Board, and then War Production Board, but I was asked to come to Washington. Now, let's see, which year was it? Probably 1941—before the war.

Mr. Jenner. Before the war with Japan, you mean?

Mr. Raigorodsky. Before Pearl Harbor.

Mr. Jenner. All right.

Mr. Raigorodsky. I was asked to come to Washington to organize the Department of Natural Gas and Natural Gasoline Industries for the United States, which I did, and then I had to open—I worked under DeGolyer. I organized the Department from nothing until I had five offices. We had districts in California and Tulsa and Chicago, Houston and New York, and then in 1943 I resigned, and in the meantime I got ulcer, you know, working like you do, until 11:30 nights, so in 1943 I resigned and came back to my business.

Mr. Jenner. Here in Dallas?

Mr. Raigorodsky. No, in Houston. At that time I officed in Houston. By the way, while I was building plants for others, I also built plants for myself for the production of motor fuel, L.P.G. and other pipeline products, and the first plant was built in 1936—the Glen Rose Gasoline Co. The second one was built in 1943—the Claiborne Gasoline Co. Then, I lived in Houston until about 1949 or 1950 and I got sick with my back. You know, I have a very bad back. They wanted to operate on me there but Jake Hamon here, a friend of mine, told me that he wouldn't speak to me unless I come to Dallas, so believe or not, they brought me to Dallas.

That's very interesting what I am going to tell you—in an ambulance from Houston—and there was a Dr. Paul Williams—he told me that without operation he would put me on my feet. I never went back to Houston, even to close my apartment or to close my office, but I moved my apartment and my offices here to Dallas and I offered people that worked with me, that I would pay them for whatever loss they had, because in selling their houses and moving here, lock, stock and barrel, I never went back. I was so mad, and I have lived here ever since with one exception. I believe it was in 1952—in 1952 I was asked by—you know General Anderson, by any chance?

Mr. Jenner. No.

Mr. Raigorodsky. He was what we call—there was an organization in Europe called SRE, Special Representatives to Europe. There was an Ambassador Draper at the head of it, and Ambassador Anderson is a Deputy, and in 1952 Ambassador Anderson asked me to come to Europe and help them with production, so I went to Europe to improve the production of tanks, planes, ammunition, et cetera for all the NATO countries.

I was Deputy Director of Production. Now, I think I was getting along all right and again I got sick in my neck this time, so they flew me—they flew me to Johns Hopkins and found out that I had bad neck. By the way, I'm not supposed to have this, but here is my card.

(Handed instrument to Counsel Jenner.)

I left in such a hurry, they flew me under such pain, that I didn't return anything, and I had to start to destroy most of the things, and I didn't destroy this one. I stayed there for several months and then I came back here and I have been here ever since, living here, going to different places, going to Europe and I made trips to Europe, Tahiti, Jamaica, and finally bought a plantation in Jamaica together with some other friends here and we organized a club called Tryall, T-r-y-a-l-l [spelling] Golf Club, and I go there every year now. That's about all. My wife divorced me in 1943 for the primary reason that I wouldn't retire. I have two daughters, one is Mrs. Harry Bridges. That has nothing to do with the——

Mr. Jenner. With the Longshoremen?

Mr. Raigorodsky. That has nothing to do with the Longshoremen. And off the record now.

(Discussion between Counsel Jenner and the witness off the record.)

Mr. Raigorodsky. In fact, I just came from the wedding. That's the second marriage. Then, I have another daughter—maybe you know my son-in-law, Howard Norris?

Mr. Davis. Where is he—in Washington?

Mr. Raigorodsky. Howard Lee Norris, he graduated, I think, in 1951 or 1952.

Mr. Davis. No, I don't think so. What business is he in?

Mr. Raigorodsky. Lawyer of the University of Texas.

Mr. Davis. No, I don't think so.

Mr. Raigorodsky. I am very proud of that. That's my child.

(At this point the witness exhibited wedding pictures to Counsel Jenner.)

Mr. Jenner. This is your daughter on the left?

Mr. Raigorodsky. Yes. And, I will answer anything else you want to now.

Mr. Jenner. All right. While living in the Dallas area, and I