May–December 1954

June 1, 1954Mr. Peter Abrams, President Williams, Brown and Earle, Inc. 618 Chestnut Street Philadelphia 7

Dear Mr. Abrams:

On June 12, 1953 we placed an order with you for a number of items to be used on an expedition in Cyprus. Among them was an order for drawing paper, which was ordered under University of Pennsylvania purchase order #39225, Requisition #903, as follows:

1 roll of squared millimetre paper, "should be tested for accuracy horizontally and vertically over at least 80 cm." #303G (Billed by you June 30, 1953 in the amount of $12.[handwritten: illegible])

This order was placed after I had a telephone conversation with your order department in which I was assured that the above paper would be completely accurate.

It apparently was not accurate as you will see from the following quotation from a letter from our representative in Cyprus:

"Think it might be well to register a complaint about one of the rolls of drawing paper (Keuffel & Esser Co., #303G, Standard cross-section drawing paper). This is ruled in centimetre squares, as specified, but is too inaccurate to use in careful drawings. Widthwise of the roll the squares are off two millimetres in every 30 centimetres. No good to man or beast."

You can perhaps understand the difficulties a mistake in an order can cause to an expedition with limited equipment. We would greatly appreciate it if your order department would be more careful about the accuracy of your merchandise, or that of the companies who supply you with certain items, especially when we specify the need for accuracy in our orders.

Sincerely yours,

Handwritten: signature

Mrs. Richard Albany Administrative Assistant

Handwritten: check mark