Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1944 [PAGE 316]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

19431

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

313

This decision establishes the right of the Board of Trustees to request the return of all papers relating to the H a r r y G. and Harriette A. Wright estates, and to institute whatever steps may be necessary to protect the public interests in these estates. T h e University Counsel should, therefore, be instructed and authorized to make request for such papers at the Attorney General's Office.

On motion of Mr. Nickell, the University Counsel was instructed to request the return by the Attorney General of all papers relating to the Harry G. and Harriette A. Wright estates; and Mr. Davis, Dr. Luken, and Dr. Meyer were appointed a special committee to secure all the facts in this case and to make a recommendation to the Board.

ADJUSTMENT IN FREIGHT RATES PAID BY THE UNIVERSITY (24) The Business Office has placed before the University Counsel information on what appears to be discrimination in freight rates charged the University by certain carriers. Removal of these discriminatory charges would result in an annual saving to the University of approximately $4,000. T h e railroad carriers involved are the Chicago and Eastern Illinois, the Illinois Central, the Illinois Terminal System, the New York Central, and the Wabash. The Purchasing Agent has requested that proper proceedings be commenced before the Illinois Commerce Commission to correct the situation. I recommend that the University Counsel be authorized to institute and carry on the necessary proceedings. O n m o t i o n of D r . M e y e r , t h i s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n w a s a p p r o v e d . LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR PROFESSOR W . L. SUMMERS (25) Professor W . L. Summers of the College of Law has requested a leave of absence for the duration of the war to accept a position as Assistant to the Chief Counsel in the Petroleum Administration for War, United States Department of the Interior. Professor Summers is the leading authority on the law of oil and gas in the United States, and his services have been requested by the Petroleum Administrator. The reduced enrollment in the College of Law makes the release of Professor Summers a convenience to the University as well as a service to the Federal Government. The Dean of the College recommends that Professor Summers be released on May 1, and that he be given leave with full pay for the balance of the academic year 1942-1943 or until September 1, 1943, because by May 1 he will have finished substantially all of the work required of him under his University contract and his services to the Federal Government will involve a financial sacrifice because of the difference between the salary he will receive and his University salary. Whatever leave he receives after September 1 will be without pay. I concur in this recommendation. O n m o t i o n of M r . K a r r a k e r , t h i s l e a v e w a s g r a n t e d a s r e c o m mended. FELLOWS FURNACE PATENT (26) The University of Illinois Foundation holds patent No. 2,295,781 on a small warm-air furnace suitable for use in small houses, assigned by Professor J. R. Fellows of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. This is a coal burner device developed by Professor Fellows on his own time and at his own expense. H e assigned the patent to the Foundation as a contribution to that organization. In working on this device it became necessary for Professor Fellows to develop a different type of supporting structure for the baffle wall from the one shown in the specifications for this patent. H e conceived the idea of using a series of wide, double-slotted fire brick to form the baffle wall, the second air passage, and the combustion chamber. This required specially shaped bricks which can be made by the dry-press process used for making standard fire brick shapes. These bricks are placed perpendicular to the rear wall of the furnace, and the construction divides the combustion chamber into a number of small