Six Companies

"Kaiser also learned that Ickes was a tenacious watchdog over his department’s expenditures. The Interior chief was convinced that Six Companies wasted money on overtime, performed in other than “emergency” situations. As Six Companies’ work wound down in the summer of 1935, Ickes counted more than seventy thousand separate violations of the letter of the contract and authorized a payroll audit. Ickes suspected no criminal intent but was a stickler for detail. He was irritated by Six Companies’ casual interpretation of the rules, and he considered a $ 350,000 fine. 52 Rather than challenge Ickes’ charges directly, Kaiser devised a masterful response. Several weeks later, as the dam superstructure neared completion, Kaiser arranged for publication of a handsome illustrated booklet, So Hoover Was Built, by Six Companies publicist George Pettit. Copies of the booklet were to be mailed to influential opinion-makers across the country, thus presenting the Six Companies’ perspective before any headline-seeking investigations or negative assessments could surface. In keeping with his determination not to alienate Ickes, Kaiser mailed copies to him before general distribution. The secretary backed down part way and lowered the fine to $ 100,000.53"

"Kaiser also learned that Ickes was a tenacious watchdog over his department’s expenditures. The Interior chief was convinced that Six Companies wasted money on overtime, performed in other than “emergency” situations. As Six Companies’ work wound down in the summer of 1935, Ickes counted more than seventy thousand separate violations of the letter of the contract and authorized a payroll audit. Ickes suspected no criminal intent but was a stickler for detail. He was irritated by Six Companies’ casual interpretation of the rules, and he considered a $350,000 fine.52 Rather than challenge Ickes’ charges directly, Kaiser devised a masterful response. Several weeks later, as the dam superstructure neared completion, Kaiser arranged for publication of a handsome illustrated booklet, So Hoover Was Built, by Six Companies publicist George Pettit. Copies of the booklet were to be mailed to influential opinion-makers across the country, thus presenting the Six Companies’ perspective before any headline-seeking investigations or negative assessments could surface. In keeping with his determination not to alienate Ickes, Kaiser mailed copies to him before general distribution. The secretary backed down part way and lowered the fine to $100,000.53"