Listings of Orders of Materials for Jonestown

[Editor’s note: The pdfs for this page retains its numerical order as they appear in the complete section. To place them in their proper context for the ease of researchers, the transcripts below have been placed in chronological order.]

BB-29- dddd-1

Order of September 6, 1978

SEPTEMBER 6, 1978

MIKE PROKES,

OLD BUSINESS (From points in my August 17 and August 28 memo)

1. Inventory of stuff going out with June [Crym] is included.
2. The other two Starite pumps went out last time.
3. 50 lbs welding rod went last time, another 50 this time.
4. Fr50 lbs welding rod went last time, another 50 this time.
5. enel lens – the information sent with the order itself was not enough to do the job… Please look for a stamp in # or one on a sticker on the lens itself –
6. Baby dolls are coming in slowly. Info passed on about where to go for inexpensive ones.
7. Thrift shop clothes – Jennie and I (mostly Jennie) got another 500 pieces for about $60. Will keep it coming –
8. We have taken delivery on some 300 of the galvanized drums. The one we tested (which look heavier to me, but then I might be wrong) seems to be holding a vacuum well, without any gasketing or accessories except the valve.
9. Report from Andy [Silver] will be attached on all the things he is working on.
10. Still no word on the bloodhound Terri [Buford] asked for. Cleared?
11. Chalkboards – ordered from Beckley Cardy. Have to come from Tennessee.
12. Transformer information – attached
13. Field phones – 8 like the ones you have are ready, some coming this time. They want to trade the others for this kind.
14. Field phone switchboard – Mack [Jim McElvane] says the information you originally gave with the order is not enough. I told him I thought any switchboard that would accommodate 15 phones would do. Right? [Handwritten annotations: “US Switchboard – but go ahead on this”; “Jimmy?”]
15. Field phone wire – We still do not have it. David says the plastic coated is hard to find. Don’t want cotton or rubber, right? [Handwritten annotation: “Right!”]
16. Volt meter – it will be thoroughly checked out before we send it.

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BB-29-dddd-2

September 6, 1978/p.2

17. Beans & Wheat – We are waiting for your assistance in the amount of $32,590.00. BOTH ARE THIS YEAR’S CROPS.
18. Aluminum – I got your message not to cancel out the aluminum entirely. At last contact they were to get back to us to tell us how to handle the letter of credit, etc. They have not done so, nor have we contacted them. We will wait to hear how much of what you want.

UPDATE FROM NOTES IN REVERSE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER (AUGUST 17)

1. T-shirts – the 3000 are available. Turns out there are two kinds. The 1/2 cotton 1/2 polyester turned out badly when we wash tested them. Andy is wash testing the 100% cotton kind. Will get those if they turn out all right. NOTE: IRREGULAR, SOME WITH TEARS. OKAY??? [Handwritten annotation: “yes”]
2. Yorkshire shoes – sample of the $11 boot is enclosed in one of the bags going out this time. There also turns out to be an 8″ top variety for $12 @. We will either need $30,316 (11@) or $33,072 (14@) from you to get the kind you decide on. See Andy’s notes attached for more information.
3. Silver solder – at current prices, 20 lbs runs $2196. IS THIS AMOUNT CLEARED? Runs 15%-50% silver, with & without flux. [Handwritten annotation: “What do you want us to get.” “Cleared – Doc Fitch”]
4. Emergencies – see sheet attached.
5. VW tires – one sent last time, one with rim being sent this time. We have all four on hand, will send 1 @ time.
6. [Order] 5940 – still sending
7. 5958 – need info on lens. Other 2 items on order.
8. Jeans – see Andy’s writeup.
9. Cinemascope lens – [Tim] Clancey hasn’t ordered it yet.
10. Haven’t acted on 5939 (electrical) yet – see discussion on MEANS.
11. Paper – understand you didn’t get the 67 lbs. I sent last time. Frustrating. We are sending another bag this time.
12. More receipt books included this time.
13. WD-40 coming this time. [Handwritten annotation: “Tish [Leroy]”]

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BB-29-dddd-3

September 6/p.3

21. 20,000 – 30,000 zippers – haven’t been gotten. Relatively low priority, MEANS.
22. Patty’s bras – balance are on order, should be in in about a week.
23. (Sorry this is out of order.) 5929. Tapes and replacement blades – bought the rest, most coming this time.
24. Little games (Laura’s project) – no order # given.
25. Shipping charges – see attached sheet on this.
26. Seed – will back order
27. Storage tanks – Garmendia says Cacena received them, think they sent them with last shipment but failed to manifest.
28. Air conditioner – Ken Norton bought two some time back. No one here has gotten any and sent them to G/T. If you still need air-conditioners, please ask Ken what he got last time and where. [Handwritten annotation: “special?”]
29. The whole staple order, minus the last item, the one in question, has been sent to us. AJ [Archie Ijames] didn’t authorize it, but they were sent anyway. Any response yet? We will not lose our 10% discount if we return these and then place the order again. [Handwritten annotation: “[illegible word] got it”]
30. 24″ blades – the other three on order.
31. Salt – will send it 50 lb at a time.
32. Hammers – balance should be included this time.
33. Advent – see Andy’s discussion
34. Slim Jim elastic rope – any suggestions where I can find some?
35. Irrigation – any feedback yet? [Handwritten annotation: “Jack B. [Beam], Bob C. [Christian]”]
36. Lee’s glasses – ordered, to be ready next week
37. Robin’s and Shanda’s shoes – Robin asked to have her shoes (already here somewhere) sent. Shanda asked to have some bought. No order #. Didn’t go through FC. PLEASE HAVE EVERYTHING PUT THROUGH COMMITTEE, otherwise we will have orders coming from wherever. No doubt the VW tires are needed, and they are on their way, but were they cleared? Maybe next time something will be requested that is not as badly needed as the tires and we won’t know it.
38. Iron pots – Unfortunately the people who make patterns for

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BB-29-dddd-4

September 6, 1978/p.4

castings and the people who make castings care about the design. Cast iron is such that the walls of the bottom have to be a minimum of so thick for every volume. The greater the volume, the greater the respective thickness. But that is all I’ve found out so far. Haven’t even found a pattern maker that has made such a pattern in the past.

54. Waterbeds – these were rejects to begin with, won’t hold water. Thus nothing is lost if we slit the tops. It was already done on some anyway.

NEW BUSINESS

1. Voltage regulator – one coming air freight in 2-3 days. Weighs 165 without a crate, about 195 with it.
2. Berkeley pumps – 3 crated. The other 2 here, will try…
3. Piston sleeve, etc. (5904) – noted somewhere else.
4. Tarps – I sent 10 air freight, due to arrive on August 29. Did they?
5. Industrial analyzer – bought. David is going to test it on 3 phase before sending it.
6. We have 3700 Copper sweat fittings. AJ is thinking of treating them for tubing. Which would you rather have? The tubing would be useful for refrigeration. [Handwritten annotation: “Ask Ray!!”]
7. CJ has located a movie house where the owner wants to sell all the machinery and accessories for $10,000. Includes a movie projector, 35mm. [Handwritten annotation: “Want them?” “how old, what condition, what’s it worth, what’s it include?”]
8. We have 3 floor sanders. AJ bought and sent over sandpaper for them when in the Valley long ago. Do you want the sanders? Should he get sandpaper for them?
9. [Entry typed in capital letters] MEANS – The last batch of emergencies you requested totaled about $18,000. At this rate we are not keeping up with the emergencies alone. Since we have no way of evaluating which are the most urgently needed, if we are to continue buying as we are now, please always tell us in what order you want us to buy. Also, buying the emergencies first continually leaves us without funds to get the smaller orders (often of fewer items) although they may have been requested for some time because they weren’t emergency. At this rate, we won’t get to the two-year projections. Please advise us how to proceed. One suggestion is that you pick the orders you want us to proceed on and send us the money to cover them as you want them covered.

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BB-29-dddd-5

September 6, 1978/p.5

10. 5904 – Piston sleeve shim is on the way to you. The piston retainer pin has had to be ordered, wasn’t in stock.
11. Golden rod fuel filters – on the order.
12. Please give us the name to address each order to when you give us orders from now on. Often we don’t know and worry about things getting where they ought to go. [Handwritten annotation: “good point”]
13. Status of orders placed on emergency as of 8/29/78: [12 orders listed]
14. On Cacena Lines – Garmendia says it is rumored that the line we ship with is financially unstable, that they owe hundreds of thousands of dollars. If they were to fold, Garmendia says, it is possible that a lien could be placed against any cargo aboard their vessels. So far jus an unverified rumor. One of their top ranking people recently quit, which Garmendia sees as link to this rumor, so he is going to check with him and see why he quit, otherwise try to substantiate the rumor. Our rate with them is now $44.50/WORM. We have a rate commitment, according to Garmendia, from CD&I of $56/WORM.
15. On containers – Garmendia argues that we will lose money shipping by containers because we can’t stuff them fall. I asked him to check all dimensions, get back to me with applicable rates. HE ALSO SAID THERE IS A 30% SURCHARGE ON ALL FREIGHT COMING INTO PORT OF SPAIN, A PORT CONGESTION CHARGE.
16. On Essie Clark’s case – Frolich’s daughter, newly out of law school and passed the bar, has taken the case. Essie reports that she, Barbara Reineke, seems to think the case is a relatively good one. The one child who is receiving SSA gets $243/mo. Figuring only $200/mo. for the girls, the amount involved could run to $86,400 not including anything for the caretaker, which Essie says would also be included. She doesn’t know how much that would be, however. SSA regulations allow an attorney to

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BB-29-dddd-6

September 6, 1978/p.6

25% of the amount of benefits awarded. The hearing is scheduled for October 16th.

17. [Blank entry]

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BB-29-dddd-7 – dddd-8

Pages list shipping and freighting costs

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BB-29-dddd-9 – dddd-10

Pages list prices for numerous requested items, includes memos seeking clarification

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BB-29- bbbb-1

Order of September 12, 1978

September 12, 1978/p. 1

MIKE PROKES,

OLD BUSINESS (From points in my September 6 memo)

1. Inventory included
2. Drums – waiting means
3. Report from Andy attached
4. Still waiting word about the bloodhound
5. Field phone switchboard – waiting word from you
6. Beans and wheat – waiting MEANS
7. Aluminum – waiting word from you [handwritten annotation: “We may be able to still get the entire order in G/town [Georgetown] but we still want to get the screws & machines for them from you.”]
8. T-shirts – see Andy’s report
9. Boots – waiting MEANS. Also sending a group of samples together in a duffel for comparison. [handwritten annotation: “Haven’t seen yet.”]
10. Silver solder – waiting word from you
11. VW tires – another coming next time
12. Jeans – see Andy’s report
13. Cinemascope lens – ordered – as of 9/13/78
14. 20,000-30,000 zippers – pending [handwritten annotation: “ok if metal”]
15. Bras – rest still not in
16. Air conditioner – waiting information from you [handwritten annotation: “hold”]
17. Staple order – waiting word from you [handwritten annotation: “keep them.”]
18. 24″ blades – [handwritten annotation: “Haven’t gotten first one yet.”]
19. Hammers – Do you still want the 24 – 16 oz and the 24 – 20 oz hammers you originally ordered? They will be in soon, ordered by Western – though not in our name – so we need to know soon. [handwritten annotation: “yes”]
20. Irrigation – any feedback yet?
21. Lee’s glasses – not ready yet
22. Shanda’s shoes, also other items not put through FC [Finance Committee] – waiting word from you

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BB-29- bbbb-2

September 12, 1978/p. 2

23. Iron pots [handwritten annotation: “6-15 gal pots, 3-30 gal pots pricing only.”]
24. Berkeley pumps – no room yet. Unless made emergency, will try to get ouy in the next few trips [handwritten annotation: “SAP”]
25. Tarps – did the 10 I sent airfreight get there all right?
26. Industrial analyzer – Will try to get it out this time
27. 3700 copper sweat fittings – waiting word from you
28. Movie equipment – any word on the stuff CJ found? [handwritten annotation: “checking – unlikely”]
29. 3 floor sanders – waiting word from you [handwritten annotation: “send”]
30. MEANS – VERY INTERESTED IN YOUR ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION AS IT COMES UP EVERY TIME WE GO TO BUY AND SHIP.
31. Golden Ron fuel filters – not in yet
32. Saltpeter – waiting word from you [handwritten annotation: “food grade needed, 10 – 55 gal. Buy saltpeter & put it in drums”]
33. Transformer – waiting word from you. (CHRIS, haven’t you already answered those questions?)
34. Doxsee’s questions (classes, hose, International Harvester parts) – waiting word from you [handwritten annotation: “In process”]
35. Storage tanks – Garmendia says Cacena says they are not at the pier. Cacena believes they have already been shipped. Garmendia is insisting (he says) on a new Bill of Lading stating they have been shook so we can hold Cacena responsible for them. They, meanwhile, are holding off on giving it to us till we pay a rate of $48/WORM. Since we have a letter by the president of the company granting us $42.50/WORM, Garmendia said no way [handwritten annotation: “Keep on it.”]
36. Cacena Line’s financial stability – Garmendia hasn’t verified anything, but he thinks they are hard up for money. He suggests holding off on sending to Miami our next freight until this matter is resolved. [handwritten annotation: “agreed”]
37. Containers – He still doesn’t have particulars for me, but said containers would have to be unloaded in Georgetown, thinks we wouldn’t be able to save money [handwritten annotation: “send it till decision”]

[handwritten addition at bottom of page: “If any #s [numbers] in the priority list you don’t have, let us know as we can send it to you.” Numerous order numbers follow]

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BB-29- bbbb-3

Page lists shipping and freighting costs between San Francisco and Panama, and Oakland and Port of Spain

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BB-29- bbbb-4 – bbbb-11

Pages list prices for numerous requested items, includes memos seeking clarification

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BB-29-xxx-1

Notes of October 2, 1978

October 2, 1978

Jean Brown/Mike Prokes

The following are some things we discussed before you left that you might have already followed up on:

1. Check on the children’s shoes order. Breakdown of sizes and how many of each size.
2. What is a Copeland compressor? (Air, refrigeration, etc.)
3. Get the packing, crating, and customs specifics from Tim Carter for use computer before shipping.
4. Ask Mike Carter about whether they have videotapes there that are not used and that could be sent back for taping over.
5. Trying to work out some sort of system with Mike Prokes there for feedback about orders. Such as we would like to know when ordered items arrive in Jonestown. We have no proper means of getting feedback. The purchase order numbers have helped to eliminate a lot of the duplication, but it hasn’t ironed out the problems completely. It would help morale here if there was a feedback list sent back twice monthly on what items reached Jonestown (not Georgetown), and current priority list (in order of greatest need).
6. They want a pair of milk snakes (male and female). The dealer said that he needs to know what we need them for because they run US $200 & up/each. He also said he needs to know the exact species name. He said that if we want them for breeding, that is one thing. He said if we just want them for rodent hunting or snake hunting, those are other things. He said, if we just wanted them for hunting rodents, that king snakes are much cheaper. This was given as a priority item, but I haven’t gotten any feedback from the radio to my questions.
7. We need to know how many yards of each color of material (red, green, and black) was needed to make up that total of 310 yards on that emergency band order. Order 5784.
8. Order 5980 for motor mounts for large engines. Need more specifics. What kind and size of engine. Irvin said that the people would just laugh if he went in with such vague information and that any mechanic ought to know that you need more accurate information.
9. Is 13% silver in the silver solder all right? It is the cheapest or do you need a higher grade for general use. Tell us what the use is for if you won’t make the decision at that end and we will ask the dealer (for the solder) what his opinion is.
10. How wide should the screen wire be? The average sizes are 34” to 48″ and they carried the best prices. Order #
11. What diameter and length should the neoprene gas line hose be? Order #
12. There are 700 galvanized drums available. They are not easy to find here either. The order was for 600. Do we want to get the extra 100? (The drums order will be filled with wheat, kidney beans, and pinto beans. Therefore, unless we are planning to use the beans or wheat right away, none of the drones will be available for use for some time.) They are US $14/drum.
13. Do you have any preference as to what should go in which type of drum (bung-hole or open-lid). There are 400 open-lid and 200 bung-hole types. Unless we get an answer different we are going to pack them a little in each type of drum. We would prefer direction as to what you want us to do, but we won’t have any time to spare when we get the wheat & beans next week.

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BB-29-xxx-2

14. We are having an appraiser look over the washer and determine whether it is worth repairing the heavy duty commercial washer we have.
15. There is no injectable Valium available anymore. There is a new federal law which prohibits us from purchasing prescribed drugs. The only way it can be gotten is if you get a personal prescription, which someone with blood pressure problems is attempting to do.
16. Georgetown needs to inform Jim Randolph when they get the medical inventory so that Deb can send her supplies in. She is hesitant about doing it until she gets word that the list had been submitted to the Minister of Health’ desk.

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BB-29-xxx-3

1. John Heneka: Jonestown never got the high-voltage rectifiers for Magnavox TV no. MV 818 Model MO CAV511. It has been ordered before.

[Balance of page handwritten]

We sent these IMMEDIATELY by briefcase. I packed them myself.

2. 24″ Shakemill blade – I’ve sent this 8/13/78, [illegible word] $10, name of Lucretia Finley. Plywood container (blade on 1 side, plywood on the other).
3. Commercial washer – yes, but it will take some $500 to put them (2) in running order. Working on the list of parts now.