by Shaun Usher
My Dear casons
Virginia Elizabeth B Reed
Letter No. 030
TIGER OIL MEMOS
EDWARD “TIGER MIKE” DAVIS TO HIS STAFF
1978
From the offices of the now-defunct but at one time Houston-based Tiger Oil Company come a batch of curiously entertaining memos, all sent by the firm’s irascible, tactless, and undeniably amusing CEO, Edward “Tiger Mike” Davis, to his staff. Tiger Mike’s management style was no secret within the industry; however, in the early-2000s, 25 years after his company filed for bankruptcy, his spiky inter-office communications famously appeared online for all to see, instantly widening his audience to include almost anyone with an internet connection. A selection of his greatest hits appear here, with his blessing.
The Tiger Oil Memos
1.
TO: Secretaries
DATE: January 3, 1978
FROM: Edward Mike Davis
This is a business office. All correspondence and other things pertaining to this office will be typewritten.
Handwriting takes mych longer that a typewriter - - you’re wasting your time, but more importantly, you’re wasting my time. If you don’t know how to type, you’d better learn.
Edward Mike Davis
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2.
TO: All Employees
Tiger Oil Company
Tiger Drilling Company
Tiger Oil International, Inc.
Houston Office
DATE: January 5, 1978
FROM: Edward Mike Davis
SUBJECT: Kitchen Facilities
Gertrude Love has been hired to work in our kitchen and do light office cleaning. She will start Monday, January 9th.
The kitchen will be her “office” and no one will be permitted to loiter there. If you want something from the kitchen, she will get it for you. If she is not in the kitchen, get what you want and get out.
Lunch will either be prepared here or sent in by Jamail’s every day, and you are welcome to eat. She will prepare your plate, hand it you, and you can go to your office to eat. You will not be allowed to serve yourself , unless she is not in the kitchen.
EDWARD MIKE DAVIS
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3.
TO: All Employees
DATE: January 11, 1978
FROM: Edward Mike Davis
SUBJECT: Idle Conversation
Idle conversation and gossip in this office among employees will result in immediate termination.
Don’t talk about other people and other things in this office.
DO YOUR JOB AND KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!
EDWARD MIKE DAVIS
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4.
TO: All Employees
Houston Office
DATE: January 12, 1978
FROM: Edward Mike Davis
I swear, but since I am the owner of this company, that is my privilege, and this privilege is not to be interpreted as the same for any employee. That differentiates me from you, and I want to keep it that way. There will be absolutely no swearing, by any employee, male or female, in this office, ever.
EDWARD MIKE DAVIS
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5.
TO: All Monthly Salaried Personnel
DATE: January 12, 1978
FROM: Edward Mike Davis
In case anyone does not know who owns Tiger Oil Company or Tiger Drilling Co. Inc., it is me – Edward Mike Davis. Do not let anyone think they are the owner but me.
This memo is not intended towards all employees, but all must be included, because some have abused these things. The ones who have not abused any of my rules and regulations should not have their feelings hurt or be concerned. Just do your job!
A purchase order system will be initiated immediately. Only certain people will be allowed to sign. More than likely, two signatures will be required, whether it be one from the field and one from the office, or two from the office and two from the field.
Only business calls will be made and charged to Tiger Oil or Tiger Drilling. No personal calls PERIOD.
There will be no liquor of any kind kept in any of the offices other than by direct order of Mike Davis. That means get it out of there!
Cleanliness is next to Godliness. I expect things to be clean and in order. That goes for all employees everywhere - - that means the office and your personal appearance; righands included.
We do not pay starvation wages, and there are some people left in this world who want to work. I am not fond of hippies, long-hairs, dope fiends or alcoholics. I suggest each and every person in a supervisory category (from driller up to me) eliminate these people.
I don’t want any excuses about not being able to fund anyone to work on rigs, drive trucks, or work in the yards - - just find the people you need, and if we have to pay more money to get them, it will all balance out in the end.
Anyone who lets their hair grown below their ears to where I can’t see their ears means they don’t wash. If they don’t wash, they stink, and if they stink, I don’t want the son-of-a-bitch around me.
Any truck driver or employee who ruins a piece of equipment due to negligence or abuse will be terminated immediately by his boss, and if the boss doesn’t do this, then the boss will be terminated by Mike Davis.
Each drier will be assigned boomers and chains. A check list will be kept by Duane Brown and Fred Addison, and equipment issued to each truck will be checked off weekly. A driver will pay for any equipment not on his truck or if it is ruined. If lost, turn it in to Duane or Fred. All truck drivers will be cautioned about tearing up fences, ditches, etc. with their trucks. Truck drivers will check oil and everything else on their trucks every day – just like the Army.
When hauling any equipment, all boomers will be wired after they are closed and checked for load shift. They are not to come loose or gnaw holes in what it is bound against.
Each driver will inspect his truck for loose bolts, nuts, corrosive battery cables, water leaks, oil leaks, tires, etc. through-out the truck. If a minor repair can be fixed, fine; if not, notify Duane Brown or Fred Addison, and they will get it fixed immediately. Everything will be inspected like the Army.
Each truck driver will either sleep in his truck or get a room for at least six hours sleep per each 24 hours, and not be found in a bar drinking anything, and that includes beer. You want to drink, then drink on your own time and your own money and not mine. Truck drivers will be given one day per week off, to be scheduled by their superior. Anyone found popping pills to stay awake will be discharged immediately. If you need to sleep, go to bed. I have personally found truck drivers drinking in motels. I will not tolerate any drinking. You want to drink – drink on your day off. You will be watched and monitored wherever you drive.
The supervision of you will be more strict now than ever. If you do not want to work for me, pick up your check now, or work under my conditions.
Failure to comply with the above will mean immediate termination.
No one will ride in our vehicles other than company employees. An exception to this is if anyone is in an accident or stranded, a driver may pick him up. What I am trying to say is no hitchhikers or free rides for family members or non-employees. They will be terminated if caught.
Excessive speed while driving that would endanger the truck, the driver, or other people is prohibited. The driver should be the one to make that decision.
All scraps of metal, nails, pieces of pipe, etc. will be picked up and not left laying around in the yard. I want to see someone bend over other than me.
Submit a daily log off work done and the time spent.
Submit a complete inventory of tires, truck parts and all other equipment and condition of same, plus the rigs and all spare equipment in all yards.
Insurance items will be reported immediately and handled per insurance company’s instructions, as well as the instructions of Bill Jamison and the employee’s supervisor, Fred Addison or Duane Brown. Any accidents
involving a rig, trucks, cars or employees, other than minor ones, the Houston Office will be notified so that my secretary can notify me. If on weekends or nights, the superior in that area knows how to reach me. If it is a death, call me at night or weekends. Other than that, the person having the accident should have brains enough to take care of it until the next day.
Any driver hauling anything anywhere will get a receipt for what he has picked up and a manifest of what he is hauling. Each driver will count and know the items on his truck because they will be counted when he gets to his destination. If something is missing, the driver will be terminated.
A truck manager will be hired for Lafayette, and the trucking department will be scrutinized very carefully.
A detailed material transfer will be made out for any piece of equipment moved into or out of the yard or any place.
No one welds with a welding machine unless he knows what he is doing.
Any time any driver goes anywhere and is waiting on something, after they have had their sleep, they will work in the yard or do something that has to be done. They will check with the boss in that area. They will not lay in the motel room drinking and watching television.
Start and run trucks daily that aren’t being used so the battery won’t run down.
All drivers are to be cautioned about the loads they are hauling so they don’t tear the bridges down or ruin what they are hauling.
Expense accounts will be approved by the employee’s superior in charge of the particular area, and then it will again be approved in Houston before it is paid. Each person should sign and pay for his own things, and not for someone else with him. Each person has his own expense account. Anyone who abuses or takes advantages of expense accounts will be terminated immediately.
Any time any boss needs something and cannot get it because of credit, do not discuss our financial situation with the vendor - - call Houston. If Houston cannot give satisfaction, get ahold of Mike Davis.
All invoices for purchases of equipment, materials, etc. will be handled by a purchase order, as stated above, and the purchase order will be checked, approved and signed by one of the supervisors.
The rig must be inspected once a day by the toolpusher while shut down. All little engines in the yard that are good will be started once a month and run. All exhausts will be covered so that water will not get in them.
Fred Addison will inspect each rig at least once a week and not tell the toolpusher when he is coming.
Duane Brown will be on every rig move possible. The person put in charge of the trucking department in Lafayette will do the same.
Buy only what you need; utilize what we have.
A supervisor will watch any welder working for us, sign the ticket and then get rid of him. Welders will be called by a pusher to a rig for the purpose of cutting the surface pipe off or something of that nature. Do not call a welder to rebuild the rig. That must be approved by the superior in that area.
Any employee who does not want to adhere to the items mentioned above can quit. If any of you think I will go out of business because I can’t hire help, get out, and I will hire the people to do the work. I don’t need a job – you people are the ones who need to get with it.
There is one thing that differentiates me from my employees. I am a known son-of-a-bitch, and I care to remain that way. I have the privilege of swearing publicly, in front of anyone, or doing anything I want to because I pay the bills. When you work for me, you don’t have that privilege. You are representing me. Don’t act as I do. I am the only one who can act that way. You people are all to be respectful to your fellow employees and to other people we do business with. That may be deemed any way you want to take it, but those are my orders, and I intend to enforce them. What you do in your home is your own business, but what you do in my business is my business. I am not a preacher or I am not trying to save the world, I just intend to run my business the way I want to. This pertains to the supervisory personnel.
EDWARD MIKE DAVIS
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6.
To: All Employees
Tiger Oil Company & Tiger Drilling Co.
Date: February 22, 1978
From: Edward Mike Davis
This memorandum is intended as an addendum to a memo I wrote on January 12, 1978 about people speaking to me. Any supervisor who has anything to say to me, day or night, the fastest way he can say it to me is too slow. The terms about not talking to me meant I do not have time to stop and talk to everyone - - saying hello, goodbye, goodnight, etc. - - that is what I was talking about. If you have business with me the fastest way is too slow - - day or night.
EDWARD MIKE DAVIS
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7.
TO: All Employees
Tiger Oil Company – Houston
DATE: April 20, 1978
FROM: Edward Mike Davis
SUBJECT: Office Furniture
The furniture in this office is expensive. DO NOT PUT YOUR FEET ON IT!!
I am paying you to work - - not slouch in your chair with your feet up on a desk or table.
I do not go to your home and put my feet on your furniture, so don’t put your feet on mine.
EDWARD MIKE DAVIS
* * *
8.
TO: All Employees
Tiger Oil Company
Tiger Drilling Co., Inc.
DATE: September 25, 1978
FROM: Edward Mike Davis
SUBJECT: Vacations
As you know, after one full year of employment you receive two weeks’ vacation and two weeks respectively each year worked thereafter. Effective immediately, the two weeks per year must be taken one week at a time and begin the end of the week – you cannot start your vacation in the middle of the week. There will be no more taking one or two days at a time and combining them with holidays and weekends. If, in my opinion, you deserve additional time off you must obtain it from me proving to me that you have worked hard enough to get it – not trying to edge a day here and a day there combined with the holidays. I am not a fool – I know you can take two weeks and stretch them into two months properly done so don’t insult my intelligence. Ask for it like a man. Also, in your absence, you must arrange to have someone perform your duties.
EDWARD MIKE DAVIS
Letter No. 031
I LONG FOR FREEDOM
HANNAH GROVER TO CATO
June 3rd, 1805
According to the United States Census, there were 7,239,881 people living in the United States in 1810, and of those, a staggering 1,191,362 were slaves, no doubt living unimaginably harrowing lives. To make matters even worse, if that were possible, slaves were often split from their families by those in charge, thereby forced to somehow exist in such conditions without even the support of their loved ones. One such person was Hannah Grover, a slave who lost contact with her boy, Cato, in 1785. 20 years later, as she reached old age, she wrote to her long lost son with a plea: for him to come and rescue her.
* * *
Caldwell
June 3d 1805
My dear Son Cato
I long to see you in my old age I live in Caldwell with Mr. Grover the Minister of that place now my dear son I pray you to come and see your dear old Mother—Or send me twenty dollar and I will come and see you in Philadelphia—And if you cant come to see your old Mother pray send me a letter and tell me where you live what family you have and what you do for a living—I am a poor old servant I long for freedom—And my Master will free me if any body will ingage to maintain me so that I do not come upon him—I love you Cato you love your Mother—You are my only son
This from your affectionate Mother—
Hannah Van Buskerk now—
Hannah Grover
P.S. My dear son I have not seen you since I saw you at Staten Island At Addee Barker’s 20 years ago—If you send any money send it by Dotr. Bonr and he will give it to me—If you have any love for your poor old Mother pray come or send to me My dear son I lov
e you with all my heart—
Hannah Van Buskerk—
Letter No. 032