CIVILIAN PRODUCTION ADMINISTRATION

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF COMPLIANCE COMMISSIONER

     The Respondents herein, Singer Sewing Machine Company, as Lessee and Mewstrom-Davis and Company, as builders, were engaged in the re-construction of a building at 301-305 N. Commercial Street, Trinidad, Colorado, which was begun about August 12. The building involved has a 40' frontage by 126' deep and is owned by the Furu Real Estate Company, which occupies 20' of the building on the corner #301. Respondent, Singer Sewing Maching Company is interested as Lessee in the room adjoining; that is, the other 20' of the 40' building #305. The first inspection was made on October 2, 1946 by James S. Fickel, who found the sub-floors practically finished and shored up and that partitions had been installed and a wall built around the stairway. The building is a dilapidated old structure erected some 50 years ago. The work under way was intended as a rehabilitation and repair job for #305 only. Shortly after the construction began the City of Trinidad condemned the front wall of the entire building and ordered it torn down. On October 2, the costs had run in excess of $1,000.00. Early in June, Respondent, Singer Company filed an application for authorization to build but this application was withdrawn on June 11 with no action on it.

     A second application for authorization was filed June 11 and denied on July 24. In passing it should be stated that on September 2 Mr. Furu, the owner, filed an application, asking authority to re-construct the entire front wall to comply with the requirements of the City of Trinidad and this was approved to the extent of $2,500.00 on October 2 being expressly limited to "remove present glass and wood front approximately 36' x 13' one story. Rebuild with 8" masonry under present glass". Respondents, up to October 9 had spent $2,942.37 on these alterations and they were still not completed and it was estimated that it would cost $1,057.63 to complete the alterations, making the total cost of the betterments $4,000.00 with nothing whatever done on the front wall which should be considered as a separate undertaking. The Respondent, Singer Sewing Machine Company as Lessee from Furu was obligated to make these alterations but after having spent more than $2900.00 on it, the work is still not finished. The building is not occupied and cannot be occupied in its present condition, but under its lease, Respondent, Singer Company is required to pay and is paying $100.00 a month rental beginning September 1, 1946.

     Much evidence was offered to show that Trinidad with a population of about 17,000 is a decidedly decadent city populated largely by poor people and that there is no other sewing maching agency in the city, the nearest being at Pueblo, 90 miles away and that it will be highly advantageous to the local people to have the Respondent, Singer Company open and maintain an agency for the sale and service of sewing machines. While this was interesting, it does not affect the legal situation which still requires a CPA authorization before such construction work can be done, even though in an effort to rehabilitate this old building which was of very cheap construction originally.

     It is too clear for any doubt that Respondents have no authorization for this construction and therefore it should be suspended until such time as authorization is obtained from Civilian Production Administration and Commissioner so recommends.

                                                    Respectfully submitted,

                                                    /s   Frank B. Coleman

St. Louis, Missouri.                                 FRANK B. COLEMAN,
January 30, 1947.                                   COMPLIANCE COMMISSIONER.