LAST MINUTE F-L-A-S-H-E-S

THE CONCORDIAN, November 1954

In response to a letter from the CONCORDIAN outlining the hazards of the unused foundations and asking for help in protecting Concord villagers therefrom, the Long Island Home Builders Institute, Inc., has just replied to CONCORDIAN reporter Pat Cleary as follows:

That builder Siegel has obtained permits for the foundations and expects to build on them in the near future;
That builder Siegel has a well-earned reputation as a member in good standing of the L.I.H.B.I. (Ed. Note: He was recently elected a vice-president.)
That the Institute is confident that builder Siegel is well aware of his obligations.

The letter closed this way; Keeping children away from construction sites is a problem that has been with the building industry for many years and in some circumstances has not only caused injury to children but has become an added construction cost item as a result of vandalism, to the degree that it has become a subject of concern and study nationally.” The letter was signed by O.J. Hartwig, Executive vice-president.

Somewhere along the line, it seems a point has been missed. While the CONCORDIAN sympathizes with the problems of builders, it was not, of course, primarily concerned here with their losses to vandalism, feeling, as we do, that any damage inflicted by a three- or four-year old on a concrete foundation would be limited, to say the least. Should the child, on the other hand, fall into the foundation, the damage to him would be very real. That is the CONCORDIAN’s primary concern and the point overlooked, somehow, by the Executive Vice-President of the L.I.H.B.I. and completely ignored by Mr. Siegel. Nor are Mr. Siegel’s instructions to his local gendarme to rail at six-year-old boys and threaten them with imprisonment if they don’t keep away from his untended fires – historically a magnetic lure for small boys – likely to solve any problems. On that basis, and judging from a single untended fire on a single day (Saturday, December 4), the parents of some 28 Concord Village youngsters would now be using their Christmas money to post bail.

Thank You, Gentlemen

In recent issues, the CONCORDIAN has had occasion to point with mixture of disappointment and anger to what appeared to be the indifference of town officials to the obvious danger of children and untended fires, one official said, quite simply, “Tell the children to keep away.”

Much Ado About Something

In the news pages of this issue, you will find a complete report of Reporter Pat Cleary’s investigation into the matter of the unused foundations and the trash piles in and around them.

Mr. Siegel Makes a Point

We have told the story as it happened and was told to us and have tried not to put editorial emphasis on any of the facts. Nevertheless, the facts themselves seem so crystal clear that in their light, Mr. Siegel comes off as a man with a job to do.

Foundations Become Town Issue

In response to a letter from the CONCORDIAN outlining the hazards of the unused foundations and asking for help in protecting Concord villagers therefrom, the Long Island Home Builders Institute, Inc., has just replied to CONCORDIAN reporter Pat Cleary as...