Evening star., 1948-02-03
Empire Probers
Meeting Today
To Map Report
Task of Wrecking
Collapsed Building
Nearly Completed

A special meeting of the five-man
committee investigating the cause
of the collapse of the Empire Build
ing was scheduled for pm. today
while wreckers predicted operations
clearing the partially collapsed
building would be completed early
this week.
The former seven-story building
now nearly completely razed to the
fourth floor level, collapsed De-
cember 16, killing four persons and
sending IL to the hospital.
Stewart Beall, chairman of the
committee named by the Commits
sioners to investigate the collapse
said the investigators today would
discuss draft of the final report
for Engineer Commissioner Gordon
r. Young. He said the committee
hoped" to complete its delibera-
tions this week.
Another Visit Planned.
Mr.. Beall said, however, the board
may make another visit to the
wrecked building, Ninth street and
New York avenue NV, before sub
mitting its final report-a report
which is expected to Ak the cause
of the collapse.
Murray T. Shipp, president of the
Pines Wrecking Co., which under
took to remove the tons of debris
and three of the bodies from the
partially collapsed building, said
wrecking operations were delayed
by the severe cold and heavy snow
fall.
Meanwhile, survey revealed few
of the tenants occupying the 81
apartments in the building have
found permanent homes. AS pointed
out by one displaced tenant, apart
ments in the building were renting
for less than $50 a north. There
are very few apartments available
at that price today.
Only One Family Located.
A check of one group of q in
habitants of the building revealed
only one family has found perma-
nent living quarters. Others are
occupying temporary apartments,
living with relatives or in single
rooms.
Although no complete list of
roomers and tenants occupying the
building was ever made available
to reporters. it was estimated 40
persons lived in the ill-fated build
ing. About half of these were
roomers. The survey revealed the
housing pinch has not affected them
tremendously, since single rooms
are available.
Smiths Storage and Moving Co.
said they moved possessions of four
families to other Washington ad-
dresses from the scene of the COL
apsed building. In, addition, they
reported moving one family to Balti-,
more, and said another put their
goods up at auction. The storage
still has household goods
'f seven former Empire building
'esidents. 49,
Police Hold Some Items.
Inspector Clement Cox, chief
clerk of the Metropolitan
Police Department., declared all
furniture taken from the undam-
aged portion of the building had
,een identified at the scene and
'emoved by the owners. Still in
police possession is about 5000 worth
If furniture and personal posses
lions recovered by wreckers from the
iebris. Most of it is damaged.
Merchants who occupied stores in
he building or adjacent to it are
bitter over the effect they say the
disaster has had on their business.
Exclusive of businessmen forced to
lose because of the dangerous con-
lition of the building, principal COM
,laints from merchants in the area
concern temporary abandonment of
treetcar stops at Ninth street and
Jew York avenue and the two-week
losing to traffic of New York ave-
lue between Seventh and Tenth
treets, and Ninth street between
and K streets.
Although the westbound car stop
It Ninth street was put back in use
saturday, merchants said abolition
# the stops had affected them
realty.
Just About Bankrupt"
j. R. Fielden. owner of a shoe
epair shop at 912 New York ave-
lue NV, said the streetcar stop ban
lad "just about bankrupt me-"
Mrs. Philip Korn, who with her
husband operates grocery at 908
Jew York avenue, said 1--WE figure
o do about Is per cent of the busi-
less we did, The store was closed
rom the day after the crash until
friday.
Mike Lampiris, operator of a
leaning shop at 920 Ninth street
T.W., in the Empire Building, told
he Star he was storing his fixtures
nd going out of business.
Proprietor of liquor store in the
Jacob Caplon said he had
D move his stock to a bonded ware
ouse. He asserted he had been
hoping every week" to be able to
eopen, but that he understood
othing could be done until wreck
lg operations were completed.
Barber Puts Loss at $500.
Efthemeos Efantis, whose barber
hop employing four BARRIERS was
losed, said he figures he has lost
bout $500 in personal profit so far.
Police details around the build
lg have been reduced from the 20
len-per-shift there when the
treets were completely closed to
aree day. Capt Robert Pearce
f the first precinct said police will
OF be on duty there when new
begins, unless some
hing unforeseen happens"
Despite an outright declaration
Y George Papanicolas after the
ash that the semirazed building
ould be converted into offices, he
I'D The Star yesterday "it is still
ndecided whether to rebuild it as
\ apartment house"
'oby Dies From Burns