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Story
August 2, 1949
The Key West Citizen
Key West, Monroe County, Florida
What is this article about?
Joe Sirugo, head of Sunshine Construction, accuses rivals of systematic theft, machinery sabotage, and strike instigation to derail FHA financing for Key West building projects, calling it a community fight with long-term consequences.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Sabotage Charged
By Sirugo; Says Its
Part Of Campaign
Theft of materials and equipment, sabotage of machinery and efforts to instigate labor trouble were cited last night by Joe Sirugo, head of Sunshine Construction Company, as a "systematic campaign to force withdrawal of the FHA financing from Key West".
The contractor revealed to a Citizen reporter that lumber and other materials have been stolen from the several jobs he had in progress in the last few weeks.
He also stated that in the last week three wheelbarrows have disappeared from a job.
More than $300 in repairs, plus the loss of time resulted from a bulldozer being sabotaged, the contractor said. After repeated repairs to the bulldozer, the hydraulic lift pump was revamped entirely. Inside it was found a small metal object, entirely foreign to the machine, which caused the continual breakdowns.
"The person who put that metal object in the pump knew exactly where to place it to cause the most trouble," said Sirugo.
"Carpenters working for the Sunshine Construction Company report they have been approached by a rival contractor with "strike talk", Sirugo alleged.
The contractor also charged that the series of troublesome events have been perpetrated by "certain persons interested only in causing so much trouble the FHA and the lending agencies supplying the construction money will pull out.
This is no longer a personal affair" Sirugo said. "It has developed into a community fight.
If selfish interests are permitted to carry out their scheme Key West will be deprived of construction money for a long time to come.
"It will take from five to ten years to get back in the favorable position we have just achieved in the eyes of big insurance companies with money to lend for home building.
Sirugo has offered a $500 reward for the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for sabotaging his bulldozer, and $100 for the capture of any person found tampering with material or equipment on any Sunshine Construction Company job.
By Sirugo; Says Its
Part Of Campaign
Theft of materials and equipment, sabotage of machinery and efforts to instigate labor trouble were cited last night by Joe Sirugo, head of Sunshine Construction Company, as a "systematic campaign to force withdrawal of the FHA financing from Key West".
The contractor revealed to a Citizen reporter that lumber and other materials have been stolen from the several jobs he had in progress in the last few weeks.
He also stated that in the last week three wheelbarrows have disappeared from a job.
More than $300 in repairs, plus the loss of time resulted from a bulldozer being sabotaged, the contractor said. After repeated repairs to the bulldozer, the hydraulic lift pump was revamped entirely. Inside it was found a small metal object, entirely foreign to the machine, which caused the continual breakdowns.
"The person who put that metal object in the pump knew exactly where to place it to cause the most trouble," said Sirugo.
"Carpenters working for the Sunshine Construction Company report they have been approached by a rival contractor with "strike talk", Sirugo alleged.
The contractor also charged that the series of troublesome events have been perpetrated by "certain persons interested only in causing so much trouble the FHA and the lending agencies supplying the construction money will pull out.
This is no longer a personal affair" Sirugo said. "It has developed into a community fight.
If selfish interests are permitted to carry out their scheme Key West will be deprived of construction money for a long time to come.
"It will take from five to ten years to get back in the favorable position we have just achieved in the eyes of big insurance companies with money to lend for home building.
Sirugo has offered a $500 reward for the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for sabotaging his bulldozer, and $100 for the capture of any person found tampering with material or equipment on any Sunshine Construction Company job.
What sub-type of article is it?
Crime Story
What themes does it cover?
Crime Punishment
Deception
What keywords are associated?
Sabotage
Theft
Construction Sabotage
Fha Financing
Key West
Bulldozer Damage
Labor Trouble
What entities or persons were involved?
Joe Sirugo
Sunshine Construction Company
Where did it happen?
Key West
Story Details
Key Persons
Joe Sirugo
Sunshine Construction Company
Location
Key West
Event Date
Last Few Weeks
Story Details
Joe Sirugo reports theft of materials and equipment, sabotage of a bulldozer with a metal object causing breakdowns, and attempts to instigate labor trouble by a rival contractor, all as part of a campaign to force withdrawal of FHA financing from Key West construction projects.