Contractors quick to get tax season back on track for intrepid Emling & Hoffman accounting staff

Falling bricks from the decorative alleyside upper parapet wall of the Emling & Hoffman building in downtown Du Quoin could have been disasterous.

Cars could have been crushed. A passerby could have been hurt.

But, they weren't.

But what the incident did show was how strong Du Quoin is as a community and how fast it works. It is still a town of turning darkest hours into finest hours.

"It takes a village," said partner Harold Emling as contractors were fully engaged in getting Emling & Hoffman back in business at their Main Street location.

Harold Emling: "I wish to express his appreciation to everyone who went out of their way to help in the cleanup, inspection and reconnection of power and gas lines. What would have taken weeks in a big city will be completed in two days in Du Quoin with the cooperation of a lot of individuals who helped out."

"Among those who have worked the hardest on the project are Bob Markotay owner of Elessar Electric and Chuck Genesio, owner of Genesio Refrigeration.

"Special thanks go out to the Du Quoin Fire Department, Street Department and city engineer Doug Bishop for their part in helping us through this situation," Emling continued.

"Engineers Roy Smith, Kevin Phillips and John Peradotti each gave up part the their weekend to perform the architectural inspection and found no structural damage to the building, In fact they commented on how well the 134 year old building was built," he continued.

"Wade Crews (masonry contractor) rode a crane, provided by Mathis Crane & Excavating, on a short notice, to clean off the damaged bricks at the top of the building," he said.

Emling said he and Crews have discussed repairs to the masonry and have decided that the wall will rebuilt to match the brickwork still standing.

"The firm expects to be back to business as usual on Wednesday morning," he said.

With the help of firemen and friends, business records critical to completing corporate tax returns by the March 15 deadline, were loaded up and moved to the Kabinet House USA storefront a block away.

This isn't the first time Kabinet House USA owners George & Rosie Naumovski have opened their doors to business refugees. They did the same thing two years ago for the staff of the Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy during interior renovations.