Mohawk Ironworkers

Post by willshak
Xposted alt.building.construction - alt.home.repair.
OT for a.h.r.
I read a number of news sites on the web, one of which is aljazeera
America. It's mostly American News.
I found this story about the Native American ( US and Canadian ) Mohawk
ironworkers, nicknamed Skywalkers.
It's about them building NYC skyscrapers and their home life.
It's 47.31 minutes long.
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/2013/04/2013428123413242888.html
or: http://preview.tinyurl.com/cy3yf6p

I'd like to point out that the Mohawk Skywalkers were a very small part of
the force that built the skyscrapers.
As there were hundreds more immigrants and walks of all life working on
them at the same time.

The Daring Dufas

2013-05-10 09:30:19 UTC

The Mohawk iron workers were renowned for their incredible ability to
keep their balance walking the steel beams so high in the air above the
cities during construction of the skyscrapers. I don't remember reading
a scientific study of their ability but I suppose it's a good search
item. I'd like to know. ^_^

TDD

richard

2013-05-10 11:35:10 UTC

In that job, if you couldn't keep your balance, well, odds are you wouldn't
be at work the next day.

Home Guy

2013-05-10 13:34:17 UTC

Post by The Daring Dufas
The Mohawk iron workers were renowned for their incredible ability
to keep their balance walking the steel beams so high in the air
above the cities during construction of the skyscrapers. I don't
remember reading a scientific study of their ability but I suppose
it's a good search item. I'd like to know. ^_^

No doubt their ability to keep their balance in high places comes from
their ancestral heritage when walking on narrow branches through the
tree canopy was a necessary part of their lifestyle...

Frank

2013-05-10 16:28:52 UTC

I'm reminded by thread of a couple of summers I spent working on the
ground crew of a suspension bridge that retained one of the original
builders, not an Indian, whose job it was to climb the towers and
inspect them and the cables weekly. He did this every Friday
afternoon and at lunch time he would go out and buy a half pint of
whiskey to consume at lunch before he did the inspection. Whiskey
probably did not help him keep his balance but apparently steeled his
nerves. He never had a problem. I also remember he had the biggest
wrench I've ever seen for tightening nuts. Cables would stretch.

MIght mention, while I was there, we lost a couple of painters who
fell off the bridge.

k***@attt.bizz

2013-05-10 16:33:47 UTC

On Fri, 10 May 2013 04:30:19 -0500, The Daring Dufas

More like they're fearless after a bit of firewater.

Oren

2013-05-10 16:36:05 UTC

On Fri, 10 May 2013 04:30:19 -0500, The Daring Dufas

Post by richard
I'd like to point out that the Mohawk Skywalkers were a very small part of
the force that built the skyscrapers.

The Mohawks were part, sure. "...The original Iroquois League was
often known as the Five Nations, as it was composed of the Mohawk,
Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca nations. After the Tuscarora
nation joined the League in 1722, the Iroquois became known as the Six
Nations."

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iroquois>

These workers came from much of Northern New York - Adirondack Mts.

Post by richard
As there were hundreds more immigrants and walks of all life working on
them at the same time.

They were said to have no natural fear of heights.

willshak

2013-05-10 11:44:56 UTC

Ya think???
The story was about the Mohawk skywalkers. It was not about the Irish,
or Italians, or ironworkers of other descents.

--
Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeros after @

richard

2013-05-10 17:56:27 UTC

Post by willshak

Ya think???
The story was about the Mohawk skywalkers. It was not about the Irish,
or Italians, or ironworkers of other descents.

I'm just saying there is nothing super special about the Mohawks.
And that they probably made up less than 10% of the workers.

Oren

2013-05-10 18:06:51 UTC

Post by richard
I'm just saying there is nothing super special about the Mohawks.

They must have had brass balls, no?

Post by richard
And that they probably made up less than 10% of the workers.

Then 10% that worked on the top -- freestyle?

k***@attt.bizz

2013-05-10 23:32:42 UTC

Post by Oren

Post by richard
I'm just saying there is nothing super special about the Mohawks.

They must have had brass balls, no?

The point being that they weren't the only ones with brass balls.

Post by Oren

Post by richard
And that they probably made up less than 10% of the workers.

Then 10% that worked on the top -- freestyle?

Nope. They weren't unique.

jloomis

2013-05-10 22:35:46 UTC

Brave Workers.
I wonder what OSHA would say about their practice.
I know, we have the rules, the laws, and then we have those who do not need
all the beaurocracy.
john

"willshak" wrote in message news:kmgcf0$as2$***@dont-email.me...

Xposted alt.building.construction - alt.home.repair.
OT for a.h.r.

I read a number of news sites on the web, one of which is aljazeera
America. It's mostly American News.
I found this story about the Native American ( US and Canadian ) Mohawk
ironworkers, nicknamed Skywalkers.
It's about them building NYC skyscrapers and their home life.
It's 47.31 minutes long.

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/2013/04/2013428123413242888.html
or: http://preview.tinyurl.com/cy3yf6p

--
Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeros after @

LoriHalderson

2022-11-28 23:32:02 UTC