Dead Men Tales: An American Cathedral

HeatingHelp

An American Cathedral

In this episode, Dan Holohan reflects on the tradesmen who built NYC's World Trade Center.

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Larry Weingarten

Dan, Your story hasn't lost any of its power.

Yours, Larry

EBEBRATT-Ed

How true @Larry Weingarten

DanHolohan

Thanks, guys.

thegreatcornholio

Thank you, for another great story.

DanHolohan

Thanks for taking the time to listen. Means a lot. 

lu817

Beautiful, Just Beautiful!

dongou

Funny why you do things like that, even though the pipes are going to be buried behind walls, I always made sure the letters on the piping faced out and in line with the next pipes lettering. Dead plum, wiped clean of any joint compound or flux. Carpenters, electricians would often say, "hey no one will ever see it". Didn't matter I did!

DanHolohan

Well done, @dongou

JUGHNE

I have wired quite a few houses over the years, (also plumbing and HVAC).
When roughing in the electrical I would draw the wiring diagram for each circuit on the subfloor with magic marker.

This was very helpful to not refer to a clipboard and the "underage child helpers", whom I forced into labor at an early age could simply look there to pull wire. I had drilled the holes for them.

Sometimes the wife would be upset until she realized it would be covered with carpet....but then, I had written on "her" new floor.

As these houses aged over 30-40 years there might be remodeling involved, more than once I was thanked by the next electrician who found the wiring diagram after the carpet was removed for remodeling.

Now when we redo carpeting in our own house I am taking pictures of the diagrams.

Another note, our church clock tower, maybe 60-70' tall got new lighting.
Many visitors had been up there and wrote their names on the walls etc.

I had a step ladder up there for the work and thought to top off these other people.
So up on the curved ceiling of the tower, the highest point of the church, I wrote my name in cursive, of all things, and included the date in Roman Numerals.

In a few short years no one will be able to decipher either the name or date.

DanHolohan

I love this. Thanks,@jughne. 

WayneMech

Tears here, as well, my Friend.

DanHolohan

Thanks 

BenDplumber

Mr. Holohan, I was fortunate enough to come across some old photos my Father took before his passing of a trip to NYC and the observation deck of the WTC. I had a lump in my throat that made it hard to swallow...He was a machinist by trade and was always fascinated with how things worked and the tradesmen that built them. Even though the precision his work was different of a pipefitter or plumber he could never comprehend how we could fit all these large number of pipes into a buildings envelope and make it all work! Unfortunately he passed from asbestosis after years of exposure in the trade, but that attention to detail and the fact everything you do matters regardless of trade has followed me through life. Thanks Pop and thank you Mr. Holohan for keeping the memories of these men alive!

DanHolohan

Thanks. @BenDplumber. You did well by your Dad with this telling. Thanks to both of you.