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A Whale of a Tale, Not so Long Ago
By Jon Halgren
Three
longshore top pick
operators, at East Waterway, take a fast look over the yard.
“We can go out to the apron.”
“BILL
do you remember back in the mid 60’s we would catch a good payday when the
Calmar’s came in.”
“Yes,
SAM
I sure do remember. The dust in my
eyes was so thick I could not see
clearly for about three days after.”
“ED,
did you have that trouble with your eyes, or did you lay back for replacements
and miss that pig iron?”
“BILL,
and SAM,
I liked to play horses at Longacres and when it came to work I would do the
same. Go for the long shot. I hated
pig iron. When it was working, it
seemed like 40 workers were away from the hall so the work was easy picking.
I could sharp shoot and not eat all that dust. Sure sometime I lost and
had a small paycheck.”
“It
was not only the dust but you could wear out cloth gloves in four hours”, said
BILL.
“BILL,
I did a unscientific test on durability of gloves.
In the morning, I used cloth gloves. They were destroyed by lunch.
I went out
and got lunch and a pair of the fancy expensive leather gloves.
I had not been around too long and I was surprised that the pig iron
destroyed the leather gloves. I was
amazed how sharp those pigs were.”
“ED,
when pigs went to the 20 ton size how did that impact your jobs.”
Tonnage was real high and the man-hours were
reduced by at least 50%. I see a street rig over at 2116.
I will take care of it.” ED
went on his way to 2100.
“SAM,
look over to pier 25.There is nothing going on today.
I have heard short stories about the catching of a whale by a foreman
when it was the American Mail dock. Do you know the story SAM?”
The telling of that event is for another time; I am on my way to make
coffee. BILL, are you coming into play crib?”
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