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New York's Dads.
Story
A round-up of our favorite pics of your dads on Urban Archive.
The Sandhogs Who Brought Water to NYC
Story
Sandhogs are urban miners and underground construction workers who’ve been tunneling through sand, mud, and bedrock for well over a century. They dug New York’s subway, traffic, sewer, and water tunnels, as well as foundations for structures like the Woolworth Building. The term “sand hogs” originated with workers digging the sandy bottom of the East River inside caissons to build the Brooklyn Bridge. Over time, the term expanded to describe any laborer working underground in the City, and became specifically tied to the Local 147 Sandhogs Union. NYC built three deep pressure tunnels through bedrock to carry water throughout the five boroughs. Placing them hundreds of feet underground kept the water supply safely below any utility and subway tunnels, and the depth required laborers who could work under often grueling and dangerous conditions.
New York Loves Dads
Story
You submitted, and we rounded up our faves! Here are some spectacular shots of dads across NYC's five boroughs throughout the years. Happy Father’s Day!
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Brooklyn
Board of Water Supply. City Water Tunnel No. 1. Near the Brooklyn end of the tunnel, a branch on the left heads north toward Fort Greene Park. Water started flowing through the tunnel in January 1917, bringing Catskill water to Brooklyn and Queens. November 7, 1913.
Brooklyn
Board of Water Supply. City Water Tunnel No. 1. Workers had completed the initial phase of grouting in this Brooklyn section of tunnel, but water still poured in from rock seams on the other side of the concrete tunnel lining. The next phase of grouting filled the seams to reduce that flow, then the tunnel was cleaned to complete this messy job. February 7, 1914.
Brooklyn
Board of Water Supply. City Water Tunnel No. 2. Patrick McGovern, Incorporated, contractor. View in the tunnel. In right foreground are two centrifugal pumps and motors for handling the inflow of water in the tunnel at this location. The pumps' capacity of 400 gallons per minute are driven by a 100 horse power General Electric induction motor. In left foreground is the tugger for handling the muck cars at the foot of the shaft. August 22, 1930.
Brooklyn
Board of Water Supply. City Water Tunnel No. 2. Patrick McGovern, Inc., contractor. Grouting of the concrete tunnel lining in progress. The equipment is rigged up on flat cars being moved into position by a storage battery locomotive. Generally four such cars are used, holding, respectively, cement and sand, a grout mixing machine, a pump, and a timber working platform for drilling out and making connections to the grout pipes. In the left foreground is the grout mixing machine, followed by the pump and working platform cars. The grout hose leading from the pump is shown connected to one of the arch grout pipes. November 20, 1931.
Brooklyn
Board of Water Supply. City Water Tunnel No. 2. Patrick McGovern, Inc., contractor. Grouting of the concrete tunnel lining in progress. The equipment is rigged up on flat cars being moved into position by a storage battery locomotive. Generally four such cars are used, holding, respectively, cement and sand, a grout mixing machine, a pump, and a timber working platform for drilling out and making connections to the grout pipes. The grout is pumped through a hose connection into the grout pipe. The pump is seen in the foreground with the grout mixing machine being loaded directly behind it. November 20, 1931.
Brooklyn
Board of Water Supply. City Water Tunnel No. 2. Patrick McGovern, Inc., contractor. View in tunnel showing north end of the 17 foot diameter sidewall forms in position for concreting. Concrete cars are brought up an incline at the far end to the upper level, then dumped on either side on the top platform. Concrete is then deposited behind the forms by hand labor. The compressed air hoist shown on the platform is used for drawing the train of cars up the incline and then for moving the forms into position for the next pour. July 21, 1931.
Brooklyn
Father's day Three Brooklyn Dodgers seated on sofa, each holding baby daughter on lap; coffee table before them, curtains and window blinds behind them. Caption on verso: "Father's Day: Dodger players had their hands full yesterday with no game scheduled at Ebbets Field. Pictured at Clyde King's house are, left to right, Rube Walker and daugher Deborah, King and daughter Princy and Ralph Branca and daughter Patty."
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