Photo Files: "so don't look down"

Lunchtime Atop a Skyscraper 1932

["Photo of a poster seen at Bubba's Diner, London"]

While paying for lunch on Saturday I spotted a large wall poster, was drawn to the dramatic scene and snapped a few pictures. On Saturday evening a documentary was shown on TVO concerning NYC ironworkers, and a good portion of the program concerned the men atop the beam. 'Syncronicity' said a friend.

Many aspects of the photograph interest me. For example, the shoes the men are wearing are not rugged work boots as we often see today, with thick grippy treads and steel toes. They appear to be everyday thin-soled leather shoes, similar to street shoes my Great-grandmother Gordon wore in the early 1950s. Nothing rugged about them.

To you, does the photo appear to be staged? Would workers usually sit that close to one another over a quick lunch?

And what are they talking about?

["The man on the left has reportedly been

identified as Manny Shaugnessey"]

   Man, right: I sure get nervous once we're past twelve floors.

   Manny (takes his first good drag):
   Just keep yer eyes forward about 20 feet on the beam.

   Man, right (tosses the spent match into the
   wind and watches it disappear below his feet):
   Geez, that's a bloody long way down.

   Manny: So don't look down.

For more information about how specific groups of men, e.g., Mohawks and Newfoundlanders, became high-climbing ironworkers, read Raising Steel by D'Arcy Jenish as found in Legion Magazine, and sent to me by Peter Garland, a fine man from The Rock.

Photos by GH

***

Did you see the documentary about these ironworkers on TVO Saturday night?

Please click here to read Photo Files: "it sure ain't fresh in my mind"