|
There's an old saying: If it's
deeper than a grave, the sandhogs dug it.
Starting with their first job in 1872, the
Brooklyn Bridge, the "hogs" have built a
large part of the city of New York--the
subways and sewer, Water Tunnel #1 & #2,
the Lincoln, Holland, Queens-Midtown, and
Brooklyn-Battery tunnels to name a few, as
well as the foundations for most of the
bridges and many of the skyscrapers in the
city. Since their work is mostly done below
street level, in an unseen world of rock,
sand, and earth, recognition of their
achievements has been limited.
The hogs are a lively bunch. They are diverse
in backgrounds, interests, and personalities,
but unified in their dedication,
perseverance, and camaraderie. As John Roche
describes his fellow hogs, "We're like an
underground fraternity, a family." Sandhoging
is a tradition and is passed down through
generations of families. Especially since
mining projects span decades, it is not
uncommon to find multi-generations of
families working together on the same
job.
The hogs await your visit!
|