‘Construction of the Empire State Building was one of the most remarkable feats of the 20th century. It took only 410 days to build, by 3,400 workers, many of them desperate for work at the height of the Depression. The work force was made up largely of immigrants, along with hundreds of Mohawk Indian iron workers.’
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All images by Lewis Wickes Hine, New York Public Library
Thank you to Robert Loch
The caps amaze me. They must have been tight fitting to stay on way up there.
Shard is 700 days to date being built near London Bridge. Maybe its Health and Safety. Have a look at the guys standing on planks. Thanks for this
Fascinating – were there any construction workers that fell to their death? Health and safety seems to have been a bit … lacking back then.
Matthew,
During the planning stages, it was estimated that one construction worker would die per floor (so about 100 in all). In the end, only a dozen or so people were killed.
Source
Hanging on to dear life with only thick leather gloves. All the more amazing is the “just another day’s work” look on the men’s faces.
Actually the Daleks did it…
Shameless exploitation of white European immigrants by Capitalists, Corporatists of America – Detroit City built to its former greatness by same guys. North America’s mineral deposits, mined the same way, Forests exploited by same good blood, Steel, Copper, Silver all Smelted likewise – Now, Europe has run dry, easy resources done, Capitalists , Corporatists turn their back on America’s workers, look to Asia for even cheaper labor, even less restrictions.
Holy crap in a handcart! I’ve worked at height but I get the wobbles just looking at these.
Fantastic photographs.
Who paid for the building?
They did a floor every four days? And the thing is still standing? That’s pretty incredible. If I’d known how quickly it was thrown together, I doubt I would have taken the elevator to the top!
I’m with Uncle B on this one!
But those pictures give me vertigo…
That looks really scary. How many people do you think died from falling off it. Why do they not have any safety cables!
can we fix it!!! no because we fell off the building
lololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololo
Ironworkers were (are) the elite of the building trades and intensely proud of what they did. Anyone asking for a safety line would have been laughed off the job.
Makes us acrophobes a tad dizzy. Photos like that always amaze me.
OSHA would crap it’s pants if you had these kind of working conditions today.
I feel like a wimp when I look at these.
Once in a while, I go there. I get off at the top floor, go out on the roof, jump off and then play like I am hurt when I hit the ground. People are so gullible!! Had to be at least one comedian on this. My job is done. Other than that, when I built houses, I went no further than 2 floors. Freeze up every time! WOW WHAT A BUNCH OF BRAVE MEN is all I can say!!!
Hey, Uncle B,
Now that you’ve spouted your Marxist/Communist claptrap, how about leaving this festering pile of capitalist and corporatist exploitation and heading to a real worker’s paradise, like Cuba or North Korea? I’m sure you’ll be much happier someplace like that.
Hehe! Cut_n_paste_knee_jerk_response_#23 if I’m not mistaken.
^Apt username.
Ahhhh, how I still love capitalism.
And, on a semi-related note…these pictures are incredible.
the photos in the empire state generate a cold column and belly
I like tall, but exaggerated
Amazing! But can anybody explain to me why I wouldn’t have any problem doing most of these tasks on my roof, but the idea of doing it at the top of the Empire State Building scares me witless?? I’ve always wondered what difference it really makes…
Hair,
Your perspective/balance is thrown off when the background is that far off. We are accustomed to the edges of our visual field being closer. Also, of course, there is more wind the higher you are. Even on a day with no wind at ground level, you’ll feel it as low as fifty feet off the ground.
Olde,
You’re right about workers’ bravado. But as someone who makes his living often working off the ground, I can tell you that despite our proclivity for boldness, it makes no sense. And as much as I am not a fan of regulations, these pictures both amaze and sadden me. Men will do just about anything to feed their families. But they shouldn’t be asked to take such risks. They were mostly willing to do so because there were few alternatives.
In the photograph of the worker signaling the Hookman my first impression was that the photographer caught the moment just as this fellow lost his balance. Unless he has foot restraints, which seem doubtful, I see no other means of stability for such a position.
Uncle B, go get a reality check! Most of the high steel workers were Mohawks from the Montreal to Kingston area of southern Quebec and eastern Ontario, and the northern New York area. The construction companies found that the Mohawks did not fear heights or dangerous conditions, but the contracts offered lower than average wages and limited labor union membership.[9]
A Mohawk community in Brooklyn called “Little Caughnawaga” had its heyday from the 1920s through to the 60s. Brooklyn Mohawks were mostly from Kahnawake, right across the river from me.
Unreal!!!! no Occupational Health & Safety back in those days, those fella’s just amaze me balls of steel for sure
I can’t imagine that guys can stand all that risks without thinking of their safety, I tried to focus on the all workers’ faces “most of them full with spirit of work without any kind of hesitation” just like another day of work. Believe me guys we are in 2012 and there are so many countries have no building such as this one ,even one building with 20 floors. I hail the real remarkable people who completed this giant and fabulous building.
with all best wishes to all Yours Zaidoon from Iraq,