Category: Thoughts and Musings

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

My Trench Box Is Bigger Than Your Trench Box

lewisotr

This special trench box was built in our shop and used on one project, a 72” and 84” water line line for a new water plant project in Austin, Texas. I have serious reasons to believe it is the largest trench box ever built. It measured 44’ long x 12’ tall with an 8’ tall stacker section to go on top, making it 20’ tall. This box isn’t for just anyone. We had two EX 1200 Hitachi Excavators that were used to dig and lay the pipe and took them both to advance the box ahead. The approximate weight of … Continue reading My Trench Box Is Bigger Than Your Trench Box

Aging, Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

How Old Am I ?

lewisotr

I’m So Old That: When I first started in the underground utility business we used batter boards and string lines for setting grade on wastewater lines. A good 6’ wooden folding engineers rule and a torpedo level were the grade setters best friend.About a decade later before lasers became widely used. (Early 1980s)Many of the old school inspectors wouldn’t trust lasers so had us set up batter boards to use to prove out that the laser was shooting a straight line and grade. I’m So Old That: John Deere and Caterpillar hadn’t started making hydraulic track excavators when I first … Continue reading How Old Am I ?

The History of Texas, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

The Origins of a Ring and Auctioneers at Livestock Auctions

lewisotr

When researching livestock auctions and the actual concept of a ring with auctioneers started. While there were some used in the 50s (maybe as early as the 40s) it appears that it mostly became a widespread way of selling cattle and other stock in the early 60s. Prior to that, the Livestock Commissions were mostly a place to bring sellers and buyers together, where they could meet up and strike a deal, then the house would weigh and facilitate the transaction and collect their fee. If anyone has knowledge about or when you actually remember your first cattle auction in … Continue reading The Origins of a Ring and Auctioneers at Livestock Auctions

Aging, Amazing Things, The History of Texas, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

San Antonio’s Union Stockyards

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Below is about the best article I’ve found on the history of the SA Union Stockyards that has now been closed for more than 25 years. From The Houston Chronicle “Union Stock Yards says goodbye after 112 years in San Antonio” John W. Gonzalez | April 22, 2001 SAN ANTONIO — After 112 years as a landmark of the South Texas cattle industry, the Union Stock Yards held its final auction last week, giving workers and well-wishers one last chance to savor its colorful yet faded traditions. In an auction barn that used to witness thousands of transactions a day, … Continue reading San Antonio’s Union Stockyards

Amazing Things, Old Dog - New Trick, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Story Of How A Little Ol’ Utility Contractor From Bertram, Texas Came To Own Two Giant Excavators

lewisotr

When we first acquired these machines in the later part of 2007, they were bought for a particular project, that was in some fairly hard limestone. We had approximately 4 to 5 miles of very deep wastewater (most of it 38′-40′ depth) to lay. We didn’t have our own deep trenchers that it would take to dig the depths we were going to need. We would generally subcontract that portion of the work out. We had equipped our two 385 Cats out with Leading Edge buckets (the very strange buckets at the bottom of the page) and had been having … Continue reading The Story Of How A Little Ol’ Utility Contractor From Bertram, Texas Came To Own Two Giant Excavators

Amazing Things, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Sound of the Cicada

lewisotr

For me haunting sound they make ranks up there with the howl of a coyote. Only these things are right next to you instead of across a field or on a distant hillside. I always remember calling them Katydids as a kid. Cicadas and Katydids are not the same thing. They are two different types of insects. Cicadas are known for their loud buzzing or singing sound, while katydids are known for their distinctive “katydid” mating call. Additionally, cicadas have large, transparent wings and are often green or brown in color, while katydids have long, slender bodies and green or … Continue reading The Sound of the Cicada

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

It Popped Up Like A Cork !!!!

lewisotr

We were laying 96” CSC waterline up in the south part of Dallas several years ago. We came up out of the Trinity River Bottoms with the line, across an old dump area. Not a trash dump, but low lands that had soils dump there) We were making several hundred feet a day. While going through that bad stretch of ground, it called for the rubber o-ring joints to also be welded on the inside and outside. We used a special neoprene gasket that didn’t burn like regular rubber gaskets would allowing for three protections against leaking. That forced us … Continue reading It Popped Up Like A Cork !!!!

Aging, Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Thoughts and Musings, TravelsLeave a comment

A Fast Trip South

lewisotr

I find myself in an awkward situation this morning. I’m writing a book currently that is based on friendships and what friends mean to us in life. I haven’t mentioned this to anyone except those within my tight family circle. I just came up with the idea a few days ago. It will be wrapped around several stories I’ve previously had on The Angora Chronicles and a few other thought’s that I have on the subject. Enough of this. Now on to my dilemma. I have a friend that would be very much a part of the book, because he … Continue reading A Fast Trip South

Another Daily Happening, Crazy Times, My Family, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Let’s But A New Roomy Car For These 5 Boys

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Not too long after we had a whole house full of kids I went and bought Madeline a new suburban. It was a GMC and it was actually demonstrator. When I got home we started looking for the backseat. I figured it was folded down and you just couldn’t see it. Come to figure out it didn’t come with a third seat. It would’ve been bolted in. So I went back and told them to order me one and they said that they couldn’t because it wasn’t equipped with the mounts for the seat or the seatbelts. So trying to … Continue reading Let’s But A New Roomy Car For These 5 Boys