The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-10
Az EXPERT HAMMER suINGrR.
Interesting Sights in tho Work on the Third
Avenue Road.

Negroes from the Iuarrics and mines OF the
Virgnias are the most skilful OF the hammer
and chiael men now at work on the Third
Avenue Railroad putting in the new electric
equipment on the roadhed Their work
Is unusually arduous. because tho con-
crete bed for the cable tracks. laid
eight years ago. was put down to stay.
and it il now as hard as granite. The slowness
with which tho construction in Printing House
Square is going along has caused a great
deal Of comment from some of the tens of
thousands OF persons who cross Park row
every day but any ono who will tako the
time to watch the work for while will see
why it takes SO long. At no spot in town is
street work more impedei by crowds and cars
and trucks.
The sinking OF the iron insulator
boxes in the concrete between the rails
pair OF boxes every ten or ilfeen
fo"t. all the way from tho Post ONCE
to tho Harlem Rjver-ls the work that
takes the time. Tn" rails rest on a concrete
Of which rms the cable slot. The cross Jokes
il this Juror bed rest on still thicker tounda-
ton Of concrete, The in-u!ator box OPENINGS
in the upper bed have TO bo cut out Of the stone
-.SiNteen-inrh cubes. This IS the work OF the
hammeramI-nh1o men. The only way to cut
but hH pit On the Park row Circle, around Ben
Frdnklins statue. where no ears run. tho best
that two men can do Is 10 put III u par III
insuIaiur hoXrS in day. but near the Brook
lyu Bridge entrance. where train" is most con
gr-ter. is an all days job to dig out on" hole
The tai. Drawnv negro from the Virginia
stone quarrieS who swings tn" hammer Just
opposite tn" bridge entrance is the " star per
former" Of the gang. While hi. negro
helper holds the vhiSc bar with carr
less caso. laughing and Joking., turning
often to look out for cars and trucks
lao swings the hiG hammer with alarming den
t"rity. seldom twice III the same manner
Lat ALWAYS bringing il down with Il
ring On the III" head OF tho bar. driN-
ing the steel edg" Down into the stone.
He swings the hammer over the left shoulder.
his right hand always keeping a firm grasp OF
the handle near the end.
Ordinarily he swings the hammer with his
right arm, back OF him and oyer his shoulder
until it almost rests there. and then. graSping
the handle with his left hand near the centre Of
gravity, close to the head. starts the hammer
outward and downward by drawing in his
comes the centre Of rotation. and he brings the
hammer down sharply on the bar by d mighty
throw Of his left arm.
The moment til" hammer rings on the head
Of the bar he relares his grasp and let's
the hammer sw lna laHily around behind
OF seconds rest between blows. AS
the hammer swings over his shoulder
he always turns 1t once. and sometimes sew
rra times ON its long axis. and tho wonder
is that til" head always comes down
square on the top of the bar. More than
this this negro can do what no other
swinger in the gang can do = he
often twirIs tho big hammer around IN the air as
Il drum major twirls \ baton. sw inging it from
one shoulder to the other aud then finally
bringing II down with a resembling ring. He
has swung hammer for twenty years.