Friday, March 13, 2009

Recently on Facebook…

I worked for Ebasco, a Texas based power plant designer's Envirosphere division in 1983 on a number of floors in the 90s. We were part of the archaeological evaluation of Fort Drum, NY for the new cantonment of the US Army 10th Mountain Division, about 7,000 people on the former Pine Camp then temporarily used Fort Drum just east of Watertown, NY. I noticed the lack of stairwell lighting then. My significant other was also sent home one day working there on 93 (?) when they worried in the wind if the elevators would go out of alignment. I read after 9/11 a secretary recount here online that they had been at 40 Rector St., threatened to leave and Mayor Koch gave them rent-free for three years WTC floors 79-96 (?). Their Envirosphere division later moved to New Jersey.

A few years earlier I traveled in from Long Island to visit the Building 7 construction site, where an 18th century horse harness had been recovered and is in conservation at the Long Island Science Museum with archaeologist Ed Johanneman and we were denied access. An earlier story had been heard of a ship in the construction excavation for one of the towers.  I later located a ship at 175 Water Street in an archaeological investigation, there have been recorded others, i.e., the AT&T construction, another actually appears in a basement in the South Street Seaport Historic District, the parking lot there used to be on the water at Pearl Street, the original proposed location for the World Trade Center, fought by preservationists.

My condolences to those who are still in pain and torment over that day. If it would bring any closure, according to a Forbes report the company that usually screened passengers was bought a short time before 9/11/2001, and perhaps in the changing adjustment it might not have happened.

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