One of the city’s major construction jobs spontaneously occurred September 27 at the corner of Skinker and Kingsbury, when a World’s Fair era column which had fallen was rebuilt by a handful of amateur Kingsbury street craftsmen.
The seven-foot-tall column, adjacent to higher columns which “guard” Kingsbury from the roaring traffic of Skinker had mysteriously collapsed late the previous Saturday night.
Most persons passing by simply observed and commented. Old-time resident Jim McCarthy, however, decided that action had to be taken, and early in the day started scraping the turn- of-the-century mortar off the stones. He was joined by engineer Burk Mees, visiting for a week from building tunnels in West Virginia, and the move for reconstruction was on.
To recreate the column involved carefully piling about twenty-five stones weighing at least fifty pounds each. Mortar had to be properly placed between each one, the lines had to be paralled from level to level, and care had to be taken that the whole thing would not fall on the heads of about thirty observers of all ages.
Assignments were developed according to interests and ability. John Roach and Dick Lottes were best at putting the mortar on the rock. Mees wielded a mean hose in cleaning off the rock. Rick Bender Was good at carrying rocks and discussing engineering theory with Mees.
Cement was provided by Jack Flynn, from over on McPherson. Bob Newsham did an excellent job of stirring the cement and water. The writer helped coordinate by telling the cement makers when the rock cleaners needed the hose, and vice versa.
The wives, realizing the limitations of the Women’s Liberation Movement, performed supportive services. Joan Bender, Betty Newsham and Phyllis Mees took pictures. Jody Holland consented to the use of an old wash-rag to smooth the mortar. Susie Roach fetched refreshments. All gossiped.
Passersby indicated great interest. The local police, rather than cite the workers for building without a permit, gave the group the peace (or possibly the victory) sign.
Disagreements occurred. Was it better to put bottlecaps between levels to stabilize or to simply rely on the mortar? Special interests favored bottlecaps, particularly persons who supplied them by drinking the beer.
Recognizing the historical significance of the event, many persons entered items into the hollow shell of the column which, therefore, became the block’s time capsule.
The Committee for Environmental Information, on whose property the column had stood broken and unattended for a week, made up for its lack of practicing-what-it-preached by donating a copy of its magazine. A list of the day’s participants, appropriately placed in a beer bottle, went into the column cavity. There was great sentiment for including one of the block’s more popular dogs, but at the insistence of Joan Bender the little rascal was left free to cavort happily about.
Topping-out required lifting a 500-pound stone six feet in the air. This was accomplished by putting the stone on top of a Volkswagon, rigging a rather complicated set of timbers and rope under the stone, driving the VW out and all males heaving the rock to the top of the column.
The six-hour struggle resulted in victory, and careful comparisons revealed the job was at least as good as that done on companion columns.
Having become more appreciative of the efforts put into building the Pyramids, the happy workers wandered home, their monument (hopefully) secure for another half-century.
Originally published in The Paper, October 1970.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1970_10.pdf, printed page(s) 8.
