Page 17 - Women in the Steel Plant, Part Two Rose Grant Young, Crane Operator

ISSUE : Issue 37

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1984/8/1

But anyhow, to save him walking the whole length of the mill, this is what Maynard used to do: he use to dump the boxes, and he taught me how to catch them back up a- gain and bring them back so that that poor old fellow didn't have to walk all that distance. Well, I thought it was part of the job. He also taught me so many things about the lifts; you know, when you get the lift up, to keep it from swaying, and things like that. Another thing he taught: this great big enormous screw on top of the housing-- they had to tighten that to hold all the things in the housing for the rails to come through, so they wouldn't move, so there wouldn't be any bumps in the rail. But Maynard used to take the big hook--a great big enormous thing--we had two hooks on our crane--and he used to sway that hook, and he could tighten with those hooks so the men didn't have to hammer that screw down. Save the men the work. When the men were standing on the top of the housing, they could almost touch the cab of the crane, they were that high up. But he would use that, and he would pound it. Well, he taught me that. And I thought it was part of the job. I never realized that he was making a show-off of me. Because later, I discovered, everybody used to stand and just watch, and they were in awe of the things I could do, with the straps. Now, we'd take hot steel--and the steel things were about the same length as this room--I could take the straps and put them on the end, lift them over, drop them on the pile, and then take the straps off and come back again. I didn't know that the others couldn't do that, see, 'cause I only worked with May? nard. (What would the others do?) Well, they would have to have a crane-chaser take the straps off for them. They would have to follow the crane. They had great big long hooks, and they would unhook the straps off the hot steel. But see, he taught me all this, and I didn't know but what it was part of the job. He was so proud that they'd picked him to break me in in the first place. He was so proud. And he was crazy as the birds, and he and I clicked right from the Day One. Now his son, Roy, was on the other shift. They also later gave him a girl to break in, and of course, the race was on. There was only one job, right? So it was whoever was going to make the best craneman was go? ing to get the job. There were other cranes for this other girl to get. You know, she wasn't going to be out of a job. But the rail mill crane was the piece of cake. So, the race was on. He was deter? mined that I was going to be the one. There seemed to be rivalry. (He not only made you a good crane opera? tor, he made you a better one.) Well, a show-off-y one. I wouldn't say I was bet? ter, because I wasn't as fast. I was too careful to take any chances that they would do, for saving time. In other words, both him and Roy would come through the mill, they'd drop their chain on their way in so that the chain was right at the spot. Where I would wait till I got there, and then drop the chain. Because there was too much in between. You know, I wasn't as fast as they were. And I was always scared of hooking the end of the chain into the housing or--you could do a heck of a lot of damage. I went on the plant on October the 19th of '42, and I went over to the rail mill the last week of November. And then I was with M'aynard--I guess till January, they left me with him to get the training. Perhaps e- ven longer. But then his son, Roy, on the JL Czpt Brtwn Welcome To Your Home AwsiY From HomeS Our B?d and Breakfast program enables you to stay with Cape Breton families and experience the Island's famous hospitality first hand. Look for our welcoming signs all across the Island: tn coastal fishing villages, in the scenic highlands, close to beaches, museums and shopping. We invite you to come and make new friends, explore special places, sleep soundly and enjoy home cooking. A list of Bed and Breakfast homes can be obtained at any Cape Breton Tourist Association Bureau. This project is supervised by the Cape Breton Development Corporation. More information can be obtained by writing: P. O. Box 1750, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada BIP 6T7 Attention: Ray Peters. Cape Breton Bed and Breakfast WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME AWAY FROM HOME! ' A project of the Cape Breton Development Corporation rt Blue Heron Gift Shop ' BOOKS, GLASSWARE, FIGURINES, WOODENWARE, CRYSTAL fVJ Gifts for All Occasions - , BADDECK, N. S. 295-3424 We Buy and We Sell and We're as Near as Your Telephone Sid s Used Furniture Phone 564-6123 436 Charlotte Street, Sydney Fowler's Ladies' Wear 256 Commercial St., North Sydney -YOUR CLOTHING CENTRE ON THE NORTHSIDE- Sportswear by Famous Makers TanJay, Koret, Paris Star Dresses in All Sizes - Everything for the Ladies Use VISA, MASTERCHARGE, or Approved Accounts A Competent Staff Always Ready to Serve You Phone 794-2814 (17)

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