Part 2

Footings already poured - January 25, 2020 - west edge of Manning in the Industrial park - looking east

For anyone who has been in the construction, moving, building, roofing, renovating, upgrading, and razing of buildings, you are always aware of the dangers and that one second everything is going along fine and then all of a sudden the unexpected occurs and something goes wrong. Maybe something was measured incorrectly and you have to start all over or drastically change plans, and then on occasion disaster happens and something collapses or someone gets hurt, or major damage occurs to the structure.

In the past, most people on the sidelines, the neighbors, friends, and community members would come to offer assistance.

Today, we have technology that, sadly, people with no technical skills or experience and no responsibility or conscience can take a picture and then post it on the Internet - JUST so they can be the FIRST one to revel in someone else's hardship.

In their simple minds, they say to the world - Look at me I can actually take a picture and then show it on the Internet to either make fun of someone or show something bad that has happened to a fellow human being.

On the other hand with my webpage I've maintained since 1996, I pride myself in the fact that I always try to show the best in people, and complement them for what they do for the community.
I also took the time to learn how to manually code my own web page and I also pay for my web space, so I'm beholding to no company or no one who is out there to control all of the minions who blindly follow along and get used - while thinking they are getting a service for free.

When the movers had a structural failure on the second-half move of the Rix building, I did not and will NOT show this on my web pages.

For over 40 years I've followed along with all types of construction, renovation, tear-down, and moving of structures with my video cameras and then later digital cameras.
I don't just take a few easy pictures when the big things happen, or when the project is complete. I take the time to capture the whole process...much of the time would be mundane, tedious, and repetitive to most people.
I observe all of the hard behind-the-scenes work it takes with these projects and I also have first-hand experience which I'll show down below.

Contrary to what some people - the gossipers/troublemakers think - I always get permission from the owner to film/capture these events.
I also talk to the person on site who is in charge of the project by introducing myself, and tell them what I'm doing and how some of the pictures may get used on my web page.

I tell them that I understand the dangers and their insurance coverage is not for me. I stay back most of the time, and will never post any pictures that may put them in a position where they aren't always 100% in compliance with safety/OSHA rules.

For those situations where I'm not allowed to be on the actual site or when situations get really dangerous, I will stand on either public property or get permission to stand on nearby private property to take pictures from a distance.

Occasionally I'll get yelled at and told I can't take pictures but as long as I'm either on public or other private property and not on the actual construction site, I have the right to take pictures that are openly in public view.

I always tell the people in charge to not worry about me but all of the dozens/hundreds/thousands of people with phones - the less-than-amateurs who will wander right into a construction site, or might be one of their competitors looking to catch them doing something wrong.

Now enough of my rambling and back to showing the teardown and move of the building. But first I'll show you a project I helped my dad with in the late 1960s.
My dad decided to remove the first story and then lower the second story with roof and convert it into a garage.
Now when you see the pictures it is obvious that this was a dangerous job and at any moment something could have gone wrong and cause a collapse and worse yet, someone get hurt or killed...fortunately no one got hurt and the project went smoothly and safely.

This house once stood on the west side of the alley across from Thrifty Foods. It was the Lester "Led" Hargens home.

Amos Kusel getting ready for the next steps to lower the second story.

One thing I always watch for are old historial items at renovation sites. Gene found 2 similar wood boxes with box joints. After scanning them and taking pictures I could finally identify the Manning business - Rober-Wehrmann which was once located at 323, 321, and 319 Main Street.
Here are 3 side images of the box - the size of the old fashion cheese box.

USE Yeast to make Root Beer and other beverages

Rober-Wehrmann - Manning, Ia

Yeast Foam - 1 1/2 dozen packages (possibly the date 2/1909) 2 Oz. Net

Now I'll show you just some of the very hard and dedicated work by Gene Steffes, his crew, the recyclers, and the movers.

Gene Steffes prepping the building for the big move.

Gene cleaning up the brick facing that had to be removed from the building.

Many items in the building were taken down and reused by other Manning citizens...
the ultimate in recycling which doesn't fill up our dumps.

Gene and his crew worked late into the night many times.

Moving crew setting the beams in place.

Removing the electronics from the sign.

The dollies and hydraulic lift system are priced at $50,000, from my understanding.

February 5th the 2 building halves are separated.

February 6th pulling off Sue Street onto Sixth Street (141).

11:15 a.m. heading west on 141.

Ann Street Intersection

Winding around the railing on the north sidewalk.

Passing the Main Street intersection.

Manning's momentary "covered bridge" of 141.

Turning onto Enterprise Street

12:56 p.m. on the west edge of the Industrial Park.

Taking down the sign

Moving structures, taking them down, or modifying them always have unknown dangers and such was the case when the 2nd half of the building had a structural failure and collapsed on the trailer. Afterwards I heard many "talking heads" and "opinion makers" provide various insights of "their wisdom" on what they would have done...yet not one of them offered to give a helping hand to Gene for the cleanup.

Having known Gene for many years, and photographed various projects he has been involved with, I know he is not a quitter and keeps moving forward even when given a hard blow to his efforts. Gene found a home for the structure that was left, so the rafters and tin won't go to waste.

Years ago, when a farmer or someone in the community had a tragedy or something bad occurred, the neighbors and friends would get together to help...BUT today it is much different - to the point that some simple-minded people will take a picture of an event and then post it on their social media site, in an attempt to get 15 minutes of fame off the tragedy of a fellow citizen.
How pathetic they are, especially when you think about it - they are saying to the world - "look at me, I can take a picture and post it on the Internet..." yet it is something a 6 year old can do.

On the other hand I prefer to boast about the community, promoting the good its citizens do and have been doing so, with my web pages since 1996.

February 10 - moving the upper part of the 2nd building.

Coming down 300th Street

At its new home

Gene also found a new home for the canopy with another area farmer.
At first they attempted to take down the whole canopy at once but that didn't work so it had to be split in half.
Fortunately nothing collapsed and they had plenty of equipment to lift and hold the sections and then let them down in two pieces.

Taking down the canopy

Taking down the canopy February 12

Last section safely waiting to be loaded on a trailer.

An interesting architectural design was to cut a v-section out of the middle of each of the 4 main I-beams and then weld the 2 halves back together...why? - that way the roof of the canopy sloped to the center where it drained rain and snow-melt down into spouts and to the ground.

The red arrow points to the area where the two halves of the I-beam were welded back together...not sure why they welded in 3 triangular gussets on either side of the weld and on both sides of the I-beam the way they did but it would be intended to strengthen the I-beam in that area.

Taking down the 3 steel support columns.

Now I'm waiting for Caseys to bring in the concrete removal crew and start preparing the grounds for the new building.

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