>Hello i am wondering with the History you mention and the reference library
>you have accumulated if you would know about the following.
>
>My Great Great Grandfather came over from Fermanagh Ireland to New York.
>the story goes that he came over about 1880, and he dug trenches for the
>putting in of the New york City Sewer system.
>
>Is there a time frame for the installation of the modern Sewer system in
>NYC?
>
>I know this may seem to be an odd question, but I've always wondered if this
>was a true story.  He also was supposed to have worked as a bar tender in
>NYC.  But later in life he was in favor of Prohibition.  Maybe  if he did
>work in a bar he say to many lives ruined and that's why he felt strongly
>about it in later life.
>
>This again could just be a family 'story'.
>
>Thanks for your time.
>
>sincerely, Joy
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: A LISTSERV list for discussions pertaining to New York State
>> history. [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Emily Leonard
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 1999 4:45 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: NY CITY History
>>
>>
>> >In a message dated 99-01-05 09:30:33 EST, you write:
>> >
>> ><< [log in to unmask] (Emily Leonard) >>
>> >Emily,
>> >Have you looked at the book "GOTHAM" a History of New York City
>> to 1898? The
>> >cover of the book states: A monumental History of New York City, from the
>> >earlisest Indian peoples to its consolidation as Greater New
>> York in 1898. The
>> >authors are Edwin G. Burrows and Mike Wallace. I bought the book
>> thru The-
>> >Book-of the-Month Club, but I think I also saw it at Barnes &
>> Noble or else at
>> >Walden's Book store.
>> >Lanah De Witt
>> Lanah:
>>
>> I have "Gotham" and the Encyclopedia of New York City and a
>> floorto ceiling
>> bookcase filled with books about the City. What I don't have is an easy
>> acquaintance with source materials, the kind of 'in the pores' knowledge
>> most upstate historians seem to have. As a novelist, I'm a pretty good
>> historian, but not as good as I would like to be. As a novelist, the book
>> competes with the research for research's sake.
>>
>> But thankyou so much for your suggestion, I do appreicate your interest.
>>
Sask:

According to "The Encyclopedia of New York City", the first municipal
sewers. coverning 70 miles, were installed between 1850-1855, but they did
not serve the poorer sections of the City. The Metropolitan Health Board,
established in 1866, began a building program that continued "until the
early 1890's" that installed over 450 miles of sewer lines.

So, it would appear that your family history is accurate. From 1846 until
the end of the century, the Irish did most of the digging in New York.
"Real" Americans held that they were suited for the work by nature, which
gave them hands made for the spade. In fact, a wheelbarrow was known as an
"Irish ambulance" or "Irish buggy" and the shovel as "an Irish banjo." (As
I like to remind my fellow Irish Americans who complain of the new ethnic
groups in the City, they didn't call it the Paddy wagon because it took
Swedes or Poles to jail!)

Up the Irish! Erin go Bragh!