Construction of the John Hancock Building, 1947

a jigsaw puzzle fan had have had a grand time we we just put the pieces together as called for and up she went yep and I remember the Cornerstone ceremony too took place during lunch hour from where I was sitting it looked like a scene from one of those those travelog pictures of South America or something it was nice weather for a ceremony too the people flocked around till the streets looked like a pot full of mixed paint all colors gay looking as a fiesta the company officials walked through the crowd trying to look serious like the occasion call for but smiles broke out over their faces same as they did in the crowd the head man of John Hancock said a few brief words then somebody handed the speaker the silver Trel for the Cornerstone laying somebody else got the mortar ready for him and he got to work he did a good job too considering he needed a little expert advice there comes a time when we can all stand some but like I said he did a good job all things considered after all if if I ain't expected to write up on a life insurance policy he ain't expected to know all about slapping cement down is he I repeat he did a good job the stone is still there to prove it I don't know what there is about a Cornerstone laying but they have one effect they seem to put more pep in the men and shorten time I say it CU right after the Cornerstone ceremony the building seemed to reach for the clouds like a New England pine tree seems like the men felt as though they had to finish the job in 24 hours and rush it through they did many of Boston Citizen coming to work from across town could already see a change the building starting to poke its nose in under the Massachusetts sky men like me steel men were giving Boston the old lady a new look a more modern look a younger look that old timer watching us start this building set a mouthful new things do make old cities young again week after week went by and the John Hancock structure assumed a higher and higher more solid look about it riveters followed Steel Erectors fireproofing followed deal stonework followed both did you ever watch a colony of ants at work some are carrying a leaf others a grain of sand still others are busy doing something else none of them seems to be taking notice of what the other fellas doing well it's the same way in putting up a building like this while you're putting up one thing others are coming along with the other parts but like ants they're all working toward a common goal and nobody seems to be caring about what the other fellas do and it all comes out all right before you know it the job is done and the last piece of Steel is up but let me tell you some more of the building we' begun work back in 46 now here was the last of the steel up other work interior work continued as long as weather permitted but now we were getting along into cooler days then when the men began huddling around stoves for Comfort we put into execution a plan devised for just this emergency knowing winter was coming we had begun earlier to enclose the building up to the 15th floor in order to make a maximum of progress work continued weather permitting on spandel fireproofing and other things now in cold weather by closing off the building at the 15th floor level with a temporary roof it was possible to proceed with all items of construction normally impossible without heat and protection our attitude was let old man winter come and he did but we were ready for him when Christmas came we not only had the tallest structure in Boston but the tallest ornamental Christmas tree the boys had strung a row of lights for the town to see I think a little of their pride of accomplishment went into it they wanted to show it off some but whatever it was we figured it' be a long long time before Boston would ever see a bigger Christmas tree came spring and the stonework was clear to the roof what the outsider couldn't see though were the miles of Plumbing electrical conduits Steam and water lines that are the veins and arteries of a building came the final touch and the building's highest point was made ready for erection television had come to B but now in a big way and watching this Mast go up had a special meaning to me it was the very last piece to be put in place a symbol to me of completion that meant my job was really over all the building needed now was people to give it life M Day means mobilization day to some and moving day to others to those of us employed by John Hancock it meant both we looked forward to the new move like a person does to a new home we'd been a bit crowded here at the old building and maintaining efficiency had at times presented problems but now a newer and bigger home awaited us and just before the weekend John Hancock's mday plan would go into effect we had been told that everything would be ready for us the following work week that all we had to do was clean out our desks and leave the rest of the planners that night our mday workers took over no idle guess workor here everything marked and rooted to its place in the new building from floor plans prepared long and Advance could imagine from the paperwork constantly referred to that moving equipment required as much planning as putting up the John Hancock building itself but the boys told me later that in record time everything was finally marked and moved out went desks and filing cabinets crates of Records office equipment the 101 things that make all work possible the fellas told me not to waste my pity on the old building though men were going to rejuvenate and modernize it just as soon as space had been made for them to work and when they got through the men added there would be no new building and old building but the building the John Hancock building Boston's largest and finest eagerness to begin a new job can sometimes parallel eagerness to finish one before the building was fully completed our equipment was already being moved in I guess my feelings were mixed that Monday morning I returned to work you know how it is to think of a thing for a long time watch it started see it grow then finally see it finished and waiting but here it was to the visitor a graceful structure containing within itself the functionalism and beauty that creative minds and skillful hands could give displaying to the eye at Triumph of modern architecture and to the mind a reminder of our historical past and treasured among these reminders we could boast of a complete room holding within its quaint and peaceful walls the momentos of a great man John Hancock but to those of us who were not visitors the building held even more for in their quest for efficiency the John Hancock people had forgotten neither our comfort nor our convenience there were the cafeterias large light and with a pleasant atmosphere that made lunchtime something to look forward to the traveling stairs that spared us the ordeal of weary steps the restrooms social oases in the midst of a business day and an observation tower that by day allowed many of us to see our city as we had never seen it before yes this was our new home a new home for the thousands of John Hancock employees this was steel and concrete evidence to the efficiency of a great organization here was a symbol of growth based on the solid foundation of service a symbol of John Hancock's capacity to serve and satisfy this was John Hancock [Music]