November 15-18, 1999

Fulton, IL, USA - Some finishing touches

Time began to run out: the latest news on the 3rd shipment by now was that, again due to bad weather (now while it was sailing), it would arrive in Chicago by rail no sooner than either the 16th or 17th of November. Fortunately Circle International was able to pre-clear the container through customs, so that this would not cause an extra delay.

Arriving on the 16th or the 17th at Chicago Rail Head, would allow a trucking company to deliver the container with the sails and the axis in Fulton on either the 17th or the 18th of November. Since the "Big Lift" was scheduled for the 19th of November, the workmen were already preparing for a 24 hour's shift on the 18th. That is: if the container would come before the 19th...

In the meantime the workers worked on the final touches to the base

and the octagon.

The engineering firm of Willett Hofmann and Associates arrived on the 16th to make sure the base of the concrete substructure was level.

This allowed Johan Havenga to do the last work on the beam structure and floor of the 2nd floor.

The contracting firm for the landscaping part of the project had already brought in enough land fill to allow for an easy access to the base from the West side.

The last jobs to be done on the octagon and head was some paint work

plus attaching the ring on top of the octagon on which the head will rest and turn.

Night already began to fall while the final adjustments were done by Eric by means of a sledge hammer. He's really the only person I ever met who is able to fine-tune things with a chain saw or sledge hammer. His favorite reply is always: 'Hey, it's a mill, you know!!'. Many years of experience...

After this all that remained was to wait for the arrival of the 6th container.
It still hadn't arrived the next morning...

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