Old water and sewer "stuff"

[tunnelgas]

I am looking for help finding old water and sewer "stuff".  It is what I do for a living and like the history of what I do.  I am specifically interested in obtaining pieces of old wooden water and sewer pipe, old survey equipment, old receipts for construction material purchases, old blasting equipment, etc.  Any direction would be appreciated. 

Thanks in advance
Steve

[tunnelgas]

And by the way, I did not mean to be rude...that was my first post and I am happy to be part of the forum.  I dont know that I will be much help to anyone but appreciate the opportunity to seek direction.  Thanks in advance to all...

Steve

[fancypants]

Welcome , tunnelgas .

If you are a union pipefitter , you'll no doubt get some hints from the old &/or retired journeymen you (or others) know .

Have you been searching in the Seattle area (for wooden pipes) There was quite a network of them there & time-to-time some oldies go up for sale .

[tunnelgas]

Thanks for the welcome fancypants...

I am not a pipefitter but an old tunnel rat from Milwaukee and Chicago years ago.  I now oversee operations for a large national underground utility contractor based out of the Dallas area.

I have just begun my search for wooden water/sewer pipe and had no luck on the internet. I appreciate your input and will search around in that area of the country.  I picked up some nice old blasting equipment recently from the Middle Tennessee area so going across the country is no issue for me.  I enjoy the "hunt".

Thanks again...

[regularjoe2]

There's great old stories about the wooden water-mains of Seattle ... esp. concerning the fact that the lumber baron that was contracted to outfit the city with wooden mains never charged (filled) them with water .... resulting in the inability to put out "the great Seattle fire" .

He was in the 'right' , by law , since the contract never stated that they were to be filled with water ; only that the network be constructed .

[tunnelgas]

That is one history story that I will look into...very interesting and typical even today of how different parties interpret contracts.  Thanks for the reading lead Regularjoe2...

[regularjoe2]

You can find a good take on that & other stories about Seattle in its' early days if you pick up a copy of "Sons of the Profits" by Bill Speidel , Nettle Creek Publishing Co. , tunnelgas !

[talesofthesevenseas]

How cool! I remembere one of the engineers in the company I used to work for had a whole display of antique mining equipment. It was awesome and people were always commenting on it and stopping in to look at it. This is a GREAT idea! You might also think about including some antique handtools, drafting and surveying equipment if those would fit in.

Here are some terracotta drain pipes:
http://www.ohmegasalvage.com/Showroom%20Pages/garden_items.htm

I had not luck finding any wooden ones for sale, only on exhibit. You might try some different regions on this site, which searches craigslists all over the country http://www.ineedadeal.net

and this page of architectural salvage operations: http://www.ohmegasalvage.com/Showroom%20Pages/salvage_list.htm