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From: SIM300A <>
Subject: Re: "Puddler" -occupation
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 23:44:05 EDT

Recently someone was asking for a definition of a "puddler", the listed
occupation of an ancestor. A few nights ago there was a segment on the
Discovery Channel about the building of the Hoover Dam (aka. Boulder Dam) in
the early 30s. As the actual construction of the dam progressed, huge
"buckets" of concrete were dumped into forms. Immediately a crew of men jumped
in and began to stomp around in the still-fluid concrete. The object was to
get rid of any air bubbles that may have formed as the concrete was dumped so
that the set concrete would be stronger. These men were known as "puddlers".
I don't remember the time line in question, but if it was in the depression
days of the early 30s, that individual may have been involved in the building
of the Hoover Dam.
The term was also used in the iron/steel-making industry. Just something else
to confuse the issue?

Dennis E. Parmer

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• Re: "Puddler" -occupation by SIM300A <>