FURMANFILMS find. Some were Mohawk indians from upstate New York, that strange breed of men who have no fear of heights. Most had worked on other bridges and had the skill and the nerves of steel it required. They accepted the real danger that was everywhere. 24 men died during the construction, a higher cost than the 14 lives claimed on the Golden Gate Bridge. Some were during work, others by just being in a hurry to get home. At the end of the day many of the men working on the towers used to slide down the the big hoist cables inside the towers rather than wait for the slow work elevator. That way they might catch an earlier work boat home. That method worked fine until one day a man on his way down encountered a section of oil on the cable. That ended the worker, and that practice. Another guy tried sliding down a hemp rope that went from the top of the westernmost tower all the way down to the pier below and the paymasters office. But the rope started to burn his hands and legs, and he couldn't stop. :09 Men riding up crane all w/bucket of rivits These guys here are riding up with a bucket of rivits. Its not exactly the kind of elevator ride I would volenteer for... Notice they aren't looking down much. That was always one of the rules... 'keep your eyes on what you're doing. And don't look down' I think it's scenes like this that gave people the idea to start OSHA. 24