Question of the Day - 27 May 2020

The lyrics of the song "Highwayman" by Johnny Cash (and sung by him, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson) impart the idea that bodies are buried in Boulder Dam (which it was called at the time it was built):

I was a dam builder, across the river deep and wide
Where steel and water did collide.
A place called Boulder on the wild Colorado,
I slipped and fell into the wet concrete below.
They buried me in that great tomb that knows no sound.

As the song indicates, the idea that bodies are buried in the dam has long been believed. In fact, 96 workers did die as the result of "industrial fatalities" (this designation allowed the deceased's family to obtain compensation). Another 42 cases of death on the dam site were called pneumonia, though they're now believed to have been caused by high levels of carbon-monoxide poisoning from working around motorized vehicles digging out the diversion tunnels.

However, the Bureau of Reclamation steadfastly insists that no bodies are buried "in that great tomb."  

"The dam was built in interlocking blocks," the Bureau's website explains. "Each block was five feet high. The smallest blocks were about 25 feet by 25 feet square, and the largest blocks were about 25 feet by 60 feet.

"Concrete was delivered to each block in buckets, eight cubic yards at a time. After each bucket was delivered, five or six men called 'puddlers' stamped and vibrated the concrete into place, packing it down to ensure there were no air pockets in it.

"Each time a bucket was emptied, the level of concrete rose from two inches up to six inches, depending on the size of the block. With only a slight increase in the level at any one time and the presence of several men watching the placement, it would have been virtually impossible for anyone to be buried in the concrete." 

Besides, if a body did somehow wind up in the concrete, it would have caused a serious weakness in the structural integrity of that particular block -- a major problem when holding back trillions of gallons of water.

So we're pretty sure that Hoover Dam is not a great tomb after all. But we will say this: "Highwayman" is a singularly striking song -- lyrically, spiritually, and superstarly, with ferocious guitar work and an unforgettable melody. 

And here's your link to the new poll on only-in-Vegas indulgences.