So, just in case anyone might be interested in FACTS instead of the ASSUMPTIONS they saw on the TV "news" stations . . .
JUST EXACTLY WHY DID THE CLEANUP TAKE SO LONG?
FIRST
OVER 4200 medical records of my former patients that were stored in 14 boxes up against the front windows just west of the center column were spread out by a trackhoe after the fire. I found some laying out in the street in the rain when I got there the morning after the fire. Later as I dug through the rubble and remains of the building I found they had been spread from the East wall to the West wall and as far back as 40 feet into what was left of the building, drenched in water and buried in 3-4 feet of brick, charred wood, twisted conduit and wiring and family heirlooms, books, important papers, diplomas, records, furniture, clothing and things we had saved from our kids schoolyears and baby stuff. I even couldn't get in to the front of the building where the records were until the debris from the building next door was removed from the sidewalk - look at the pictures that are all over the Internet, see for yourself. the Opera House was filled not only with Opera House but also debris from the other building that the trackhoe had shoved in there. Since I work 40-60 hours a week in ER and ws pretty much alone most of the time digging through the debris it just plain took me that long to dig through it. But I managed to get all but about 50 that I am aware of by the end of last week. Just got pressured by the "powers" and ran out of time. I had the guys removing the bricks run over everything with their dozer so whatever might have been left is ground up beyond recognition.
IF you were one of those who trusted me with your own or your family members names, birthdates, social security numbers and other information that could have been used for identity theft, in addition to highly personal medical and psychiatric information that could have had potential for creating problems - family, employment or personal - you can rest assured that I personally saw to it that every record I found was buried 8-10 feet under the ground on a friend's farm as they were too wet to burn and too wet and filled with sand and other debris to shred.
SECOND
I didn't want to just throw away irreplacable history by just hurrying up and having everything bulldozed and dumped in a landfill so I did my best to try to figure out how whatever was left that could be reused got the opportunity to "live on" if I could figure out a way to do it. As many of the reusable bricks as could be salvaged went to rebuild historical structures in New Orleans and various other places nearby there and will have a new life. I sold the cast iron front columns to someone with interest in local history who felt they should stay local. All the decorations, scrolls and other tinwork off the front has been destroyed and sent to the scrapyard except for a few pieces I gave to Mr. Kunz's Great-granddaughter. I kept only the stars that were on the side of the building because my wife wanted them - the rest has gone or will be going to local farmers to use for filling washouts, etc. and whatever is left after that will have to go to a landfill. I will do my best to have the lot where the building was remain bare as long as I own it.
FOR those who could only criticize, complain and condemn but never had the courtesy or courage to attempt contact me directly to ask what was going on, or why, before you made so much noise - may you have very long lives filled with people just like yourselves.
NOW . . . . LET'S FORGET IT EVER WAS
- The building, the times and the community it was a part of no longer exist. -
~ REST IN PEACE MY OLD FRIEND ~
OVER 4200 medical records of my former patients that were stored in 14 boxes up against the front windows just west of the center column were spread out by a trackhoe after the fire. I found some laying out in the street in the rain when I got there the morning after the fire. Later as I dug through the rubble and remains of the building I found they had been spread from the East wall to the West wall and as far back as 40 feet into what was left of the building, drenched in water and buried in 3-4 feet of brick, charred wood, twisted conduit and wiring and family heirlooms, books, important papers, diplomas, records, furniture, clothing and things we had saved from our kids schoolyears and baby stuff. I even couldn't get in to the front of the building where the records were until the debris from the building next door was removed from the sidewalk - look at the pictures that are all over the Internet, see for yourself. the Opera House was filled not only with Opera House but also debris from the other building that the trackhoe had shoved in there. Since I work 40-60 hours a week in ER and ws pretty much alone most of the time digging through the debris it just plain took me that long to dig through it. But I managed to get all but about 50 that I am aware of by the end of last week. Just got pressured by the "powers" and ran out of time. I had the guys removing the bricks run over everything with their dozer so whatever might have been left is ground up beyond recognition.
IF you were one of those who trusted me with your own or your family members names, birthdates, social security numbers and other information that could have been used for identity theft, in addition to highly personal medical and psychiatric information that could have had potential for creating problems - family, employment or personal - you can rest assured that I personally saw to it that every record I found was buried 8-10 feet under the ground on a friend's farm as they were too wet to burn and too wet and filled with sand and other debris to shred.
SECOND
I didn't want to just throw away irreplacable history by just hurrying up and having everything bulldozed and dumped in a landfill so I did my best to try to figure out how whatever was left that could be reused got the opportunity to "live on" if I could figure out a way to do it. As many of the reusable bricks as could be salvaged went to rebuild historical structures in New Orleans and various other places nearby there and will have a new life. I sold the cast iron front columns to someone with interest in local history who felt they should stay local. All the decorations, scrolls and other tinwork off the front has been destroyed and sent to the scrapyard except for a few pieces I gave to Mr. Kunz's Great-granddaughter. I kept only the stars that were on the side of the building because my wife wanted them - the rest has gone or will be going to local farmers to use for filling washouts, etc. and whatever is left after that will have to go to a landfill. I will do my best to have the lot where the building was remain bare as long as I own it.
FOR those who could only criticize, complain and condemn but never had the courtesy or courage to attempt contact me directly to ask what was going on, or why, before you made so much noise - may you have very long lives filled with people just like yourselves.
NOW . . . . LET'S FORGET IT EVER WAS
- The building, the times and the community it was a part of no longer exist. -
~ REST IN PEACE MY OLD FRIEND ~
