John J Meehan's Iron Foundry

John J. Meehan, Father of Martin Patrick Meehan, Father of Patrica Colleen Wonser, Mother of Colleen Marie Thomson, Mother of Me, Sheehan David Thomson.

Census's report that John J. Meehan owned the foundry and his sons Martin, Francis, and George helped him run it. Martin is listed as being a filing clerk. It was just another day on the job at the iron factory. Grandma Patty (Patricia) said that there was an explosion at the factory while they were casting sand. Sand casting is a type of casting in which a metal part (itself called a casting) is cast in an expendable mold made from sand packed around a replica of the object to be cast (called a pattern). After the sand is packed around it, the pattern is removed, and the molten metal is poured. After the metal has solidified and cooled, the sand is swept away, freeing the casting.
It was raining outside that day and the workers brought in wet sand for the iron moldings that were made. If the mold is not sufficiently dried a steam explosion can occur that can throw molten metal about because of wet sand. John lost his vision in the explosion and Francis lost a leg.
Viola S. Bacci, daughter of Louis and Bertha Bacci would later marry Martin and while staying over at her in-laws she would notice that the boys left John in the dark to do the dishes in the kitchen. Viola got mad because she didn't like for John to be in the dark so she would turn the lights on. Martin and Winifred (Winnie; John's wife) would always hassle Viola and ask her "why do you do that!?" He can't see anyways!
John was blind for 14 years before he died. While in his office at the foundry many of his vendors would stop by to buy goods. John had a little book keeper in the corner of his office and whenever a vendor would come and give John money he would feel it to see what bill it was. The book keeper would get on the old phone and act like he was calling someone (you had to say the phone number into the phone back then) and he would hint to John as to what the bill was by saying a phone number (and if the bill in question were a ten) the book keeper would say a number that started with 1, 0, etc. or if it were a 10 and a 5 dollar bill he would call 1,0,5, etc. saying whatever bill John had in his hand first. They really got a kick out of this because they vendors never caught on to how John knew what bill it was. John, Martin, Francis, and George were all like that; having a very good sense of humor, but the youngest, Florence was very serious.