Dykon Blasting Recent Projects

On Saturday morning, November 18, 2000, the Warner-Lambert Co. building at 2117 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, was imploded in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Warner-Lambert building was built in 1912 by Thomas M. "Doc" Sayman, who is remembered for his eccentricities. He lived his life with an almost theatrical flair, and seemingly enjoyed every moment of the limelight. As a "character" of his age, he had no peer. Sayman was not a physician but he had no qualms about being addressed as "Doc."
When only nine years old, Sayman left his Indiana farm, barefooted and wearing overalls, to seek his fortune. When a passerby saw him gazing wistfully in the window of a clothing store at a suit of clothes, and learned that he had left home to make his own way, he bought him that suit. And with the suit, he gave the boy the advice that he later credited with his success. "Whenever in doubt about anything, consult a businessman." At ten, Sayman became a member of a circus troupe. At 11 he organized his own medicine show, complete with wagon pulled by his faithful horse Dolly. He beseeched audiences to step closer, please, to buy the soaps, salves, and tonics he peddled with a real flair for showmanship. And he prospered.

Traveling through Texas in the years to follow he discovered herbs and came to believe highly in their medicinal value. He claimed to have discovered a secret formula here which he took to Carthage, Missouri where he set up his first laboratory and office. About 1900 he moved that office to St. Louis and the money continued to roll in.
He lived well, and anything he took a fancy to he acquired immediately and in large quantities. He confessed to owning 14 cars. When he developed an enthusiasm for Turkish baths, neighbors thought he must be putting in a public bathhouse. In a fancy for birds, he put out wheat shocks in one of St. Louis’ most fashionable suburbs to make the feathered creatures feel at home. On his farm he spent several thousand dollars on duck ponds. His weakness for oriental rugs kept the St. Louis market on the upturn for years. Once when he discovered a sick calf at his farm, he promptly loaded it in his limousine, drove to the nearest drug store, demanded medicine mixed at the soda fountain, and curb service for the ailing animal.
In 1928, Sayman purchased 2400 acres of property on the courthouse steps near Cassville, Missouri for $105,000. It was rumored that he wanted to fish for trout. Becoming disenchanted with that, he later donated the entire tract of land to the State of Missouri, and Roaring River State Park came into being. Sayman donated large amounts to charities, and gained the unswerving loyalty of his employees, both by his generosity and his understanding and interest in their personal problems.
Thomas M. Sayman’s colorful career came to an end with his death in September, 1937. He had made a fortune manufacturing soap and patent medicine and left his family several million dollars.

The building was purchased from Sayman Products Company in 1940 by Lambert Pharmaceutical Company, manufacturer of Listerine antiseptic. In 1966, Lambert Pharmaceutical Company moved its production to a plant in Rockford, Illinois, and leased the building to various businesses. In recent years, the building served as a sanctuary for homeless people, pigeons and rodents.
The old building has been removed to make way for the development of $10 million, 336,000-square-foot distribution center. GPX, Inc., a consumer audio electronics company, has pre-leased 180,000 square feet of the future center. The remaining space can be had for $3.95 per square foot and will be ready for occupancy in the summer of 2001.
Spirtis Wrecking, of St. Louis, headed up the demolition and cleanup of the project. We have done a lot of work through the years for Spirtis and they are a top notch organization. There is so much more to a successful building implosion than meets the eyes in the final few seconds. They take a great deal of teamwork and cooperation on the parts of several people.
We at Dykon appreciate the opportunity to bring our services to the City of St. Louis, Missouri. We would like to extend our thanks to Spirtis Wrecking and the City of St. Louis for working with us in an atmosphere of cooperation and trust. We look forward to the next opportunity to work with these fine folks again.
Animated picture of the Warner-Lambert Implosion