Pushing Forward
I learned that when Peter the Great was building St. Petersburg, there was a huge boulder that needed removing, as it was in the way of a road. Lots of contractors tendered for the job.
They would use explosives to start, smash it into smaller pieces using sledgehammers, and then cart them away. A local peasant also put in an offer for half the price. They gave him the job—and they did not regret it.
He and a few friends dug a large hole next to it, took away the excess earth, tipped the boulder in, and covered it up with the remaining earth. Story Credit: Reddit/Snidosil