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12/01/2008: "Finding Penn Station"

After reading the book, Conquering Gotham by Jill Jones, I’ve been on a hunt for pieces of Penn Station, several of which I have found around the city. I’ll let you in on that, but first a few tidbits from the book.

First, Alexander Cassatt, then President of the Pennsylvania Railroad (the second largest corporation at the time behind US Steel) and brother of painter Mary Cassatt, held the position that regulation of railroads was inevitable. He supported or at least wouldn’t oppose Teddy Roosevelt’s efforts to regulate. Incidentally the regulation was later seen as preventing the railroads from being competitive when unregulated airlines and automobiles came along.

From my own operation, my inclination that the building could have survived if it had a tower above it. New York is a vertical city after-all, and while the city was in awe of the “Baths of Caracalla,” yet it never completely fit in. In fact when it was built passengers complained because there was no subway service. The station also accounted for more commuter passengers than long-distance travelers. Eventually New Yorkers would come to love the station, and while they would eventually miss the station, at the time of its demolition it was dirty and deteriorating with broken glass panes. New Yorkers at the time also didn’t have a sense of “landmarks,” and although there was some outcry, without legislation to back it, the demolition couldn’t be stopped. It might be said today that more people lament the loss than ever loved it.

Finally on the pieces. The book mentions a portrait of Cassatt by John Singer Sargent and a bronze of him that stood in the waiting room. Both are in Strasburg at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. The bronze of engineer and later President Sam Rea is outside 2 Penn Plaza (Penn Station) in New York. One of the eagles from atop the station is also there. Finally, the original clockthat was above the station entrance had a figure of “night” on the right and “day” on the left. The figure of “night” was retrieved from a New Jersey landfill and is on display at the Brooklyn Museum.

Eric Miller, on 12.01.08 @ 17:51PST