[PRCo] Re: Elevator dispatchers

[Harold G.]

Bob   I did not know about the tunnel.  Is it still there?

I worked at the NY Times while attending NY University
1945-49.   They had negro elevator operators and then
they had starters that were almost little gods.  I was
very respectful when I first encountered them.

Harold Geissenheimer

-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Rathke <bobrathke at comcast.net>
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Date: Friday, March 25, 2005 8:21 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Elevator dispatchers


>Now there'something else you don't see much anymore - elevator dispatchers!
>Did the Jenkins Arcade use elevator dispatchers up to the end?
>
>The Grant Building converted to auomatic elevators around 1958, but they
>still retained dispatchers who functioned more as information
>persons/security guards.  I worked in the Grant Building until 1969, and
>they still had dispatchers working in the lobby then, although they really
>didn't dispatch any elevators.
>
>A couple of things I remember about the lobby which was remodeled around
>1965:
>
>- A plaque on the wall that explained the signal light on the top of the
>building that spelled "Pittsburgh" in Morse Code.  Does it still do that?
>
>- The staircase and underground tunnel  to the City-County Bldg. across
>Fouth Avenue.  Every day, more than one City worker used the tunnel to come
>over to the Grant Building to have a pop at the Harlequin Lounge, a very
>dark bar in the lobby.  Grant Building workers knew who they were.
>
>Bob 3/25/05
>
>-----------------------------
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Edward H. Lybarger" <trams at adelphia.net>
>To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
>Sent: Friday, March 25, 2005 6:03 PM
>Subject: [PRCo] Re: Fourth and Stanwix
>
>
>> The Arcade was quite a place...a community, really.  We used to joke with
>> the elevator dispatchers about starting a rumor on the 8th floor just to
>see
>> what it would sound like by the time it reached the first.
>>
>> Life was simpler then.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
>> [mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org]On Behalf Of Matt
>> Barry
>> Sent: Friday, March 25, 2005 12:12 PM
>> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>> Subject: [PRCo] Re: Fourth and Stanwix
>>
>>
>> Ed,
>> That is so great that you had an office in Jenkins Arcade..   My Mom
>> worked at Horne's and I recall going into the Arcade for the eye doctor,
>> baked goods, Palmer's restaurant, Ritter's,  and wasn't there a Gil's or
>> a Rite Aid?   Plus, it was great to cut through there coming back from
>> 5th Ave to Horne's when it was bitter cold outside.  Really enjoyed
>> coming out of the Liberty Avenue side of the arcade to see the East End
>> PCCs making that wide swing from Liberty onto Fifth.
>>
>> Edward H. Lybarger wrote:
>>
>> >Diamond Street became Forbes Avenue in 1958, in time for the
>bicentennial.
>> >Ferry Street became part of Stanwix in that whole redevelopment of the
>area
>> >around the Wabash Terminal, but don't know the year.  The T station
>> entrance
>> >is indeed on the terminal site.
>> >
>> >Yes, I had my business in the Jenkins Arcade until the tore it down
>(though
>> >I was operating from a branch in Mt. Lebanon at the end).  Pittsburgh
>> became
>> >decidedly less friendly for small business with the passing of the
>Arcade.
>> >It's even more so today, and look at the city's economic condition!
>> >
>> >Ed
>> >
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
>> >[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org]On Behalf Of John
>> >Swindler
>> >Sent: Friday, March 25, 2005 8:57 AM
>> >To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>> >Subject: [PRCo] Re: Fourth and Stanwix
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Diamond St was renamed Forbes St. - sometime in early 60s?????
>> >
>> >and from the alignment in a 1929 map, it looks like Ferry St. was
renamed
>> >Stanwix St.
>> >
>> >
>> >I remember 'Diamond St.' name, but have no recollection of 'Ferry St.',
>so
>> >would guess that Ferry St. name disappeared in ealry 1950s.
>> >
>> >It also looks like the Wabash Terminal Building sat on the ground now
>> >occupied by the Gateway Center 'T' station.
>> >
>> >Again, thanks for posting this view.  It pre-dates my memories of the
>> >Gateway Center area. Or let me correct that:  It pre-dates my memories
of
>> >Gateway Center area west of Stanwix/Ferry St.; but buildings to east of
>> >Stanwix/Ferry St. were still in existance in early 1960s.
>> >
>> >Ed:  didn't you have an office at one time in Jenkins Arcade?
>> >
>> >John
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >>From: Bill Robb <bill937ca at yahoo.ca>
>> >>Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>> >>To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>> >>Subject: [PRCo] Fourth and Stanwix
>> >>Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2005 13:33:30 -0800 (PST)
>> >>
>> >>Here's another view of the Wabash Terminal demolition
>> >>taken November 12, 1947 with a PCC creeping around the
>> >>corner onto Fourth.
>> >>Bill Robb
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>__________________________________
>> >>Do you Yahoo!?
>> >>Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site!
>> >>http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/
>> >>
>> >>-- Attached file removed by Ecartis and put at URL below --
>> >>-- Type: image/jpeg
>> >>-- Desc: Wabash Novermber 12, 1947.jpeg
>> >>-- Size: 76k (78282 bytes)
>> >>-- URL :
>>
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