Alexander Johnston Cassatt
| Alexander J. Cassatt | |
|---|---|
Alexander Cassatt somewhere between 1890 and 1900
|
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| Born |
December 8, 1839 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Died | December 28, 1906 (aged 67) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Resting place | Church of the Redeemer Cemetery, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania |
| Occupation | Railroad executive |
| Years active | 1866-1906 |
| Known for | President of Pennsylvania Railroad |
| Spouse(s) | Lois Buchanan (1847–1920) |
| Children |
Edward Buchanan (1869–1922) Katherine Kelso (1871–1905) Robert Kelso (1873–1944) Elsie Foster (1875–1931) |
| Relatives | Mary Cassatt, sister |
| Honors | SS A. J. Cassatt |
Alexander Johnston Cassatt (December 8, 1839 – December 28, 1906) was the seventh president of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), serving from June 9, 1899 to December 28, 1906. The painter Mary Cassatt was his sister.
Frequently referred to as A. J. Cassatt, the great accomplishment under his stewardship was the planning and construction of tunnels under the Hudson River to finally bring PRR's trunk line into New York City. His purchase of a controlling interest in the Long Island Rail Road and the construction of tunnels under the East River created a PRR commuter network on Long Island. Unfortunately, Cassatt died before his grand Pennsylvania Station in New York City was completed.
Cassatt joined the PRR in 1861 as an engineer and rapidly rose through the ranks. He was a vice president in 1877 when the Pittsburgh Railway Riots broke out in 1877, and had become Pennsy First Vice-President by 1880. He was disappointed to be passed over for the presidency and resigned from the company in 1882. During his absence he devoted his time to horse raising but still was able to organize a new railroad the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad (NYP&N), that connected southern markets with the north. Despite no longer being an executive with PRR, he was elected to the PRR’s board of directors and was recalled in 1899 to serve as president.
Cassatt more than doubled the PRR's total assets during his term, from US$276 million to US$594 million (an increase of 115 percent). Track and equipment investment increased by 146 percent. The route from New York through Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Altoona to Pittsburgh was made double-tracked throughout; to Washington, DC, four-tracked—Pennsy's "Broad Way." Many other lines were double-tracked; almost every part of the system was improved. New freight cutoffs avoided stations; grade crossings were eliminated, flyovers were built to streamline common paths through junctions, terminals were redesigned, and much more. Cassatt initiated the Pennsy's program of electrification which led to the road being the United States' most electrified system.
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