| Alexander J. Cassatt | |
|---|---|
Alexander Cassatt somewhere between 1890-1900 |
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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 |
| Spouse | 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 7th president of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), serving from June 9, 1899 to December 28, 1906.[1][2] The painter Mary Cassatt was his sister.
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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 controling 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 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.
Alexander Cassatt was succeeded as Pennsylvania Railroad president by James McCrea.
Alexander Cassatt was born on December 8, 1839 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[3] He married Lois Buchanan, daughter of the Rev. Edward Y. Buchanan and Ann Eliza Foster. Lois Buchanan was a niece of James Buchanan, 15th President of the United States, and through her mother, a niece of songwriter Stephen Foster.[4] The couple had two sons and two daughters.
A. J. Cassatt was a horse enthusiast and fox hunter who owned Chesterbrook Farm in Berwyn, Pennsylvania where he bred Thoroughbred racehorses. The 600-acre (240 ha) property is today the site of a subdivision with office buildings and homes using the Chesterbrook Farm name. The original main barn designed by Philadelphia architect Frank Furness has been maintained and restored. (Furness also designed Cassatt's Rittenhouse Square townhouse.)
Cassatt initially raced under the pseudonym, Mr. Kelso, and his horses as from the Kelso Stable.[1] He owned the 1886 Preakness Stakes winner, The Bard and the 1889 Belmont Stakes 1889 winner Eric. As well, he bred the winner of the 1875, 1876, 1878, and 1880 Preakness Stakes and Foxford who won the 1891 Belmont.
In addition to flat-racing his Thoroughbreds, in 1895 A. J. Cassatt helped found the National Steeplechase Association to organize competitive steeplechase racing. He was also responsible for the introduction of the Hackney pony to the United States. In 1878 he acquired 239 Stella in Britain and brought her to Philadelphia. In 1891, Cassatt and several fellow Hackney enthusiasts founded the American Hackney Horse Society. The organization and registry continues to this day with its headquarters now in Lexington, Kentucky.
Alexander Cassatt died in 1906 at his Rittenhouse Square townhouse in Philadelphia, after a six-month illness.[5]:279 He was interred in the Church of the Redeemer Cemetery in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. His widow died in 1920.[5]:315
In World War II, the United States liberty ship SS A. J. Cassatt was named in his honor.
Gramercy Mansion in Baltimore, Maryland was built by Alexander Cassatt in 1902.
In 1910, the PRR erected a statue of Cassatt at Pennsylvania Station, New York, with the following inscription:
President, Pennsylvania Railroad Company 1899–1906
Whose Foresight, Courage and Ability achieved the extension of the Pennsylvania Railroad into New York City
The statue is currently located at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pennsylvania.
| Preceded by Frank Thomson |
President of Pennsylvania Railroad 1899 – 1906 |
Succeeded by James McCrea |