The sun., 1919-08-03

~-o ~AeJf NAOa6h OhO VI thko
paradoxes wrought by modern en-
cheering has placed them at its centre
, instead Of on its circumference, are
forced to deal with human nature in
an abnormal phase. Commonplace. as
n railway Journey seems to most of us.
It IL fact that there Is something
about It that jars men and women
from. their accustomed ways of
thought and action. A thousand ex-
traordinary incidents take place every
day that would be impossible under
any other environment than the hum
and hustle set up by the modern ma
cEinery of transportation. and the per-
sonalities, methods and experiences OF
the men who deal as a part OF their
routine existence with these incidents,
sometimes trivial, sometimes grave.
are of more than passing Interest.
They are witnesses of a drama upon
which the curtain is never rung down,
q pageant of movement which goes On
through every hour of every day of
the year.
The men who are responsible for the
quarter of a million travellers passing
daily through the gates Of New York
are picked from the thousands Of en-
ployees of a dozen great railway sys-
TENS. They have served long APP
premiership in the service Of the pub
lie. they are men trained to action
rather than speech and more inclined
TO give credit for their achievements
"a their subordinates than to them
aelves. but IL you are fortunate enough
ID know any of them you may learn
lot only a thousand anecdotes OF the
&trange vicissitudes which befall
travellers but some deeper lesson OF
faithful. intelligent service as well.
William H. Egan. who has ruled the
PENNSYLVANIA Terminal, at Seventh
avenue and Thirty-second street, since
Il was opened In 1910. Is just as big as
his lob. Well over six feet, built In
proportion, sharp eyed and clear
sk.nned, his mere physical attributes
would make him a marked man in any
company. Add to his inches and
strength the swiftness of decision and
acuteness of perception that come
from long experience and the genuine
heartiness of a man who likes his
work ana who never allows it to worry
him and you have Egan-a typical
American executive. He is as far re-
moved as possible from the role OF
petty martinez so often played by the
FRENCH chef de care or the English
station master and sometimes, sad to
saw. attempted by the minor officials
OF American railroads.
ct like to deal with the public,
; 75rau says, and perhaps, that, is the
4. 10
sort of man who would have been
called "Bill" anyway, even II his par
ents hadn't taken the precautioh 10
christen him William. There may De
a man or woman in New YORK VINO
has more friends and acquaintances
than the big station master at uhe
pennsylvania Terminal. but If so he or
she Is unknown to fame.
EEnn Knows Them All.
WALL street and Broadway. Fifth
avenue and The Bronx, Egan knows
them all. Bankers and actresses, So
ciety women and just plain foiks from
every section of this big city are on
tho list of his friends. Presidents
Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson have eacn
I'm turn come under the big stauon
masters protection, sometimes Oh
tbsir ofticial Journeys when they en-
tered the big terminal in a special
. train and left it with a military escort
end sometimes on quiet little shopping
trims when they dispensed with most
of the ceremonious precautions that
surround the nations Chief Execu-
five. In either case, and no matter
what precautions the city police force
and the secret service may have taken,
the President is under the care OF
Station Master Egan as long as ne re-
mains in the terminal building, ana
whatever arrangements are MADE
Egan is a party to the conference
which arranges them.
Visiting notables from the lands
across the sea often come under
Egan's care too. When the Duke OF
Connaught visited this country he ex-
hibited great interest in the big termi-
nal and the electrified division OF the
PENNSYLVANIA and made a special trip
between Manhattan Transfer and New
York In one of the electric motors,
and an inspection OF the entire struc-
tsure. And of course 1t was the sta
ton master who conducted the party
onQ answered. Ilic many AeSs"NASS -
his Highness. One of the things that
caught the royal travellers eye was
the crowds of commuters rushing to
catch Long Island trains in the late
aftarnoon. The word "commuter" was
strange to the Dukes vocabulary and
h asked Egan for an explanation.
Commuters" Egan explained, ARE
people who are too poor to live in New
York"
"ReaIlyT' the Duke answered, and
doubtless stored this interesting bit OF
= information away as another example
ID tho extraordinary way in which
Americans do things.
Lord Decies, whose marriage &c
vivian Gould a few years ago was
an event Of more than passing Interest
on two continents, began his honey
moon with a trip to Palm Beach. A
private car was placed at his disposal
and the most elaborate precautions
were taken by the station master at the
pennsylvania Terminal to keep the
curious away until the Florida express
pulled out. And the bride and bride
groom were added to the list OF Egani
friends when they entered their oai
under his escort without a dozen Poo
pie In the terminal knowing that thu
English nobleman and the American