The Coolidge examiner., 1937-07-29

lf1OOG1 IL CeleDTdIeu
L \ its twenty-fifth anniver-
sary in 1885, the PeISnsyl-
vania station in New York
still is the largest in the
world.
Walk around it and you
have tramped half a mile,
with no more sight of train or
track than you would encoun-
ter about the Vatican or the
Louvre.
The station really is an eight-acre
platform, with a mammoth super
structure, bridging the Manhattan
mouths Of two tunnels. Some trains
run through these tunnels for seven
miles, from New Jersey to Long
Island. under the Hudson and East
rivers, pausing beneath the station,
but never emerging into the day
light or night glow of New York
city.
Northbound trains pass the most
complex traffic corner in the world.
for above the train tunnel, at Her
aid square, in the order named. are
the Sixth avenue subway, the Hud-
son-Manhattan tubes. the street-lev-
el bus lines and the Sixth avenue
elevated. Imagine an airplane over
head, and it would be perfectly
feasible for six vehicles to pass that
intersection at one time.
Half Million Tickets Month.
1t takes a staff of 76 men to sell
tickets at Pennsylvania station. In
a normal month they sold $50. .204
tickets for 81 ,595. .28O. 60. The months
of Easter. Christmas and Labor day
raise that volume by third or
more.
Printed tickets ready for sale,
$50, 600, 900 of them, are stored in a
room where they are guarded like
notes in the United States treasury.
Some of these tinted. water
marked slips are worth hundred
dollars and more when stamped.
Beside each sellers grilled win
dow is rack from which he flicks
out tickets with familiar noncha-
lance. These racks are mounted
on wheels and have folding fronts
and locks.
Each seller has his own rack and
key. When he goes off duty, he
rolls his rack back Of the line.
locks it, and deposits the key in
the cashiers safe. The tickets are
charged out to him and he must
return the unsold quota and the
money for those he sold.
Selling Tickets Is Final Step.
The station cashiers office is like
bank. You may have noticed that
when you pay for meals on a dining
car you always receive crisp, new
bills in change. The cashier must
have on hand these fresh" bills
for stewards. Some $1,000 in
Zones" are enough five days Of the
week, but on Saturdays, Sundays,
and holidays he must have a stock
Of $1,000 or $4,000 in ones alone.
Selling tickets, however, is only
the final step in a series of events.
when does the next train leave
for Topeka, Kan. ?" What connec-
tons do 1 make for Chicago?"
What is the fare?"
Only a small fraction of such
questions are asked in person at
the conspicuous information booths.
Normally 20 clerks are on duty at
time answering some 700 tele-
phone calls an hour.
The peak Of this years inquiries
exceeded 1,100 in one hour before
Labor day. Forty-four clerks work
in shifts to dispense information.
If you watch the smooth operation
of the soundproof telephone room
not once will you see a clerk con-
suit a timetable. They are too
cumbersome and tell too little.
Foolish Questions Come Often.
Instead, the information chief
works with card-index experts to
compile all information about sched-
ules Of all railroad, airplane, and
bus lines and all fares on visible
card files.
One file gives name of all i'm
portant golf clubs on Long Island
and the nearest railroad station to
each club.
It takes poise, tact, resourceful-
ness, to answer some questions. AS
examples:
do have a berth all to myself
or do have to share it?"
What hotels in Washington have
swimming pools?"
MY husband left last night on the
B. and o. Where is he going?"
Have you any hay fever fares to
New Hampshire?"
These Phones ARE Busy.
What time do I get train to go
to Mr.. Abram Walkers funeral at
Toms Ferry?"
Should I dress and undress in
my berth or in the mems room?"