Philadelphia
George Gandy was born in Tuckahoe, New Jersey. His father was a ship captain. Gandy dropped out of grammar school and made money writing wedding invitations. The family moved to Philadelphia and, at age 16, Gandy earned $4 per week working as an office boy at Henry Disston & Sons.
After 11 years, Gandy climbed to a top position with Disston launching his impressive career. In 1882, he became secretary and treasurer of Frankford and Southwark Railway Company. At age 35, Gandy began suffering from a heart condition which lasted the rest of his life and was occasionally aggravated by his business dealings. He worked as an executive for several companies in Philadelphia, building more than 200 residences and the People's Theatre. Gandy's passion however was transportation and, by the end of the 19th century, he had built 125 miles (201 km) of trolley lines in Philadelphia. In the 1890s, he spearheaded efforts to connect Willow Grove Park to Philadelphia, making the park a popular attraction.
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Famous quotes containing the word philadelphia:
“I’d like to see Paris before I die. Philadelphia will do.”
—Mae West, U.S. screenwriter, W.C. Fields, and Edward Cline. Cuthbert Twillie (W.C. Fields)
“All the oxygen of the world was in them.
All the feet of the babies of the world were in them.
All the crotches of the angels of the world were in them.
All the morning kisses of Philadelphia were in them.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
“It used to be said that, socially speaking, Philadelphia asked who a person is, New York how much is he worth, and Boston what does he know. Nationally it has now become generally recognized that Boston Society has long cared even more than Philadelphia about the first point and has refined the asking of who a person is to the point of demanding to know who he was. Philadelphia asks about a man’s parents; Boston wants to know about his grandparents.”
—Cleveland Amory (b. 1917)