para ti, con cariño — christian amaya garcia

[front of postcard depicting the 110th St. elevated train station, postcard is wrapped in steel wire.]

[back of postcard reads, "Mrs. Ringer Watkins", mailing address labeled with stamp and mailing approval, postcard is wrapped in steel wire.]

[back of postcard reads, "This is the worst curve on the elevated track. When you are on the train you hardly know you are going around such a curve. But down in the street, as you look up you can see how wonderful it is.", written message and address labeled, no postage stamp or mailing approval, postcard is wrapped in steel wire.]

[back of postcard reads, "Uncle wishes he was back in good old Hamilton, [Ohio].", written message and address labeled with a postage stamp and mailing approval, postcard is wrapped in steel wire.]

[back of postcard reads, "Why don’t you answer my card I waited so long for an answer and don't get none.", unreadable written message and undecipherable address, no postage stamp or mailing approval, postcard is wrapped in steel wire.]

[back of postcard reads, "I wrote you a letter and send you this card as a reminder of old friendship & love.", written message and address to sender labeled with a postage stamp and approved mailing stamp, postcard is wrapped in steel wire.]

postcards and steel wire.
4.5 h x 5.375 w inches each.

Opened on July 1, 1867, the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, Ninth Avenue Line, was the first elevated railway in New York City as a single-track cable-powered railway from South Ferry to Harlem River at 155th st. This particular train station was located on West 110th Street and Manhattan Avenue with the highest elevation in the entire system. This station opened on June 3, 1903 as part of the Dual Contracts¹—documents and contracts for construction of rapid transit lines in New York City. The railway, operated by the IRT, was later incorporated along the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation and Independent Subway System to form the New York City Subway.

The 110th St. station was nicknamed “suicide curve” because of the multiple suicides that took place on the station.

“It was said that the old Central Park reservoir was once the favorite place for the suicide, but when the city put a fence around it, the highest point of the elevated system gradually became the choice”².

The train station later closed on June 11, 1940.

I wrapped the written postcards, three sent, two never delivered to their sender, in steel wire locating where the curve would jolt passengers on the elevated track.

1. NYC Subway, https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/The_Dual_Contracts

2. Merchants Complain Suicides Hurt Business; Seek Way to Guard 110th St. Elevated Station, New York Times, January 31, 1927, p. 19