The case of the malevolent doughboy
Snow-carving artists rose to occasion to defend Great Northern.
There it was, the Great Northern elevator, the Last of the Brick Boxes, just minding its business on the City Ship Canal. Suddenly, out of the west came a huffing Doughboy intent on harm. Its breath smelled of yeast.
Armed with a Bunyanesque roller, the 500-foot batch of bad dough pounded away at the innocent elevator, raining bricks, sheet metal, and machinery bits on citizens below.
This manna from hell refused all entreaties to stop. Letters from learned academics and common citizens, Congressional studies, and city landmark laws were all hurled at the pasty-faced flourhead. It remained defiant, bent to its nefarious task.
That was the scene at the 1991 snow-sculpting contest sponsored by Buffalo Place in downtown Buffalo. A sculpture called Attack of the 500-foot Doughboy was awarded second prize. It represented the desire of the Pillsbury Company [which sold the elvator to equally nefarious ADM] to demolish one of Buffalo’s industrial landmarks. Rising to the occasion were sculptors Bill Woeful, Rich Kegler, and Dan Farrell.
In the film Ghostbusters, a similar marauding doughboy marches up Central Park West until it is toasted by misters Murray, Akroyd, and Ramis. Is the Ganson Street Monster anther case for the ghostbusters? Will the Great Northern be shattered by ADM and its henchboys? Will the doughboy be turned into fodder for a colossal bake sale? Or will it just melt away? Stay tuned.
Reprinted from the March-April 1991 Buffalo Preservation Report, with minor edits. You can help The Campaign in its efforts to save the Great Northern once and for all by donating today. We won 30 years ago, and have beat back three efforts by ADM since. With your support we can beat the heartless agribusiness giant again.
