Dogs and Horses

I saw a weird sight today at the corner of Laight and the narrow, two-block alley known at Collister Street. Looking up to admire a handsome, red-brick building with arched windows, which looked like it was once a stables, I spotted a circular bit of sculpture set near the top of the structure. It was the face of a dog. And words radiating around the bow-wow read "American Express Co." Wha?

Consulting my trusty Forgotten New York book, I learned that the building was indeed once the property of the gigantic credit company, which was once merely a gigantic transit company; that the company did indeed use it as a stables; and that Amex's logo was indeed once a bulldog. A bulldog holding a key. A bulldog that kinda looks like a cow. Can't say I wonder why that logo fell out of use.