Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-25

! than people. Al the passengers have to
/ do is TO stand still. There nave been
! good many pleasant features 10 the Work,
/ though. Ny passengers nave been nearly
/ all good-natured. If there is any joke At
all TO a fellow IL would come out ~ that
/ trip. have had many Jolly parties aboard
/ and many good singers. They Ike to slug
going up and down, and make the echoes
ring on all sides
THE CROWDS LAST MARCH.
"There were busy lines At the monu-
ment about " ashingtOG's birthday and
Inauguration times. We couldn't
handle the visitors at all. They would
swarm through the door by hundreds and
all want to 20 up at once. one time they
pushed me OF the elevator, clear TO the
other side of the wall, and crowded 80
that those who were next to the elevator
were unable 10 raise their feet ~ take the
one step necessary to get on the elevator.
! Jold them ! could not possibly start
until they cleared the place, and then |
was able 10 take up proper load. An
other time, when they crowded so, /
walked up 10 the first landing, and from
there started the elevator. Men and WON
en- were crowded on it like sardnes in
box. Ii only asceuded a few feet before
those on the outside realized their post
tiOn and drOpped of, II was very conf
raised H. II little way. W hen the crowd
had sufficiently thiuucd I started 1t again
and when it reached me ! got aboard and
took tGem % the top all right. On one Of
those busy days Col. Casey came down,
but he couldn't get in the door on ac-
count Of the crowd. He told me to shut
down and 20 home (speahing from the
outside, and there was no more travel
that day No, we had no accidents that
4 L
credit for that isdue mainly to Col. Casey.
He issued very strict orders, and saw that
they were ODeyed."
ACCIDENTS IN THE SHAFT.
cone day." said Mr. Wayson, "wheu
was coming down an empty barrel fell
from The top landing. heard the cry
from above and knew that something was
coming. ! directed my passenger 10
crowd into the middle where the elevator
was most protected from above, and whan
the barrel struck the top nobody said
word. There We're several ladies aboard,
but they didn't seem bit frightened. At
another time, when the elevator was ut
the top and the men were unloading
stone, a crowbar was twisted from the
hands Of the man who was using it and
dropped down the we'll. We gave the
signal and when the bar reached bottom
there was nobody there to catch it. II
went down like a shot, and a piummet
could not have swung straighter. Ia
went clear through the platform at the
base and made a mole about six inches
deep III the asphalt at the foundation.
Once an iron sleeve weighing 70 or 80
pounds fell while the elevator was az the
top. the cry Of warning cleared out those
at the bottom OF the well, and il struck
on "A board upon which some passengers
had been standing only "A few moments
before. Only two men were hurt during
the entire time that the monument was
being built. In going down step-lad-
der in the dark at the landing near the
top, one Of the workmen mRsed his foot
ing and fell to the landing, only few
feet, breaking his arm. 1t was a curious
accident, for the man was perfectly
familiar with all the surroundings. At
another time the hand-railing at one Of
the landings gave way with n man who
was standing upon 1t fixing the electric
lights. Fortunately he fell the right way
and landed on the platform; the result be-
ing only q sprain. Had he gone down
the well death would have been certain,
for be was at height of 200 feet. don't
believe there was ever a structure built
calling for such dangerous work
with an uninteresting chapter
Of accidents. Everybody connected with
the work knew just how things were be-
ing done and what care was being taken
by those in charge, and that if orders
were Obeyed everything would be all
right. have run the elevator when the
key stone was suspended directly over
me. Had it fallen it would have been the
end Of me and the monument, too. had
no fear, however. for ] knew It couldn't
tall; there were too many safeguards and
the men were too careful"