The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1886-11-27
THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT.
The Passenger Elevator Soon To BE
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES or
Sight-sccrs.

Completcd-Vandal of
Sight-scers.
The passenger elevator OF the Wash
ington monument is in position, and
will be completed and in readiness to
carry passengers to the five hundred
foot level, when congress shall author
izc such use TO be made Of it. 1t will
be some time yet before the monument
is entirely completed, for il is necessa-
ry to imprvoe the present somewhat
unsightly surroundings by forming a
mound about the base, which will af-
ford gradual, though irregular as.
cent to the floor of the monument.
This work can not be commenced for a
month yet, rs it contemplates the fill
ing of Babcock lake, and this is not to
be done until after the fish are all re
moved. Prelm nary steps are being
taken, however, and nearly ali the
frame buildings surrounding the mon
uincnt, which were sold the other day,
are now being removed. All the re-
naming hosting apparatus. TOOLS ma
terialS, etc, were also disposed of at
the sale, so that there may be Il clear
field for entering at once upon the
proposed work when the proper time
arrives. In the meantime the monu-
mcnt is still open to the public who
are still perm tied to work their pas
sage to the top afoot, and they will
probably be accorded the privilege I'M
til congress makes some provision for
running the elevator for their convcn
fence. There is a Waterman at the
monument day and night. Three men
compose the regular watch force, and
each one is on duty eight consecutive
hours. In addition, man, as stated
is stationed at the five hundred-foot lev
ell during the day, when visitors are adj
mitted. Notwithstanding all the pre-
cautions that are taken, the monument
has not escaped the vandalism of the
sight-seer. Names have been scribled
on the walls, and the memorial stones
have been smoked By candles held too
close and have been ruthlessly Clipped
by relic-hunters.
Since the LIST of April, when the iron
stairway that ascends the shaft was
completed and visitors admitted. 10, 300
passes have been issued to applicants.
OF these only two hundred were not
used, and therefore did not find their
way back to the monument Office show
ing that visitors very generally avail
ed themselves of the opportunity to
make close inspection of the monu-
ment, even if they did not tramp to
the five-bundred foot level. The ascent
of the monument is quite an under
taking, and many visitors who have
gone to the trouble to secure passes are
content to examine it from the ground,
after 6 glance up the dark shaft brings
realization of the task before them.
1t takes, generally, about an hour for
persons who are not in n hurry to
make the round trip. This gives
twenty or twenty-five minutes for the
ascent, ample time to enjoy the
magnificent view from the windows at
the 500 foot level, and twenty minutes
10 decend. During the past seven
months the monument has been visited
by people of every nationality. When
strangers come to Washington they
feel that they have not done the proper
thing until they have assembled t.,
highest structure in the world. Tie
more difficult the task or the more
obstacles in their way, the more
anxious they are to accomplish it; so
that very few 60 away without viewing
Washington from the monument
windows. The residents of Washing
ton who have made the ascent are
comparatively few. In almost every
instance where they have made IL they
accompanied some friends on visit.
Upon inquiry it was learned that of the
ten thousand odd applicants for passes
not one has made an adverse criticism
upon the structure. In nearly every
instance they have something to say
about il, and have been unanimous in
praising its simplicity. grace. and
grandeur just as il stands. Washing
ton Cor Louisville Couricr-Journal.
An old gentleman in Baltimore VIM
used to be troubled by young men sit
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