The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-19
IN TIE GREAT SHAFT.
RIDING TO THE TOP OF TIE WASH
INGTON MONUMENT.

Queer Sensations While Rising $50 Feet
| In the AIr-scene frora the Upper Land
ing-Is the Elevator safeY. The Shaft $
Movements.
At last word was given, tire door was shut
with a bang. and the conductor, with a
glance around the car, pulled the hand cable
downward several times in succession. There
was slight tremble or shake as the car was
lifted from the floor, and then the heads Of
the watchman and the 1oorman and the
square doorway full Of light seemed 70 slip
down. down, until they were lost. The car
moved noiselessly aud smoothly as il slid up
the longest elevator shaft in the world The
eye, turned iustiuctively upward, winkcd at
the immense vista, through which the strong,
stiff red cables-twins they looked like-spin
themselves up and over two great wheels in
the roof, 500 feet overhead. The light from
the incandescent lamps filtered through the
grated roof and sides Of the car, giving
spotted appearance 10 the passengers On
either side were the rough. uneven courses Of
the old masonry, the stones ragged and the
seams zigzagging without regard to uni
fornity.
The car has passed through the old por-
ton OF the shaft, and is running as smoothly
a. at the start through the neat. exact ma
sonry Of the new work Tho dark surface Of
the granite is checkered with white squares,
the faces of marble blocks that extend Ell
tirely through the walls acting Gs bond to
the masonry. The corners OF the shaft in this
new portion are neatly rounded, instead Of
being square, as below. At every fifty feet
from the floor TO the roof there is an elevator
landing, the floors Of levels being extended
70 meet the car, and guarded by high lat
ticed gate These occur on alternate sides,
and. the car having a door in both the cast
and west sides, exit from the car is thus pro
vided in either direction. At 40 feet the
smooth walls are broken 10y the projection Of
twelve Luttresses, three on each side. These
are the rib stones which support the roof Of
the monument.
The light from the incandescent carbon is
by this time beginning to be dimmed 10y that
from the outside, drifting down from the
windows in the roof. Tue great wheels that
have been devonring the cables seem to he
falling upon the car, and suddenly the con-
ductor gives a long upward pull on the
handropc, and the car comes TO a stop IN the
midst OF q sheet iron cage The air IL chilly,
and as the passengers step timorousy over
the threshold they button their oyercoats
aud turn up their collars
COLD, LONELY PLACE.
This upper landing Is a cold, lonely place
the abutung ribsiones cutting It up into an
gular spaces, and the bare floors and shining
white walls tending TO give it a lonesome
air. On each side two obioug windows gro
views into the atmosphere and down upon
the hattened earth The world looks bigger
than one thought it to be, Il stretches away
on every hand to a melting blue horizon
family outlined, with here and there a hill
top intruding its sharp point, as if N claIa
Of recognition as part OF the scene.
The spectators are awed surprised chilled
into silence and they occasionally glance up
ward at the maze Of stones in the roof the
converging arches, and the seemingly light,
airy mode Of construction, and then sluidCr
slightly and hurry into the car Some take
of their hats and put their head, through tie
windows. exclaming az the dwarled appear
ancc Of the wOrkmen on the mound below,
and then, looking up toward the capstone,
wondering at the multitude Of lightning rod
noiuts which cover each OF the four triangle
of the roof.
AZ last the conductor shouts for all 70 get
On the car who wish 10 20 below, ard the
visitors huddlo themselves inside and the
down trip is begun lnabout nine minutes the
passengers emerge from the shaft into the out
side atmosphere and mentally congratulate
Themselves upon their good luck Do safely re-
turning g. tho Garth. Then, giaucng upward
along the face Of tue shaft, which seems To be
falling over upon them, tley shudder slightly
and 20 away o. boast that they have been o.
the top Of the highest artificial structure in
the world
Is the elevator safc2 has been asked hum
dreis of time, during tue past week. This
question IS hard 70 answer, for almost all
elevators arc matter OF some slight risk,
even under the most favorable circumstances.
Yet it can be said With truth that the ele-
ment Of danger has Leen eliminate from tue
trip 90 and from the top Of the great hait as
far as human sLll can Co. The machinery
has stood the hardest tests for years without
u break TIC cables hayo been tested 60 "a
capacity OK over ten tons. and the car and
and machinery fitted with the best OF safety
appliance.
MOVEMENTS OF TIE SHAFT.
Great care is taken 70 note the movements
Of the shaft. for it does move. The law Of
contraction and expansion OF material by
Lea. and cold operates hero as well as else.
eastern face in the morning the stones on
thof sirlo o.~unuI ,tud throy.y tina shaft sf0bffv