Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-07-19
VERMONT pHGNIX BRATrLEBoRO FRIDAY. july 1889
UP THE EIFFEL TOWER
900 FEET TOWARD THE SKY.

900 FEET TOWARD THE SKY.
4 Trip that two BraitIcboro People
Made 10 the Top Of this Modern Mar
vel Of Engineering.
On a lovely afternoon, we, in company
with four friends, started for a trip up the
wonderful Eiifel tower As there were two
timid ladies who objected to going to the
top, we bought elevator tickets to the first
platform only. We were to leave the la
dies there to await our return for dinner
at half.past six at the Alsatian restaurant.
The ascent being accomplished without the
blood curdling sensations they anticipated,
their courage returned and they decided to
accompany us the rest Of the way. The
elevator from the ground to the first plat
form accommodates about 60 people and is
composed Of two stories, with room for 30
persons below and the same number above.
Had we known when we started that the
whole party was going to the top, we could
have taken an elevator from the ground
directly TO the second landing. The eleva-
tor from the first TO the second platform is
not so large as the first one, having room
for about 40 people, twenty in each story.
The view from the second platform is
magniicent-in fact, equally as good as
from the one higher up. One can see, not
only Paris and all its principal buildings
and places of interest, but the country for
miles around On this landing the leading
French paper, Le Figaro, has small print
ing office, where daily paper of four pag
es is published. 1t contains accounts of the
exposition and the names of all the people
who ascend the tower and register at their
office ON the day. previous to that of publ
cation. There are also two or three bullets,
and stands where one can buy pictures of
the tower and exposition
From the second landing runs large car
with standing room for 60 people 1t is
simply square box with the upper part of
two sides glazed. In about two minutes
the car arrives at a platform which may
be called floor No, %. The guard calls
out, 'All change here, and the passengers
walk across narrow bridge into a similar
elevator, which takes them as high as they
are allowed to go, or something over 800
feet from the ground. This platform is
covered by a ceiling resembling somewhat
that of the lower deck of large steamer.
This is just below the rim of gas Jets which
are lighted every evening. A narrow spi-
raj staircase leads to smaller platform II
or 10 feet higher, which surrounds the great
lantern upon the summit of which is the
flagstaff from which flies the enormous 30
foot tri-color.
After satisfying ourselves with the view.
we retraced our way to the first platform,
arriving at our table at quarter past six, in
good condition to do justice to the excellent
dinner that was served us. Our table was
ON the west side of the first platform, under
the awning and overlooking the river Seine,
ON the opposite side of which is the Troca-
dero palace and a small part of the exposi-
ton grounds. We finished dinner Just in
time to see the illumination of the foun-
tains, which took place at 9 o'clock. One
cannot describe this beautiful sight and do
it justice. On this particular evening, one
large and eight small fountains were all
playing at the same time, and different col
ored lights were thrown ON them in such
way that it appeared as though the water
was colored For instance, every second
fountain of the small ones would be red
and the alternate ones green, and the large
fountain would be "a combination of differ
ent shades of red and green and then sud
denly the combination would change, max
ing one of the most beautiful sights imagi.
nable. This lasted for nearly half an hour,
when we were ready to 90 home. OF course
everybody wanted to 20 down the elevator
at once but as it accommodates only 60
persons, that was impossible, so we descend
ed to the ground by the stairs.
The elevators of the tower are run by
draulically and consume at least 12j, 900
gallons of water an hour. Two immense
steam pumps, of l5O-horse-power each,
raise the water into two reservoirs placed
under the second platform-a height of 394
feet. This water runs the four elevators
of the pillars. Two compound steam pumps,
acting automatically, raise the water into a
reservoir situated at height of $50 feet,
under the third platform. All this water,
after having worked under the pistons, is
collected into an immense cistern, and the
pumps raise it again. A steam engine and
an electric dynamo furnish the lights in the
large lantern and two revolving lights sit
uated on the summit of the tower, and also
to about 100 incandescent lamps In "A
large room under the south pillar of the
tower are eight steam engines and four Col
let inexplosive generators, which furnish a
800 horse power and run from six in the
morning until 1 at night The most won
derful part is, that the public know nothing
of this great power, for there is no noise,
steam or smoke to indicate the presence of
the engines. ER.P