The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1889-02-01
IN THE GREAT SHAFT.
RIDING TO THE TOP OF THE WASH.
lNGTON MONUMENT.

Nt"SSA - va IAC AoOA tllcu luC At1uS Ol
the watchnan and tho 1oorman md the
square doorway full of light seemed to slip
down, down, until they were lost The car
moved noiselessly and smoothly as it slid up
the longest elevator shaft in the world. The
eye, turned instinctively upward, winked al
tho 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. Tho light from
the incandescent lamps filtered through the
grated roof and sides of the car, giving a
spotted appearance to tho passengers. On
either side were the rough, uneven courses Of
the old masonry, tho stones ragged and the
seams zigzagging without regard to uni
fornity.
The car has pussed through the old por-
ton of the shaft, and is running as smoothly
Us ut the start through the neat, exact ma
sonry of the new work. The dark surface Of
tho granite is checkered with white squares.
the faces of marble blocks that extend en-.
tirely through tho walls acting as 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
to meet the car, and guarded by high lat
ticed gate. These occur on alternate sides,
and, the car having n door i'll both the east
and west sides, exit from the car is thus pro-
vi.led in either direction. At AGO feet tho
smooth walls are broken by the projection of
twelve bnttresses, three OIL 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 dimned by that
from the outside, drifting down from tho
I,r,,-
have been devouring tho cables seem to be
falling upon the car, and suddenly the con-
ductor gives IL long upward pull on tho
hnndrope, and the car comes to a stop in the
midst of u sheet iron cage, The air is chilly,
and as tho passengers step timorously over
tho threshold they button their overcoots
and turn up their collars.
A COLD, LONELY PLACE.
This upper landing is cold, lonely place,
the obuttlng ribstones cutting it up into an
gular spaces, and the baro floors and shining
white walls tending to give it a lonesome
air On each side two oblong windows give
views into the atmosphere and down upon
the ilattened earth. The world looks bigger
than one thought it to be; it stretches away
on every hand to a melting blue horizon
fuintiy outlined, with here and there hill
top ntruding its sharp point, Us if in claim
OF recognition us q 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 tho
couverging arches, and the seemingly light,
airy mode Of construction and then shudder
slightly and hurry into the car. Some take
of their hats and put their heads through the
windows, excluiming ut the dwarfed appear
ancc of the workmen OH the mound below,
nr,6t tbnr 1pnliufr tC,y-n wi thn
wondering at the multitude Of lightning rod
points which cover each of the four triangles
Of the roof.
AT last the conductor shouts for all to get
on tho car who wish to so below, aud the
visitors huddlc themselves inside and tho
down trip is begun. III about nine minutes the
passengers emerge from the shaft into the out
side atmosphere and mentally congratulate
themselves upon their good luck in safely re-
turning to tho earth. Then, glancing upward
along tho face Of the shaft, which seems to be
FILLING over upon them, they shudder slightly
and 60 away to boast that they have been to
the top of the highest artificial structure in
the world.
Is the elevator safe! has been asked hum
tlreds OF times during tho past week. This
question is hurd to answer, for almost all
elevators arc matter of some slight risk,
cEEil uutttI tlc llDSU OTUUle circumstances,
Yet it can be said with truth that the elc-
lnent OF danger has been eliminated from the
trip to and from the top Of the great shaft as
far lis human skill can go. The machinery
has stood the hardest tests for years without
Il break The cables have been tested to d
capacity of over ten tons, and the car and
and machinery fitted with the best OF safety
appliances.
MOVEMENTS OF THE SHAFT.
Great caro- is taken to note the movements
OF the shaft, for it does move The law of
contraction and expansion of material by
heat and cold operates here as well as else
where. When the sun shines full OH the
eastern face i'll tho morning tie stones o!,
thai side expand and throw the shaft slightly
TO The west. Then the sun goes around to
the south and the apex of the monument
makes Il corresponding swing to the north.
As tue orb crecps about the sky to its final
setting i'll the evening tho glittering point OH
top OF the monument makes contra move
ment around half u circle, gradually settling
back to its normal position after the rays of
the sun Lave lost their power This move
mcnt has never been calculated, but it is un-
douhtedly very Slight. Tho wind. too, has
I'm effect upon the structure. From the CEN
ter Of gravity of tbe shaft, located 174 feet
and 10 inches from tho floor, is a cross beam,
from which is suspended fine steel wire,
protected by II galvanized iron tube ubout
four inches i'll diameter This hangs to the
floor 1T the northwest corner OF tho elevator
well. AT the bottom is Il plumb bob weigh
ing twenty-five pounds, suspended by means
OF tho wire, and hanging in water.
An iron cylinder protects the instrument
from injury, end II little iron house about
four feet high Keeps Off tho draught.
Through the cylinder is u telcscopic eye
piece, i'll ono end Of which are two vertical
wires about oue-quGrtcr of an inch apart,
When candle is held at an opening in the
side ot tho box, aud the eye is applied to the
outside end Of the tube, the plumb line car
bo scc::-;. fine limo between the vertical
marks. Any movement In the shaft is re
corded ly Il corresponding movement i'll the
li:lo. When tho structure is at rest, and ii
its normal position, the line hangs still, mid
wey beawecn tho others; but when the shaft
IS t.isserrSe.l by tho action OF the wind, il
sways Euck End forth like tho pendulum ol
@ clock, always coming to rest i'll tho center
| This is observed every day, md il the custo
| dim should ever notice the line hanging still
ct any point outside Of the two cross lines
| be will then know that the monument hai
been permanently moved from its level posi-
| tlon. Until then, however, no ono need bt
alarmed by the oscillations Of tie shaft from
the action OF tho wind or tho influence o.
the esul-~Washincton Star.
| HANDLING 1xahfcs