Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-22

plates. There is nothing shaky about this;
everything is solid. So even the most timid
woman ana child feels at ease, goes up and
up, stops at the little landings to enjoy the
panorama, and finally reaches the second
floor without being weary of limb or tremb-
ling through fear. From the second story
up to the summit of the tower there is one
spiral staircase LOG feet in height, which is
reserved to the service of the tower, and is
not placed at the disposal of the public.
For tine last section of the tower, that is to
say, from the second story to the upper
platform, the height to be overcome is 525
feet, or twice the height of the Trocadero.
An intermediate stage, constructed midway
between the second story and the upper
platform is the starting point ofthe elevator.
This is the strange looking mass of iron
which appears from below, when you look
up, as if it had been left by mistake by the
workmen who built the tower. One cage
travels from the intermediate stage, that is
to say, a distance of 262 feet; the cage is
connected by cables to a second cabin, which
acts as a counterweight, and carries pas
sengers from the second story upward to the
intermediate stage, also distance OF 262
feet. The arrangement is such that when
the lift is at work the cages are travelling in
opposite directions.
ON THE TOP PLATFORM.
Ientered the cage with beating heart.
1t holds about 63 people, who have to stand
up, by the way. 1t is merely square cabin
or case, with the upper portion of two sides
glazed. There are broad front windows on
two sides and just small space in each cor
ner that is closed BY iron trellis work, in
order to admit the air. The weight of each
cabin loaded is about eight tons, and the
weight unloaded four tons. Special pre-
cautions have been taken to protect the
various parts of the lift from the action of
the wind. In about one minute and half
the elevator reaches the central changing
place, where the guard calls out "all change
here"
1 came down with the rest of the passen-
gers, walked across narrow bridge and en-
tered similar elevator, which, in about a
minute, starts on its upward journey. My
heart went on beating fast, especially as
from time to time the lift gave strange little
Jerks. One more minute and half brought
us as high as we are allowed to go. The
total time occupied in going from the ground
to the summit is seven minutes. Look out
for the step, ladiesp' cries the guard. look
down, of course, and between a rather wide
gap in the flooring see the Exposition
gardens 9O2 feet below-275 meters-which
is the actual height from the ground level
to which the public are taken.
This tip-top platform is covered in all
round with woodwork, with openings about
breast high, through which the visitors ad-
mire the really marvellous panorama out
side. Paris lies in sunlight at our feet, with
shining domes, the whole yelled in a mist
which deepens on the distant hills. The
Seine looks like the motionless glass used to
initiate water on big relief maps; the Tri-
umphal Arch looks like paper weight, the
Luxor obelisk like needle, and the Ven
dome column like its case. can well be-
lIeve that the summit of the tower is plainly
visible, as someone present AYERS, from the
belfry of Chartres Cathedral, 81 miles south
west of Paris.
FRENCH vANDALs.
The floor of this high belvedere has an
area of is square metres, over 55 square feet.
The ceiling, which is just below the rim of
white opal gas jets that are lighted every
evening, somewhat resembles the lower
deck on board large steamer. The wood
work here and in the lifts, and, in fact, all
over the tower, is covered with pencil
scribblings of the names and addresses of
visitors, with the dates at which their as
cents were made. Many of these scrawls
afford safe clew which will be turned to
account when NJ. Eiffel has little more
leisure to institute legal proceedings against
those who thus wantonly deteriorate his pro-
perty. Luckily for the Anglo-Saxon repu-
tation the majority of the names, am
happy to say, appear to be French.
A small spiral staircase leads to a small
platform 13 feet higher, which runs round
fhe great lantern uDon tho summit nf which
is the flagstaff from which flies the enormous
36-foot tricolor. The force of the wind at
the top of the tower is SO great that the
standard has to be renewed nearly every
day. From calculations made concerning
its powers of resistance, the tower, am in
formed, is able to sustain a normal wind
pressure of S81 pounds to the square yard, or
total pressure of more than 5000, 900
pounds; so that if at any time a hurricane
of such unheard of force should
come to exert its force against it, the
tower would bravely stand its ground, while
in all probability most OF the surrounding
monuments in the French capital would be
destroyed. The most violent storm as yet
observed in these latitudes do not exceed
an effort equal to $50 pounds to the square
yard.
Nor is the descent more difficult than the
ascent. especially by the staircases. It is
easier, IN fact, for the flights, 1 am told, are
not steep nor too precipitous. You are soon
on the ground again both ways, and ready
to agree with the remark of visitor, who
said: "Why, going up the Arc-de-Tri-
omphe and Notre-Dame tired me more than
the Tower" And she might have added
that in neither case was the prospect so
grandiose as from the lofty lookout at the
Exposition. FRANK LESLIE.