Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-30
BY THE HUNDRED.
The Inquisitivc Visitors to the WASH
irgton Monument.

Inc Inqnfsftivc visitors to the Wash.
ington Monument.
THE JANUARY WORK OF THE SHAFT ELEVATOR
VISITORS VINO WANT TO 90 HIGHER THAN THE
1--WE HUNDRED FOOT LEvEL-How rIMEPrEcEs
ARE AFFECTED.
ABOUT 11,OoO pilgrims obtained bird's-eye
views from the top of the monument during
the month of January. There was no great
crowd at any time, but the stream of visitors
was constant and almost unvarying. Even on
cloudy, misty, rainy days the elevator con-
timed to make its slow way up and down laden
with shiyering passengers, who were making
the best Of their opportunities to see the world.
1t would certainly seem that the majority Of
people would be satisfied with an artificial tenn
porary elevation of 500 feet, and. indeed, a
majority probably are, but there are some who
want to get even higher than the ordinary
means at the monument will permit.
EXCELSIOR.
woman visitor the other day was possessed
with such desire. When she reached the top
landing she began to peer around for a mode
of travelling to the capstone. but the nearest
approach to IL was a 20-foot ladder standing
against the wall in one of the corners. partly
partitiOned of by the buttress. First asking
given, she proceeded to Chamber up its rounds
until she had gone as far possible. STAYED
there moment to regain her breath. quiet her
nerves. and to take in the full significance of
her position. and then returned to the floor,
with somewhat the feeling. probably, of the
boy told about in school books who wrote his
name above that of George Washington on the
walls of the Natural bridge.
INQUIsITIvE VISITORS.
The visitors who come to the monument
have great natural curiosity about the struc-
ture, and many are the questions they ask of
men on duty there. The elevator conductor
has become a human encyclopedia of terms.
dates, and figures, relative the shaft and its
surroundings, from sheer necessity.
''They begin 30 ask questions as soon as they
get in the car" he remarked to a STAR re-
porter the other morning. land they keep it
mp until get them back to earth again. Some
OF them don't ask any, but there are others
who make up for them. About the first thing
they want to know is when the monument was
commenced. They ask the names and resi-
dences of the engineer and architect The
dates of the completion and dedication are de-
manded; the number of years actually con-
sumed in its construction; the size of the base
OF the shaft and of the extreme top. and the
thickness of the walls. One of the most usual
questions IL whether net to-day is a good
day for seeing from the top, lis it haZy!'
how far can be seenr and where is Sugar Loaf
most of their questions about the
STRENGTH AND STABILITY OF THE SHAFT
and the elevator. They want to know if the
monument stands on solid rock or on sand. and
the size of the stones underneath: if any one
was ever killed here; if the elevator has ever
broken down; if the cables are strong. and how
often they examined. Even that certificate
of safety over there from the elevator company
doesn't satisfy them, and they express the
~AzN al Let l..I1 Ia
passengers for the trip. You can't satisfy them
that this is one of the safest lifts in the world
and when one of the safety clutches on the
sides happen. 10 jar against the iron guides
they start and tremble, and ask if the cables
are not slipping.
ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION.
'They show some odd ignorance about the
method of building the monument. For in
stance, they ask how we got the stones up. if
they were not awfully heavy and if the cap
stone was carried up on the outside or inside.
When tell them how il was set they hardly
believe me, and ask me the names of the work.
men who did it. / feel like a walking book"
he sighed. shutting the door and pulling the
starting rope as the car filed and the time
came for starting.
EFFECT ON WATCH.
He glanced at his watch as he did so and
frowned. Holding it out toward the reporter
he remarked: That watch was a good time
piece before I started in to run this elevator.
1t used to keep right on the minute and could
always depend on it. But since I've been pull
ing this cable and going up and down between
heaven and earth it has got to be the crankiest
piece of machinery ever saw. At first it did
not do so badly. but lately can't place any de-
pendence upon it One day it goes straight.
the next day it gains. the next loses. and the
next it is liable to gain as go up and lose as
come down took il TO matchmaker and he
said that il was the dampness of the shaft that
made it work that way, and the motion of the
car"
The reporter gently suggested that perhaps
something other than Waterbury might stand
the dampness little better, but the conductor
continued without noticing the remark
The jeweler to whom took my watch said
that he Is going to make an application to put
a clock in the car, without any kind of an adj
vertisement. to see what luck it will have with
the cold and dampHess. He says that a clock
' that can run in this place is good anywhere"