Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-27
THE EIFFEL TOWER.
Murat Halstead Answers Some Cues
lions About the Wonderful Structure.


From the Cincinnati Commandments.
Concerning the Eiffel tower many questions
are asked. give and answer some OF Thorn.
What proportion of the structure IL stonework?
There are no stones except in the foundations,
which are massive in correspondence with the
tower. What effect has the heat of the sun
upon the structure? The increase in height
during q very hot day Is said to have been
inches. Is advantage taken OF the extraordi-
nary altitude to make scientific experiments?
Certainly. The French are experts at that sort
Of thing and are studying the phenomena with
the greatest care and recording them. Exactly
what is going on in the extreme top Of the
tower is known only to those who occupy IL for
scientific and illuminating purposes. Noticed
from the cage when ascending that heavy
plummets were suspended at intervals. The
use OF them doubtless 10 TO ascertain
the extent Of the vibration in the
wind or the degree to which the lofty
edifce is affected by the machinery. One
ing strong breeze when was at the greatest
height, quite sensibly, and there is noted
slight trembling, impaired by the movement Of
the elevatQTs.
Is it cold on top of the tower? Not with
ordinary observation to perceptible degree,
troubled al the utmost elevation, as in climb
ing mountains.
What is the cost Of getting up the elevator2
1t is five francs to the top-two francs TO the
hrst platform, one thence to the second plat
form, and two from the second to the summit.
How many elevators are running? Four.
There are two from the foundation to the first
piatform-one stopping there and the other
going to the second direct-and two from the
second to the top, each Of the latter lifting
about 300 feet.
GOING UP AND DOWN.
How many people are taken at once In the
cage that goes to the top? think the number
10 sixty. There are no seats in the square iron
boxes, with the sides partially of glass, that are
employed in the high places. There are seats
IN the ilrts to the lower platform. The guard
having charge of admission punches q certain
number of tickets for the top at the station on
the second platform and then closes the door.
what change Is made between the third and
fourth elevator? Simply that of transfer Of
passengers from one cage to another. How
large is the first platform? The exact measure
ment have not taken pains to learn, but think
mere Is about AN acre. The central portion OF
u Is open, and one looks over a railing upon
the Inner fountains. What safeguard is there
against fire! Immense iron tanks, looking like
the boilers OF great ship, filed with water,
are on the second platform-the elevation is
about $50 feet. They are in the vicinity of the
ftgdr0 office, and the arrangements are such
that II any Of the wooden structures on the
platform or the material knocking about that
IS combustible should get ON fire the flames
would be speedily overwhelmed. What pro-
vision is made for drainage? There are large
iron pipes extending to all the platforms and
connecting them with the sewers.
How far are people permitted to ascend on
footI They can go as high as the second plat
form, and pay the same for the privilege that
81 for in IL
What is the arrangement for those on the stair
ways to pass each other! There are two lines
OF stairs. or series OF starways, one for ascend
ing and the other for descending, and no one
Is permitted to go the wrong way on either of
them-therefore there is no meeting or passing
ON them. The stairs in the midst of such a
colossal editice look slender, but are quite
strong and shrouded in oil cloth TO prevent
those who venture on them from being affected
by glddiness. Going down the stairs is rather
more tickilsh to the average head and foot
than going up. 1t Is trying to look off
through the prodigious iron lattice
work that rises into the skies and behold
the great city at ones feet There is a sensa-
ton as if one might possibly step out into
the air and find even sustaining clouI. Are
people permitted to walk to the top? They
are not allowed to go, except in the elevators,
above the second platform There is a stair
way Tor the extreme ascent. but IL is used only
by the workingmen and l saw no one on this
perllous path, which winds about the central
pilla-. that is tube until it seems to fade into
tie Hne lines OF the thread of a screw. There are
few heads strong enough. fancy. to ascend to
the dizzy elevation upon the giddiy spun web
of steel and few. indeed, who could get down
that frlghtful way. There is no communication
between the platform from which the upper
elevators run and this celestial stair. There is
freedom about taking the stairs from the bot
tom and from the lower platform to the
second.
What provisions have been made that there
shall not be dangerous mass of people at the top
OF the tower? II the crowd becomes too large the
elevators ere stopped. This does not happen
often. because the usual individual when he
has reached the extreme height and has given
few minutes to observation ia quite willing
to descend. and does it with sense OF having
accomplished something worth talking about
Many give indications Of a feeling of exhilara-
ton over the achievement They are glad they
have done 1t, and do not want to spoil every
thing by waiting for anything queer TO happen.
What Il the explanation Of the delay in using
the elevators, OF which so much has been said?
Why does 1t takes hours to get to the top?
Simply the fact Is the throng is so great that
people are detained in queues waiting their
turns. Such IL the crowd on the second plat
form IN the afternoon engaged in the tedious
task OF going TO the top that many stand for
two or three hours in the queues, and thou
sands are restrained by this trouble from
making the complete ascension.
THE FUTURE OF THE TOWER
What is the contemplation of the French
people rs to the permanence Of the tower2
The contract provides for twenty years, and
there are delicate and important questions az
to the possible changes during that time in the
material employed. 1t is proposed to keep the
tower well painted, and the painters who are
engaged in TINS service will certainly have an
exalted occupation. Have any detection Of the
tower from the perpendicular been noticedy
think not. Constant attention ia paid to that
matter, aud in case a variation from perfect up-
rightDess should occur it would be instantly
shown by the fine instruments employed; there
are hydraulic jacks fixed in the foundations
which would be applied to rectifying the in
clination. Is there anything in the theory that
the tower has caused climatic changes and Ii
generating or attracting tempests? should
think not. The fact is this summer has been
distinguished in western Europe by severe
storms in small areas and there is nothing in
the nature of q phenomenon in the fact that
more than one of them have struck Paris. The
storm theory Is q superstition.
What is the peculiarly Of tho appearance
Of the lights at the top of the tower? There
is noticed first steady and starry glow at
the solid summit, and there are search lights
thrown out, at times colored; and these are
most conspicuous when the atmosphere is
misty, forming long, luminous tracks through
the air, the intensity and breadth OF the
streams of splendor being in harmonious
proportion with the uplifted fountain from
which they flow. The tower Ia the great