, 1889-09-19
UP THE EIFFEL TOWER.
A Returned Nashvillian Talks About
Paris and Hts Great Show.

What is the most interesting feature
of the Paris exhibition? said Prof.
Frank Elliott in answer to reporters
query. "Why should say above and
beyond all else the Eitfel tower or to
tour Eitlel as they call it over there.
and nearly 100 lives, IL has immortal
ized the name of It's builder, Mr.. Eltlel,
and Is undoubtedly, us a
building, the greatest triumph
of engineering skill in existence. 1t is
exactly 9S3 feet inches in height, over
topping our Washington monument by
nearly 400 feet. 1t stands upon four
feet, each of which has decorative base
of cement, on which it seems to rest.
This gives very light appearance, but
In reality it is imbedded in the soil by
foundations extending forty-tve feet in
depth, and weighs over l4,Ooo,OOO
pounds.
There are four landings or stages in
the tower which are reached by four
staircascs and five elevators. Any one
of these elevators or 'ascenseurs' is prac-
tically a two-story building accommo-
dating from eighty to 100 persons. There
is u seperate ascenseur' for each stage to
the next They move with considerable
speed, hence the great time consumed in
lines leading up TO the ticket offices. No
one is admitted to the next ascension
without ticket On the first stage |
stood in a line with 1000 people, two
abreast, and after one hour and forty
minutes obtained ticket to the next
landing. On a challenge from friend
l undertook to go to the top of
hours, The signal of my arrival at the
top was to be q newspaper thrown out.
Ibegan the ascenLet 1 O'clock and with
the utmost dispatch. ~ was five min
utes past when the Figaro tluttercd
from my hand aud returning immedi-
ately, ten minutes past b when |
reached terra firma. / had lost by two
hours and ten minutes.
"The transient population of the tow
er at the busiest part OF the day is from
5000 to 10000 at any one time. Yet
there is plenty of room for everybody.
There are innumerable stores and
booths in the structure, and on
the first landing the little avenues are
bordered with tastefully arranged shop
rants. Russian, French, Italian and
British. In each of these may be gem
orally found some 300 or 400 people en-
loving the novelty of dining nearly 400
feet above ground. The two-story pub
fishing house of the Figaro is here, the
immense presses throwing OIL free cir
culation to all visitors to the tower. The
|
several hundred people, and the height
is so great that the city of
Paris becomes little more than
map like those sold in the
streets. The view over France, however,
is most superb, extending some hundred
miles or more Ia every direction. The
Seine river looks little more than a sill
yer ribbon. The downward look is ap-
palling. The exposition buildings APP
pear as dollhouses and the people as
mere dots. No sound, Of course, reaches
this great height.
"The building Of the tower was COM
menced some two years and half ago,
and consists of no less than
1900 separate pieces Of iron
and steel. understand that
each piece was delivered on the ground
numbered and ready to be riveted into
place. Each piece was perfect; not q
rivet hole was lacking, and each brace
and girder was easily adjusted TO its
place according 10 number, Everything
was foreseen and provided fol. before IL
was needed, and 80 geometricauy correct