Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-14

tered by inventors, but nevertheless
one wormed his way into the Dnke's
presence while he was busy writing and
SAID ne had invented and brought with
MIN suit of armor which was bali
proof. Put it on. said the DIXIE az
ne resumed his writing. When the in
ventor had donned his armor the DIXIE
instructed an officer in the room 10 order
nle OF soldiers into the courtyard.
and, said he, "Tell them to load with
pslL tie once more resumed his
writing, and when be looked ND again
The inventor had disappeared, armor
ana all. II ever en- enemy should be
firing with heavy guns at the Eiffel
tower IT is to be hoped that NJ. Max de
Nansouty will be placed in charge OF the
signalling department at the TOP of the
edifice.
sArR FROM LIGHTNING.
Considerable speculation has been in
dulged in regarding the solidity of the
tower, its resistance 30 wind. storms.
lightning, &c. The peculiar and prac-
teal construction aud form of It's base
insures ITS soiidity beyond all question OF
Doubt The foundations Of each of the
four divisions Of the base are built four
stories under the ground and are of solid
masonry. The most violc3t tempest ever
known in Paris or ita vicinity produced
a pressure OF less than 800 pounds TO
the square yard, and the tower is calcu-
lated 10 resist wind TO the extent OF 800
pounds to the square yard. or, in other
words. tosurviye al tornado twice as violent
as any ever known in the neighborhood.
a great many people, probably belong
ing to That large class which hides under
a bed during a thunderstorm, have ex-
pressed the opinion that the tower would
be an unsafe place on account Of danger
from lightning. Fortunately, however,
the inventor foresaw the objection which
such people would be sure TO raise, and
by an ingenious system of construction
the tower has been made its own pro-
tectOr, so that accident from lightning IS
on absolute impossibility.
THE SCENE or TRAGEDIES.
That the tower will be made the scene
OF fatal tragedies, however, is more than
probable. 70 people of a certain tenn
permanent, and there are many such in
France, it will offer irresistible tempta-
tons for seif-destIucton. When a
Frenchmsn decides to kill himself be-
cause his girl has gone back on him he
is apt TO choose some striking method Of
suicide. The column Vendome was the
favorite haunt of such misguided peo-
pie, but as soon as the Eiffel tower IS
constructed it will offer inducements Of
kind that the widest Gsul never
dreamed of, and it will not surprise us
next summer If large number OF them
take advantage of 1t in this way. 1t il
only recently that Editor Stead, OF the
London PaU- BGH GGzctte, had mar
row escape from destruction while on n
visit to the uncompleted work. While
at an immense height be slipped and
fell. but was caught by n part of his
clothing and quickly drawn to place OF
safety by some workmen who happened
10 be near him.
For ali that, we venture the predic-
ton that the Eiiliel tower will he ascend
ed by a large proportion OF the many
thousands who will visit the Paris Expo
sition this summer, ami it is probable
that the inventor and the capitalists who
have pluckily advanced their money will
reap rich reward.