Los Angeles herald., 1890-04-06

platform Immediately below the :
tube leading to the flag, was :
enveloped for several minutes III an
opaque white cloud, which he compared
to mass of snow, and which reflected
the light of the protector sufficiently to
enable him to read. Mr.. Eiffel, the fol-
lowing morning, caused the fact to be
published that the striking of the tower
was on account of M. Marcart, the direc-
tor OF the Central Meteorological Office,
having few moments previously, re-
moved the platinum point from the
lightning conductor, and that it had not
been replaced.
Some Interesting Details.
With due credit to M. Eiffel for his con-
ception and execution of this matchless
piece of work, the first proposal ever made
for the construction of tower of iron
LOCO feet in height, was by a Mr.. Ire
vithick, an Englishman, in 1888, and
the real inventor of the locomotive en-
gine, in whose honor window has
lately been placed in Westminster
Abbey in 1881 M. Sebillot made prop
osition to build an electric shaft 900
feet high in the heart of Paris, from the
summit of which he proposed to light
the gay capital; and in 1874 a number
of American engineers proposed towers
of iron for the Centennial grounds at
Fairmount, but the estimated cost COM
pletely paralyzed the executive commit
tee. The French Government, itself, was
somewhat staggered when it's protector
declared that the proposed tower
would cost seven millions OF
francs, or more than $1,25O,O0O. A
majority of the artists and contractors,
and the people, generally, of Paris,
secuted the idea of a shaft of wrought
iron 900 feet in height; and, not until
the flag of their nation was seen flying
from it's top, did the last scoffer ego off
and take rest" But the tower was
built, and it is, today, undoubtedly, the
most beautiful and commanding struct-
ure in the world. Its entire cost was;
100000 francs; 3,512,000 persons as
cended to one or more of the platforms,
and paid 5000, 900 francs therefor; while
the sales of the privileges amounted to
$50, 900 francs more. 1t will earn money
for M. Eiffel & Co. for twenty years, and
then become the property, like the Tro-
cadero-the crowning beauty of the ex-
position of 187S-of the municipality. 1t
was the grandest and, altogether, the
most attractive object of the exposition
it drew many millions of francs into the.
grounds, and contributed largely toward
governmental tranquility and the defeat
of Boulanger; for it, and the rest of the
exposition, brought to Paris in nine
months an average OF 100000 strangers a
day, who left behind them in dollars and
ducats and shekels and marks, and other
coins OF respective realms nearly 1,500,-
100000 francs, and that alone made the
heart of the Partisan tradesman exceed,
ing glad. In all, 25,000,OOO people
visited the grounds and went into or
looked up at La Tour Eiffel; of these
nearly 6 1000, 900 were Frenchmen outside
OF Paris, and about 1000, 900 or little
less were foreigners. From countries
ascertained, Great Britain led off with
over half million people; the United
States sent over 100000; Canada con-
tributed 5000, Germany 2S, 900, Belgium
100000, Switzerland and Holland each
about $4,000, Italy 5000, and so down
to 1000 from Australia, while Japan,
China, Russia, Servia, Roumania,
Egypt, Turkey, Persia and all the
countries in the world, helped to swell
the great catalogue of sightseers. On
the opening day 10000 persons entered
the gates; there was no day that there
were not 10000 visitors, and the average
was nearly 100000 On the day the
Shah of Persia visited the exhibition
and shall never forget that multitude,
nor the illumination OF the grouraAand
the fountains and the tower-306, 900
persons paid their way in and pom
the closing day 100000 entered as
patrons-200 600 of whom fingered until
nearly midnight to listen to the last gun
from La Tour Eifel, whose estentorophonic
reverberations told the multitude that
the great Exposition Universelle of 1889
had ceased to exist.
Ben G.. TRUMAN.