The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-06-07
PREFERS TO WALK UP.
A Dsumm~r's Experience In an Elevator
That Fell Thirteen Stories.

That fell Inirteen Ntoftes.
"No," said Charles A. Seel. Boston
business man. "a be started 10 climb up to
the fourth story. Il never ride in eleva-
tors. suppose am foolish, but had an
experience in Minneapolis once that makes
me afraid 10 enter one. IL was in looo, and
l was fresh young man travelling for
house IN Providence. In a large office
building in that city, which was being
built by n friend of mine, there were two
elevator shafts, and in them were placed
the finest elevators that had been manu-
featured up 20 that date. With the-ele-
vators was an air cushion device which
was newly patented and which had never
been tried. One day happened up into
the building. and my friend asked me If
wanted TO take fast trip in one Of the eie-
vatOrs.
i was game for anything those days,
and | said that | wouldn't mind Theman
who invented the air cushion was going TO
give practical demonstration Of its value,
and had one Of the elevator cars hauled up
20 the top Of that thirteen story building.
He proposed 70 get In the car and let II
drop, and be wanted some one TO 20 down
with him. The car had been dropped two
or three times with nobody in it, and the
cushions had worked beautifully. That
afternoon the final test was 10 be made.
The inventor, couple Of reporters and
myself were 10 20 down with the car. |
had given my promise that ! would take
the trip, and although would have given
all that possessed 70 stay out Of the car
after found what was expected OF me, |
screwed my courage up TO the sticking
point rather than be laughed at, and when
the inventor said everything was ready
got in.
The door was locked a moment after
entered, and when | saw that there was
no escape forced up n siokiy sort OF
grin and looked around. / was 80 scared
that my legs shook under me, and the re-
pOrters were in exactly the same physical
condition. The inventor puttered around
fixing everything in shipshape and we sat
Oh the sent and trembled in unison.
FINALLY everything was ready, and the
inventor gave the word. The rope that
held the car up was cut and the trip be
gan 1t is utterly impossible 10 describe
the horrible sensation that felt when that
CIR SuOi uDWIWdIu NY utdN SWAIN "'''
black and red spots danced before my eyes.
The swiftness with which IL fell was in
credible. It actually fell SO fast that our
bodies could not keep mp with 1t, and we
rose from the floor as If going in the oppo-
site direction / was faint and sick ana
oppressed with the most abject fear ana
horror The two reporters were IN the
same shape and the three Of rs were con-
fdent that we would be dashed TO pieces
at the bottom Of the shaft. The inventor
was calm. though very pale.
"The trip took but a few seconds ana
every foot that we fell the car Increased
its momentum IL seemed that we feh ior
a century and ! prayed that the bottom
would soon he reached so that we might
be- relieved Of our agony. AS ! said, was
uerfectiy confident that | would never
leave the car alive. and was almost willing
10 die if the fearful falling motion would
only cease. was just about 80 faint when
the speed Of the car slackened gently, and
finally it stopped at the bottom OF the
shaft so slowly and gently that the water
in a glass that sat on the floor Of the car
was not disturbed OF rippled.
I'VE got out hurriedly and the cushion
was pronounced "a success. went 20 bed
and staid there for week before | recoy-
cred NV normal condition, and now when
/ get i'm an elevator that feeling Of dread
comes over me and can't help it. There
fore l always walk. Buffalo Express.