The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-25
TRICKS OF MACHINERY.
How People Have Been Caught
IN @OvaeorA
Their Sudden Refusal - Work Caassu
Censtsrnation to the Rasssngers-
The Accideas to the Great
London Ferris Wheel


each day usselevssors ever stop 70 think
what would result If. for some reason,
the machinery should suddenly cease to
work and an ele~sAof remain high up IN
the shaft, with its occupants a. securely
imprisoned as IL locked in the city
prison Such accidents are. however,
not ct all uncommon. The eoSmopoli-
tan citizen Of New York i. As q rule.
too busy to give such trivial matters
q second thought, always provided he 10
not among the unfortunate individuals
who happen 10 be detained in . car.
Such an accident recently occurred to
Manager Oscar Hammerstein, who was
taking q party Of friends through his
theAter, music hall and roof garden. 1t
was late al night, and almost everybody
had left the theater. Mr.. Hammerstein.
after telling his friends OF the beauties
Of the new roof garden, suggested that
they go up and see It The party en-
tered the elevator, and Mr.. Hammer.
stein started to act as elevator man. BE
pulled tho rope, and the car moved
slowly upward.
When it reached the floor below the
roof, where there happens to be no
door, il stopped. Mr.. Hammsrstein
tugged At the cable. but without resxlt.
He shouted, but no one answered. He
and his party were prisoner for near
~ so minutes.
Arthur Hammersteir had started for
home whan he heard strange noises
from the elevator shaft. Investigation
revealed the difficulty, md, after
long search, one Of the engineers con-
nected with the building waA found.
He explained the trouble by saying that
the chief engineer had gone for the
night and the steam had been shut of,
leaving just enough IN tho chests to
6end the elevator up the shaft The
machinist started the elevator again,
and very Disguised party was brought
down without having had a glimpse Of
the roof garden.
In one of the larger downtown of.
fee buildings recently one Of the big
elevators happened to get stuck be-
tween the floors, just as business was
closing for the day. More than half the
Passengers in the elevator were WON
en-. and when they realized that the
car was held fast between the landings
and there appeared TO be- no prospect
Of an immediate release some Of the
most tiInid began to grow frightened
They were treasured for the time be
ing, but when the janitor appeared
with q small ladder and told them that
the car would stay where it was IN
til the mechanics could be sent for &c
tx it, and that the only hope of escape
that night would be to climb from thu
car over the top Of the door opening
into the elevator well to the floor above,
some of the pretty daInsels vowed that
they would remain In the car all night
rather than attempt such an acrobatic
feat as was suggested. After one or two
of the most courageous. however, bad
made the trip in safety, and without
any more display of hosiery than one
sees on the streets during q rainy day,
they all decided to risk the short climb
rather than pass the night in the car
suspended in mid-air.
An acsident which was very funny
to all but the unfortunates most in
terested occurred recently to about
900 pleasure-seekers in London who
were enjoying the sensation of swing
Ing around the circle in the big Ferris
wheel at Earl's court While the fun
was at ;ts height the big wheel sudden
~ stopped. From $50 o'clock IN the ,
evening until one o'clock tho following
afternoon 1t remained stationary, and
some of the experiences of its psssen-
gers were decidedly uncomfortable.
Every effort was put forth to make
the prisoners AZ comfortable al pos
sible. Few Of the women in the cars
were provided with wraps suitable to
the exposure 80 an altitude of 800 feet,
and many suffered accordingly.
Two of the attendants clambered |
with them ropes, by means Of which |
baskets of provisions were drawn up. |
The occupants Of one Of the cars, how |
ever, were the first to secure communi |
cation with terra frma- the result of an |
Ingenious thought of Miss r. Lansdale, |
Of Chester terrace. This young WON |
an possessed a reel of cotton, and care |
fully lowering II from the window OF |
the car In which she was Imprisoned,
q stout string was attached This. upon |
being drawn up, brought rope TO
which Yves attached a basket con tanning |
light Ycfreshments.-N.Y Y. Journal.