New-York tribune., 1901-09-01
ELEVATORS FOR A PALACE.
KING EDWARD To HAVE THEM AT
BUCKINGfIAN1-THE MODERN
ELECTRIC LIFT"


buckingham Palace cannot be made thoroughly
modern without the introduction of elevators,
or lifts as the English call them Almost
every New-YOrker who has built fine resi-
dence recently has come 70 the same decision
about his own home. 1t is not unnatural then,
that the agents of the King should purchase
the desired elevators in the country where they
are most in
Three elevators of the latest model are now
being built in this city for buckingham Palace.
They will be elaborately fitted up to match the
interior of that famous ediise. and viii have
every safety device. Their cost will be under
81 900 each it is said and their installation Will
probably be followed by elevator orders from
the owners of other English palaces.
The use of elevators in modern residences in
this city has become common In fact, house
/ of any pretensiOns is not now considered com
plete without at least one of them There are
several houses in and near the city which have
as many lifts as are to be put into the big
English palace. 1t is said on authority that at
least seventy five elevators are being put
| in place in houses about New-YOrk.
Many old houses have been equipped With ele
| vatCrs. although the cost is greater than Il is
when the elevator shaft is erected with the other
walls. The law which requires fireproOf elevator
shafts in business buildings also applies 10 resi-
dence elevators. In old houses. many of which
We're constructed before the freproOing Of
building. it has been necessary To build steel
skeleton from the foundation 70 the roof. That
many property owners have done so in spite OF
expense testihes 70 the popularity which house
elevators have attained in the comparatively
short time that they have been used.
/ In the days Of steam and hydraulic elevators
/ their use in residences was out of the question
! because they wert too cumbersome. Besides. an
elevator boy was necessary, and in a private
| house the lift would hardly be used enough
| 70 warrant the extra expenditure for wages
/ But Wis. the introduction Of electricity as the
| rr.o,ivc power to- elevators all these objections
10 their use IL residences disappeared 1t
nc, lo@s before there we-e several companies
: In ne field with elevators which could be
/ oI GRATED even by children with safety. Push
button elevators. they might be called for
| Slight pressure buttons does everything
Residence elevators can be operated both from
| the car ard from the hallway. Pressure on a
button at the door will bring the elevator to
! the desired floor whether it is above or below.
| =; stops automatically and until il stops the
Goor leading into the shaft cannot be opened
With the opening of the door the electric cur
rent is broken and one can move the ear to
another floor Inside the car is a series of
buttons numbered TO correspond with the vari-
Gus floors. The passenger presses a button and
the stops a the desired floor. While the
is in operation the hall buttons are inopera-
tive giving the person in the car entire control
of the elevator.
The safety devices put residence
elevators as on those used for business
speed regulator. driven by the motion of the car
is placed the shafts around which the cables
wind II is set a certain rate of speed If at
any time the attainS greater speed the
safety catches are tripped and the ear brought
10 stop.
The operating machinery for electric ele-
vator takes UP little The motor. which
usually is directly connected with the machin-
cry is set up in the basement in a space 4 by 6
feet. No betting is used and the machine is so
regulated that il uses no current when the car
i0 1Ot in motion In almost every case the cur
rent is obtained from power zines in the street
The cost of current rarely exceeds the fixed
minimum charge of the electric power COM
panies.
The average electric residence elevator costs
about $4,000. Where the house is finished in a
particularly expensive manner and the car and
shaft fittings made To correspond the ex-
pense will be greater Oak and cherry are
the woods usually used in constructing the
lower half of the car. Electro bronze is the
favorite metal for the top portion. which may
be of an elaborate pattern if desired The eie-
vators take up little room in the hallway as
the car is seldom built to hold more than four
passeugerS