Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-01-02
ETTLINGER's MANY CLIMBS.
In Ten Years He Would Have Been
213 Miles Above the Earth,


213 Miles Above the Earth.
To those who love to dabble and
delve in figures and statistics some
facts in connection with the life of
Sebastian Ettlinger, the keeper of
the Wa monument, Washing
ton, who und asphyxiated in his
office recen nay prove interesting,
although a |, ordinary mind will
probably be appalled, by the array of
numbers and turn to something less
eXhausting in sheer bewilderment and
WEAKNESS.
Everybody doubtless read the &C
count of Mr.. Ettlinger's death, but
how any paused to think what the
past 10 years of his life meant to him
in certain directions, and what de-
mands they made upon his endurance
and vitality
Mr.. Ettlinger was appointed GUS
todian Of the great pile to the mem
DRY of the father of his country in
April, 1891. Among his many duties
was the lighting each morning of the
winding stairway by which the top OF
the monument is reached Thus each
day he ascended at least once to the
gallery beneath the statue, and in do
ing so mounted 228 steps.
The monument being closed on Sun
day, he made the ascent six times q
week, or 312 times a year, a total of
5,120 times during his 10 years in
cumbenCy. The base of the monu-
ment is "A feet high, and the DOric
column measures 1914 feet, so that each
time Mr.. Ettlinger made the ascent he
attained an altitude of 1873 feet
Now, let it be supposed that instead
of returning to the ground each day
Mr.. Ettlinger had kept On ascending
twice 1873 feet each day, allowance be-
ing made for the descent as well. In
q week of six days he would have
climbed 1856 feet; in a month of four
weeks he would have reached an aIti-
tude of 1924 feet; in a year of 81
weeks he could have looked down up-
on the city from an elevation of
1852 feet or about u 1-3 miles, and
in the 10 years he would have been
above the earth 1,168,120 feet, or
somewhat over 2f3 miles, a height at
tanned only by the adventurous travel
ers who had themselves inclOsed in a
huge shell and fired up to the moon.
Again, to reach the summit of the
monument Mr.. EttlinSr climbed 228
steps and descended as many each
day, total of 2,73G steps a week, or
142,272 steps year, or, in the 19'
years of his incumbency, the Oppres-
sive grand total of 1.422 ,72O steps.
Mr. Ettlinger weighed about 175
pounds. Each time he ascended
step he lifted that weight with the
muscles of his legs Now, suppose
that the energy expended in climbing
these 1,422,720 steps be accumulated;
the result would be lifting power of
24S,976,0OO pounds, sufficient TO raise
from their foundations "a monuments
the size and weight of the Washington
monument.
J. II. Dinwiddie, manager of a con
struCtiOn company. estimates the
weight of the Washington mOnu-
ment at $500 tons, or 100000 pounds.
There are 10 gas jets which light
the winding stairway of the mOnu-
ment, one at each turn of the steps.
These were lighted by Mr. EttIinger
each morning. In other words, in a
year of 312 working days he lighted
1920 gas jets, and in 10 years, 31,2O0
gas jets.
Those whose relish for figures have
in the numerous ascents and descents.
the energy expended in displacing
the atmosphere as Mr.. Ettlinger went
up or down, the force Of the will
pow er exerted in making the trips.
and the effect upon the stairs of tread
ing always in the same spot These
suggestions will keep an arithmeticfan
out Of mischief by reason of idleness
at least for time, and they NAV in
dictate other inquiries.