The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-10-04
MAKE HOT PROTEST
Building Owners Object to
Safety Elevator Device

Whether the public or the manufac-
turerS of a safety device would be
most benefited by the adoption of this
device for passenger elevators was dis
cussed yesterday afternoon before the
assembly committee on streets.
The committee was considering a
resolution adopted by the board of
aldermen. No device was named in the
resolution, but owners of buildings
with passenger elevators were required
to install, within six months, some
automatic interlocking mechanical de-
vice, by means of which the doors of
the elevator shaft would remain clos
ed when the elevator was between
floors and the elevator would remain
stationary when the doors were open
Several owners and managers of
large office buildings protested against
the suggested ordinance. Each patent
gate would cost $25.
''The big buildings said the man
ager of the Pioneer Press building,
were making no money and elevator
improvements would prove a great
burden. Another manager insisted that
in the cases of the National German
American Bank building and the
Chamber of Commerce building the
elevator shafts would have to be torn
out and rebuilt, if the device We're
prescribed by law. This change in
the shaft would cost several thousand
dollars for each building.
Attorney Thomas -McDermott, who
did not name his client, asked the
committee not to oppose the ordinance
until they had Investigated. The de-
vice demanded had been in use for
months upon the city hall elevators
Mr.. McDermott hoped the committee
would defer action and then examine
the working Of the device upon the
city elevators.
The measure had been passed unani-
mously, he urged, by the board of aid
ermen. 1t was measure in the in
terest of the many thousands that use
elevators every hour of the business
day 1t was a humanitarian measure.
j The attorney was afraid that most
of the DIRECTORS were building owners
or their agents, who merely wanted to
avoid expense.
There are more than one of these
devices, 1 want to say" concluded Mr.
McDermott, that will answer the re-
quirements of the ordinance"
What are these devices? 2" asked the
manager. of the Pioneer Press build
ing.
Il can name them to YOU Mr.. Nc
Dernott answered, after this meet
ing"
Did the manufacturers send you
here for humanitarian purposes"
Il didn't say that said Mr.. McDer-
mott.
F. H. Ellerbe, deputy building in
spector, said, in reply to inquiries that
he only knew of only two devices that
would meet the demands of the ordi-
nance.
''The elevators all over town. ex-
planned Assemblyman Schiffmann,
ARE insured and inspected by the
casualty insurance companies. There
are other points of safety more vital
in an elevator than those covered by
this Device
I'VE may not be here ourselves for
humanitarian purposes" observed the
Pioneer Press manager for himself and
the other managers, but we are all
liable for DANA ges-the most serious
thing in business"
mo doubt retorted Mr.. McDermott,
-but the owners of the Iroquois the
alter were just as liable as you are"
The matter was laid over until the
next meeting of the committee. The
managers didn't object.