The San Francisco call., 1906-12-25
FAMOUSsTRUCTURE
MAY COME DOWN

One of the greatest modern engineer
ing feats is the Eiffel Tower, erected
for the Universal Exposition in Paris
in 1889, and ever since striking land
mark in the "City of Light" Built as
the great drawing card of the expo
sition, this modern Tower of Babel
for all languages have been heard
upon it since it was first thrown open
to the public, seventeen years ago
had behind it's utflitarian aim as a
money maker a serious purpose-that
of determining the limit to which me-
tallic piers in viaducts could be pushed.
and it has also served In other ways
many scientific uses. Scientists have
made 1t tower of observation, and
Camille Flammarion and his astronomi-
cal friends have studied the heavens
from its lofty summit. In addition, it
is said, it acts as lightning rod for
half Paris. while as a station for wire
less telegraphy its utility is manifest.
For these and other reasons the friends
of the giant tower which dominates
the city by the Seine will be glad to
hear that the commission of '.vieux
Paris" after careful hearing, has de-
termined to extend the life of the
tower from January 1, 1910. when, by
the terms Of the concession 1t becomes
the property of the city of Paris, to
1915, after which date, unless the
f friends of this monument rally to its
support it will probably be torn down.
The commission, in prolonging the life
of what it regards as a structure not
in the interests of good taste and
beauty, has made concession to popu-
lar as well as scientific claims, but it
is doubtful if these considerations will
suffice to give the giant creation of M.
Eiffel a still longer lease of life.
Merely in the point of height, aside
from the problems of construction, the
Eiffel Tower stands by itself. The
chief of the worlds most famous monu-
ments are all overshadowed by it. The
only structure in the world that ap-
proaches it In height. the Washington
Obelisk, if placed side by side with the
Eiffel Tower would reach only about
two thirds of the way to the great lam
tern at the summit of this triumph of
the age of engineering and steel. AL
though the masterpiece of the exposi-
ton of 1889 is not to be mentioned in
connection with the real historic and
artistic monuments of Paris, still it has
become such a familiar sight and it's
scientific uses and it's money making
power are so obvious that it will prob
ably not lack earnest advocates to
plead for it nine years hence,>at the end
of its present reprieve.
Unlike the Ferris wheel which was
an attraction at the Columbian Expo
sition of 1898. and also at the Louisi-
ana Purchase Exposition, the Eiffel
Tower has not yet outlived its useful
ness even as a money maker. The COM
pany which has exploited it since 1889
has made q handsome profit. At the
exposition in which It's career began 1t
netted 100000 francs from the fees
of sightseers- The receipts waned
then, until ten years later they were
only $4,000 francs In 1900. during the
exhibition of that year. they rose to
400, 900 francs, but last year they fell
to $4,000 again. That, however, does
not measure its full interest. Many
who have gone to it's summit in ele-
vators and seen Paris spread out like
map below them have been content
with one visit just as they have been
content with one view of the summit of
the Rigi. or one assent of the Washing
ton monument. They have done" the
tower, as they have done" Europe,
and for the rest they are content to
remain at lower levels.-Los Angeles
Journal.