davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08
Washington's Great Elevator System.

evidently used to convey wild beasts ana
Sladiators from the pits to the arena.
This. like the wedge. inclined plane and
lever used By the Egyptians in hosting
the huge masses OF material required in
the erection of the pyramids, and also
the water bu ,het and pole system EN-
ploNed by people of the Nile country.
worked by muscular power through
the strength of numberless slaves and
captives.
The most popular elevator for quite a
period of years has been the hydraulic
plunger. which became possible through
the perfection Of the Bessemer steel proc
eSS and the progress made in this country
in drilling for oil. These machines. by
the appearance OF the large steel cylin-
der. give sense of security to many peo-
pie which Is not conveyed by any suS-
pended cage. These machines cannot pos
Sibly fall. ana III consequence are not pro-
Vided with the array OF safety devices
which sird those of the suspended type.
The power is due TO water pressure act
ing on a piston working in a cylinder.
The car is carried on platform attached
to the piston q the water cylinder. The
length oi the cylinder is the same as the
extreme height to which the elevator
rises Th' plunger is steel pipe or
shell from. one-fourth to one-half inch
thick reinforced by "A rod or iron cables
running the entire length at the center.
This hts into the cylinder. The water
enters at the top of the cylinder.
In the event of cylinder breaking tho
water could not escape fast enough to
let the cage drop. even in the absence OF
the CONFERENCE.-The. No accidents have
ever occurred to the machinery OF this
class Having no safety devices, indie
pendent limit valves are operated by the
car pushing against cables at the ends
of its travel which will stop the cage
from full speed in distance of five feet
Congested population calling for tall
buildings has been the means of tho in
siStent demand for safe and rapid means
of vertical transportation, and with the
perfected electric machine of the present
day there is no limit TO heights to which
il may rise.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

time of the Year proves that so far as
October is concerned the statement is
true. Go where YOU will. climb the hills
and search oht for yourself ways across
the valleys. north. east or west from
the city. and YOU will find at every turn
bits of landscape sylvan hooks. open
gladeS in the woods. sunshiny meadows
circled all about with forest. tinkling
streams buried deep in tangled thickets at
the bottom of rocky ravines-subjects. all
of them. for painters brush or photog-
raphers camera, and all at their very
best right now.
The heat of midsummer has passed; the
dust of long hot. dry days has been
washed away by the rains of early au-
tumn; in the open places the grass is as
long and lush and green as in early sum-
mer. Not yet have the leaves taken on
their tints of gold and russell and scarlet
although the sumac. In places, is blazing
in rank thickets OF crimson. Late golden
rod waves it's brilliant yellow plumes.
and the tangled blackberry. dewberry and
raspberry vines, thick in grassy fields,
along the edge of the woods or in old
clearings are wearing their livery of
death. and flaunt their bravery of purple.
bronze. coppery red and carmine in the
face of advancing winter.
Along the hillsides YOU will find the wild
aster, latest of autumn's flowers bloom
ing in a profusion of blue. making u
stretch of color like bit of sky dropped
down among the green's and browns of
grass and dying weeds.
Everywhere through the woodlands,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

device acts instantaneously, secures the
car to the rails by means OF sharp
toothed wedge. which penetrateS the
rail causing quite shock to the car.
The instantaneous safety is not used
for car speeds greater than $50 feet
per minute. This danger has been
greatly lessened in late years by the
use OF more than one set OF cables ana
by having them made OF hlghef
grade of materials.
The possibility of loss of control or
overspeeding through arrangement or
the machinery has been provided for
in the universal adoption of speed
governor. which is designed to trip
and force the safety devices to act
when the speed gets to the point of
being % per cent above the normal
rate Overspeed causes a pawl in the
governor to lift, which strikes pro-
jecting arm attached to the safetieS
and a spring causes them to act.
There are safety clamps and devices
of all descriptions which circumvent
every possible mishap which the brain
of man can conjure up. by no means
the least of which is the chamber
safety at bottom OF the shaft, whose
business it is to stop a falling car
gradually by the resistance offered by
Imprisoned and slowly escaping air. \
falling car Will imprison air Ike q
piston and will gradually and easily
sink to the bottom. One of the larg-
est CT these cushions is 49, feet deep
and is erected in a shaft 2S7 feet high
\ ties; was made by dropping the car
the full 2S7 feet with basket OF eggs
on the floor. SO easily did it come
down that not an egg was broken.
That there is nothing new under the
sun has been proven 10y the discovery
among the ruins of ancient Rome of the
fragments Of u crude elevator. The ceIe-
brated archeoiogist, Commentators Boni,
unearthed the unmistaka bic remains OF
IL approach TO the shaft and the center
weights in the form IT stone cubes in the
ruins of the old Roman forum. IL was
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

to the public. for he may select any one
for the object of his vengeance.
In other subjects than his pet one of
persecution. the paranoiac may be very
rational, but the precoX, another one OF
the four common types, is demented gen.
orally and becomes more so as the disease
progresses. Precox. or dementia precoX.
occurs chiefly in young adults. is often
hereditary and occurs frequently in per
sons who children have been unusual
ly precocious- The mental deterioration
is great and the conversation often be-
comes mere tumble of senseless phrases
having no apparent connection and called
by alienistS a ''word-salad.
The type of insanity known as manic
Oppressive is particularly interesting. as
it presents three different states, period
of acute mania followed by period of
acute depression and then lucid in
terval. These three states occur in reg
u!ar succession during the course of the
disease. In the acute mania the patient
becomes wildly excited, even hOmicidal.
In the period Of depression he is inert
and apathetic. and then lucid interval
may occur. during which it is extremely
difficult to detect any evidence of mental
arrangement.
:. -
Tile fourth type. general paresis. occurs
chiefly in late life, seldom appearing be-
fore the age OF forty. 1t begins with
business ability. poor judgment in money
matters, goes on to excuses in alcohol
and other vices and ends in complete loss
Of mind
When a patient is admitted to the
Washington Asylum Hospital for mental
examination, he is sent to the psyco-
pathic ward. and that same day or the
next he is given a preliminary examina-
ton by members of the resident staff
In his physical examination special at
tention is of course paid to the nervous
system, the various reflexes being thor
oughiy tested. The most common reflex
.'patellar-tendon reflex the knee
jerk The patient is asked to cross his
legs and a smart tap with the finger OIL u
uninterrupted hammer Is given just be-
low the knee Of the leg top. If the
reader will do this and strike the right
place he will get an involuntary kick of
the foot. In some forms of mental dis
order this is abolished and in others it is
exaggerated.
The patient is told to stand erect with
his feet together and close his eyes. II
he sways and is about to fall this fact
Is noted down: 1t is one of the symptoms
of general paress. He is asked to eX-
tend his hands, palms downward. in
front of him and separate his fingers. 1t
can then be seen whether or not he has
any tremors, His skin surface is tested to
see whether he feels the prick of a pin
and whether he can differentiate the
touch of a tube containing hot water
from that OF one containing ice. The
eyes are tested to whether or not the
pupils react to light. All these tests.
and many more, comprise the physical
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

submitted to the District inspector by the
contractor who has the order for its in
stallation in the building for which it is
designed. Not only are the plans passed
upon. but the work and material are also
subject to investigation, and when the
job is completed the District inspector is
present and personally conducts the most
elaborate of tests.
During the quarterly inspections the
elevator is "dropped' from different
heights to test the safety devices,
given 1.-The runaway test and the
weight test" The highest speed that
could develop through an accident is
turned on and the cage allowed to do
it's worst, just to prove whether the
appliances which are placed there to
The car is loaded with it's full compile
ment of lifting ability in iron and
started up to test Its falling pre-
ventives. AS there are several safe
ties to every machine. II is almost
proof against falling, since it is hardly
likely that all will fail at the same
time.
There are from four to six wire
cables to sustain the moving parts OF
an elevator. another element of safety.
these will break at once. Limits are
provided at either end of the hatchway
to automa tically limit the travel. or, in
other words. to keep the car from TAX
ing a notion to go on up through the
roof and buffers are placed at the bot
tom of the shaft to ease the shock OF
a falling car. should every continuance
fail to guard against this emergency.
These car Safeties are the devices on
the car frames which are constructed
to catch and hold it by securing ii to
the guide rails in case of the breaking
of the hosting cables the failure
of any part of the apparatus to do the
work mapped out for il. They are
usually placed on what is termed the
safety plank" beneath the car. In
case of the breaking Of the cal les this
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08


the city of Washington, in gov
eminent buildings, stores and
apartment houses, hotels and
Office buildings, and yet up to the pres
ent time there has been no catastrophe
with its accompanying quota of deaths
due to the falling of a loaded elevator.
Within the ten years experience OF a
prominent elevator man there has been
no record of any machine meeting de-
struction by dropping, and only one in
stance of machine falling. and that
only of distance less than a foot.
Washington is conceded by all authori-
ties on the subject to be protected by
the most efficient elevator inspection
service in the country and by the insur-
ance companies to be the best risk in this
respect The United States government
takes care of its own buildings. having
regular inspections made by its own Of
fcials at stated times. The District gov
eminent maintainS Il strict supervision
over all other elevators in the city. there
being two inspectors. who make Il per
sonal visit and overhaul eve bit of
mechanism of every passenger elevator
once every three months, as we'll "a
keep close watch on all freight mac hines.
Besides the District inspection, the ee-
vator companies also pay fully as much
attention to these lifts" making weekly
inspections of general nature when de-
sired, and quarterly ones, which cover
all details. The insurance companies,
too, have a hand in the Wholesale in
spection, requiring their experts to make
monthly examinations, in addition to the
customary OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES investiga-
tons
During these quarterly tests every bit
of machinery is carefully gone over so
that all signs of wear and weakness may
be noted. All safety devices are thor
oughly tested and no trflinS disorder
overlooked.
The surveillance Of an elevator begins
when the plans for Its construction are
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

in the District az least three ears The
pa tent may then he tempora rily commit
ted by the sanitary officer to the govern
ment hospital, where he remains rot over
d month. Before the expiration of this
period he is tried before a jury and the
testimony both sides heard The jury
then decides whether he shall be recon-
mitted or freed. The friends family
OF the patient have. Of course. the right
10 employ as many skilled physicians to
examine him as they choose.
=
The above is a method sometimes en-
ployed, but by far the more usual course,
* to send the suspect to Washington Asy-
lum Hospital, where the preliminary ex-
animation is made. The alienists at this
institution, together with the District
alienist. either free the man or make out
his papers for temporary commitment.
In the latter event, he is transferred to
the government hospital. where he Is ex-
amined again and. during the course OF
month is tried before the jury.
There are three ways in which per
son suspected of insanity may be sent to
the Washington Asylum Hospital foi
mental examination. member OF bis
family or two of his friends may go be-
fore the sanitary officer of the District
and swear out insanity papers. the board
of charities may commit cases for exam
ination. or they may be sent to the hos
pital by the police. IN addition to these
methods. a man may be examined at his
own request.
\ complete physical and mental exam
ination is made at the Washington Asy-
lum Hospital. The physical examination
is necessary because certain forms of in
sanity are usually found associated with
certain physical stigmata. and discovery
OF the latter aids in a diagnosis.
There are eleven main forms Of insan-
ity. but the vast majority of cases are of
four kinds. paranoia. precox manic de-
pressive and general paresis.
x
Paranoia is form of insanity in which
the patient thinks he is being prosecuted
by persons either on account of his great
Importance or because of some great in
vention which they wish to steal from
him. In the first stage of the disease his
impulse is TO flee from these people; next
the trouble having further developed, he
defends himself in many curious man
ners. such as placing the feet of his bed
in pans of water to protect himself from
electricity. or stuffing his keyhole and al
the cracks in his room in order to keeI
out the nOxious gases which his enemies
might inject On account of his persecu-
tons. the paranoiac fancies himself q
great person, the missing dauphin or Ma
poleon. or a cousin of the King of Eng
land; otherwise he reasons. why should
many people conspire TO injure him
This is the exaggerated ego" with which
the public has become familiar. In the
third stage of his disease, the paranoia,
begins 10 attack his imaginary enemies
and il is then that he becomes dangerous
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

diagnosed. appropriate treatment is in
stituted and the symptoms clear UP
While patient is undergoing examIna-
ton at the hospital, or while he is await
ing commitment, treatment is carried
on In some cases this is sedative. bro
mides. choral. veronal and no. and cold
packs being used. In other cases stlmu-
lation by strychnia. the Scotch douche
and other methods are used. Other pa
tents may require .psycotherapy combined
with hygienic and dietetic treatment
such as good food. walks in the open air
and the free use of buttermilk. which is
highly recommended by alienists.
The Scotch douche" is form of ny
drotherapy much used in the treatment
of insanity. II is a shower bath carried
to the nth degree of perfection. 1t is
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

given in an Enclosure three feet square,
whose corners consist of pipes punctu-
ated at regular intervals by sprays di-
rected upon the patient. who stands in
the center. Above his head the pipes
arch over and meet, forming A spray di-
rected downward. The bath is controlled
by set of levers at a table ten feet
away: doctor sits here and operates
the shower. The water is first turned on
at temperature of 10J degrees to l1o
degrees. and after fifteen seconds this is
gradually decreased until it reaches %
degrees. at which temperature ii remains
for fifteen seconds. Then the shower is
stopped. the patient turns his back. and
the doctor directs on his spinal column a
small stream of cold water
This is the characteristic feature of the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

months time he is tried before jury in
Criminal Court, which hears all the ex-
pert testimony and passes final Judgment.
The word final. however. is ill-advised.
for after being committed to st. Elizabeth
his case can be reopened at any time by
the physicians there or by other experts
who may he called in and a new trial or
dered If in the first place the allenlsts
at Washington Asylum Hospital decide
that the patient is of sound mind he is set
free without further formality.
X x
man temporarily crazy from alcohol
or other causes may be committed to the
Washington Asylum Hospital for mental
examination, but his condition is soon
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

CLIMBING the Hills Dur
~ ing the Month of October
Beautiful Spots Around
Washington - the Nutting
Season-Where the Squir-
rels and Quail Live-A Day
in the Woods After the Sum-
mer Has Passed-Through
the Valleys and Into Sylvan
hooks.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

cious and he was sent 10 the Washington
Asylum Hospital for mental examina-
lion"
The casual reader may or may not see
about six weeks later the following para
graph: The jury today in Criminal
Court No. adjudged Mr.. insane and
he was committed TO the Government
Hospital for the Insane
Even should these two items be read
what occurs between the apprehension OF
Mr.. as suspected lunatic and his
final disposition an inmate of st. EIiz-
abeth il mystery to the average read
ct. Upon what symptoms does All alien
iSt base his diagnosis of InSound mind
what border line does he draw sharply
defining the abnormal and the normal?
In the oiden days ''madhouse'' WAS a
word fraught with dread associations
the term coniured up visions of crashing
teeth, of wild-eyed lunatics struggling
with their keepers. of stealthy maniacs
creeping upon their victims and of moi
some dungeons where the great god
Madness stalked in all his frightfulness.
Many were the tales told around the win
Ter Preside of innocent men and maidenS
victimized by villains and clapped into a
nadhouse until by constant association
with walking horrors their reason did
totter on its throne and they became glib
bering imbeciles or raving manacS.
Some of the stories were Undoubtedly
true and all were possible. But today
science takes the person suspected OF in
sanity and applies her little measuring
rule and her carefully graduated balance.
Here a measurement trife short. there
a faculty which does not weigh up quite
to the standard. Very we'll, 1ot them
l,<1a
Of insanity or does it not?
1t is practically impossible for sane
man in these times, claim the responsible
parties, TO be sent to an insane asylum.
There is too much formality attached 10
the process too many examinations by
skilled alienists who have seen ana ex-
amined thousands of cases of mental dis
order.
In the District OF Columbia the steps
necessary to commitment for lnsanit!
are a follows: y certificate of insanity
must be signed by TWO registered physi-
clans. who have been in actual practice
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

Scotch douche and il known the spi-
nal douche" The pressure used is from
ten to fifteen pounds, sufficient To strike
the body with considerable force, This
spray is run up and down the spinal col
umn a few times. and the ratient is then
given brisk rundown with a rough
towel. The invigorating effect is remark
able. \ Scotch dout he is given every
morning To nearly all cases and every
evening to some.
The alienists at Washington Asylum
Hospital are DR.. 3 K. Logic. District
alenist: DIR. ID. Percy Hic>ling visiting
physician; DR.. ]. j. Madigan. resident
physician, and Drs- j. +. Lind. c. L.
Healy. p. <. Madigan. c. J. Dugan and
]. l. Leonard, assistant reSidenl physi-
clans
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

EW arrivals in
W ashington al i
ways receive from
the older residents
IL number of bits
Of information.
Prominent among
these is always,
June and OctO-
Der are the most
beautiful months
in and around
Washington A
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

y item of not infre-
ruent occurrence in
the daily papers
reads somewhat as
follows: Mr..
was taken in Gus
tody last evening
by the officers of
the -th precinct
on complaint of his
wife. His actions
for the past month
have been suspi-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

examination. The mental one is then
made.
II is ascertained first whether or not
the patient is well Oriented. rms
phrase has its origin in the custom pecu-
liar to certain religions of facing the east
or orient, at certain times or the uas'
he who knew which way the orient was
WAS ..well oriented" The alienlst uses
this term to mean knowledge OF tlhle.
Mace and person. The patient Is ASKED
what dav it is. what year. what place he
IS in. what city, who the man is ques-
tioninc him who the nurse Is, VINO IS
president of the United States etc II
he can answer all these questions inteil-
gently and accurately, he is SAID 10 De
well oriented.
One Of the most important questions
asked in the mental examination Is ~
Won think any one is trying to Marin
youp'' as this query may cause the pa
tient to reveal ''delusions of persecu-
ton" which are characteristic OF .ne
paranoiac. the most dangerous .u'a any
strange sights which he cannot explain
and whether he has heard any voices
talking to him. If
Perhaps the most frequent ~ oaiiaSe
mental disorder is the hearing OF pooiless
voices speaking out of the AR: tnese
ro;ces may abuse the patient calling him
;nsuItinc names or they may tell him 10
do things sometimes harmless and mean
ingless. but often violent and criminal
Visions of angels are common many
nafients go into much detail In their ue-
scriptions One man examined recently
wanted to organize a moving-p1cture COM
many 70 represent scenes from the lie OF
the Savior as he was the only man awe
who had actually seen Him.
X
Dclusiors about their own hodies are
common in the manic-dcpresslVe FORM Oh
insanity particularly when they arc IN
the depressed state. The patient may I'M
aeine that he has no head. or some one
clse's that he has cats eyes. that he has
no stomach. that he never eats, ana
thousand and one other things. He can
not be argued out Of these decisions by
any appeal to reason
The above is. of course only a brief eX-
tract from the mental examination. which
is sometimes prolonged for period OF
hours. 1t Is repeated in the course of Il
day or two by the visiting physician and
again by the District alienist. In the
meantime the patients actions in the
ward are watched and anything abnormal
is noted down by the doctors and nurses.
If the final decision Is that the patient
is of unsound mind, papers are made out
certifying to this and signed by the two
physicians in charge. BY order of the
sanitary officer. the patient is then trans
ferred to the Government Hospital for the
Insane, where another course Of mental
examinations is undergone, and in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

ramble about the District. cutting loose
from paths. roads and travelled ways and
getting out into fields, woods and places
where people do not usually go, at this
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08

oHERE are 800 passenger Gle
vators distributed throughout
the city of Washington, in gov
eminent buildings, stores and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08
TESTING THE SANITY OF APPLICANTS FOR ST. ELIZABETH

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