The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-24
POOR ELEVATOR
MAN IN TROUBLE
MEN IN CHARGE OF LIFTS AT
CAPITOL HAVE MANY VERY
TRYING TIMES.
CROUCHES
DEVELOP LARGE SEED ONES IN
TIME, OWING TO THE IMPos-
sIBLE RULES OF THE
BUILDING.
by VICTOR ELLIOTT.

sk&AoEh GA&1hotl
WASHINGTON, Dec 30.-Those
individuals who spend portions of
their lives in running capitol eieva-
tors, Invariably develop large unof-
fetal grouches. They never show
peevishness when on duty. Then they
are mild, gentle-voiced and unosten-
tatious individuals. But rumor says
that on leaving the elevator they dis
play evxterme hypochondriacs.
For all of this there is a reason.
Any man who tries to run Capitol
elevator runs into an average of nine
eruptions day. On the senator side
there are one public and three private
elevators. Every one, more or less,
who rides on the public elevator, is
acquainted with at least one sena-
tor, and therefore thinks he should
be entitled to especial consideration.
On the private elevators, senators.
| their families and their privileged
| friends scramble for distinction.
This same condition prevails on
the house side. There are two ele-
vators at either end of the press gall
lery which stop near the house and
gallery entrances. Recently Speaker
| Clark, discovering that most mem
| bers of congress were jutting all
| their friends and relatives on these
|
! ing the use Of these elevators by any
| persons except newspaper men and
members of congress
Rules Not for Her.
| Two days after this order went up
| a beautifully dressed woman imperi-
ously rang from the third floor and
| brought the elevator up. AS soon as
the door opened she started to enter
The iong-suffering elevator man bar
red her way.
You can't enter here ma'am," be
explained.
why not" demanded the woman
Indignantly. ira like to know If you
expect to keep the wife OF Repre-
sentative Bunk. OF Bezipp, waiting"
| Sorry maam." apologized the ele-
vator man, but / cannot take you
down. I'd get in trouble for vio-
lating the speakers rule"
| You won't violate any rule" said
| the woman icily and pushed by him
| into the elevator.
The elevator man was required to
take her past the second floor where
seven or eight members were walt
ing. They silently beheld the wo-
man on the elevator and reported the
alarms who reprimanded the ele-
vator man.
But what could do@" demanded
the elevator man. II couldn't take her
by the scuff OF the neck and throw
her out?"
You should have refused to take
her down." replied the sergeant-at-
arms.
The elevator man got one mental
glimpse of this picture: he waiting
In his elevator while q number of
/ A1-o
bells from the subway up. He thought
of the roar of indignation when as
Stunning the woman got tired and left
---he finally made his appearance.
Then he stepped outside and kicked
stray dog that happened to be
passing his way.
The Senator'S Call.
In the senate, as has been remarked,
there are three private elevators, and
the iron clad rule exists that IL a
senator wants to ride, his trip takes
precedence over everything else. The
| senator has private ring.
He shoves the button three times,
and woe betide the elevator man who
does not answer promptly. Thus the
complications arise. Senator Beezer
will be at the bottom of the building
and Senator Whiffletree at the top.
They will ring the bell simultaneously
| Unless the elevator man disregards
| the laws of physics and goes two diff
| ferent places at one and the same
| time, there will be trouble The sena-
| tor whose ring Is not answered first
will complain to the sergeant alarms
| that his inalienable rights have been
disregarded, and will insist that some
| body suffer.
Certain OF the senators have won
| undying fame by their peculiar vi
| ciousness on the subject of private
elevators. one of them always de-
mands that his call be answered i'm
mediately. and frequently forgets to
use the private call OF senators.
The other day four or Ave senator's
were trying to call the elevator from
different attitudes In the building. and
one lonesome newspaper man, VINO
had gotten on at the first floor was
trying to make trip to the press gal
lery. That newspaper man rode up
and down for FIVE times, before he fin
ally succeeded in getting where he
wanted TO go.
There never Ia an investigation of
the failure OF an elevator man to obey
senate rules. If a senator make a stiff
complaint and show determination
to continue to kick, the best that the
elevator man may hope Is for a trans
fer TO the frienght department in one
OF the office buildings.
One veteran elevator man was ques-
toned recently as to the reason for his
unofficial crouch.
my job" he said, SIS the only job
in the world where I have to keep
opoogizing for doing my own work.
The more | work the more l have to
apologize II obey the rules I have
to apologize to member of congress
who wants to take his wife and seven
children up in private elevator. II I
don't obey the rules, I get bawled out
by every member who happens to see
the vioation--and I have to apologize
& gain. That's why have q crouch"