Evening star., 1920-01-02
SAFETY DEVICE
FOR ELEVATORS,
|NSPECTOR'SPLAN
Proposed Mechanism Would
Prevent Movement Until
Door Is Locked.

Equipment of all elevators with a
device to prevent the movement of
the car until the door is locked was
advocated today by William /. Evans.
chief elevator inspector of the Dis
tIict.
Inspector Evans said an amendment
to the District regulations would be
TeCessary to require the use of such a
device. but that a number of buildings
in .he city already have voluntarily
installed :he necessary apparatus.
Cost Put mt $50 n Floor.
The inspector said that while it
would cost approximately $50 a floor
to install this safety device. he is of
the opinion that the guarantee 1t
would give the owner of the building
against damage suits growing out Of
deaths and injuries would more than
make it good investment.
Il would say" the inspector con-
tinued, that in the neighborhood of
so per cent of elevator accidents are
the result of the car starting before
sure way of preventing accidents
from this cause is to use the devices
which make it impossible to move the
car while the door is open.
Device Vow Perfected.
"A few years ago 1 was not entire-
ly in favor of this. because these de-
vices had not been perfected to a point
hiSH "OuIu warrant CHelT general
use. But now / believe they should
be adopted. If 1 were the owner of a
building l would not operate my ele-
vators without them"
Mr.. Evans said he preferred the me-
chanical to the electric door devices,
because they are not susceptible to
being put out of service by short cir
cults or other current trouble.
Mr.. Evans began an investigation
today into the death of Mrs. H. Perci-
val Dodge, who was killed Wednes-
day in an elevator in the apartment
house at 1909 10th street.
Finds Woman Operators Careful.
Asked his opinion as to EMPLOYING
women as elevator operators. Mr.
Evans said it has been his experience
10 nno them more careful than men,
He said that most women who be-
come elevator conductors receive con-
slderaoly more pay than they received
IN domestic occupations. and for that
reason are more particular about hold
ing their new poSitions
Mr. Evans estimated that at pres
eht about half of the elevator con-
aoctors in the city are women. Dur
ing the war. he said, approximateiv
40 per cent were women.
me inspector said that persons who
apply Tor license to operate an ele
Nator are put through an oral exami-
nation; ,n IN this examination they
- ocic ~ tell Ine number of
POUNDS the elevator they are to oper-
ate VIII hold and the number of pas.
sengers " win safely carry In de-
,ermining the numhsts $50 pounds is
taken as the average weight OF
passenger.
QualiAcatiohs Sf Operators.
prospective operator must be at
ieast eighteen years old, and must
have at least a month of experience
under an operator or other person
understanding the operation. II found
incompetent, an operators permit is
withdrawn until he or she proves to
the inspector fitness to resume opera
tion.
The regulations further provide that
ali persons in charge of an elevator
snail carefully examine the same and
its appliances at least once every
twenty-four hours. and report any
defects to the inspector.
In the oral examination, Mr.. Evans
said, the applicant must be able to
tell what would happen to the ele-
vator il the cables broke. If this
question is not answered correctly
the license is not issued. The appli-
cant also is asked whether the ele-
vator ought to be started before the
door is shut.
Mr.. Evans said it is a fact not gen.
orally known that more people ride
vertically than horizontally in a day
He said he believed a comparison of
accidents on elevators and street
vehicles would favor elevators.