Elevators Through Time - Book 1

Part 5: Flatiron Flats

Part 5: Flatiron Flats

Year: 1909

Time: (Clock function in repair)

Location: Broadway, New York, America

Level: Ground

Kate and I crossed the street near where the traffic officer stood, greeted him as we passed across, then walked a few blocks to the connection of 5th Avenue and Broadway.

I carefully watched where the trams and horse carriages moved to keep both of us safe. I would have loved to watch the common scene of 1900's road traffic just to re-live it all but it is best to leave this indulgence for later when it is safer to let your mind wander.

Kate understood my fascination with the building, like everyone else that was amazed at something new.

She wanted to have a look at the new elevator too, but as all people in this decade, she was more curious about the shape of the building itself. She had never seen an elevator working up close. I, however, have seen many types from my time but I didn't let that on. I was still personally fascinated regardless.

"It is always good to see something new being made, something useful and helpful for everyone," I said, trying I stay away from long words like 'innovation', because I found out that the school that Kate went to wasn't as good as it should have been. Too much influence of discipline than education and retention.

"Something helpful to old people who hit kids with brooms?" Kate retorted, still a little shaken from what happened years ago. I squeezed her shoulder gently. "Now now, none of that. Don't speak bad of people we don't know of. He may just have had a bad time before we met him."

"Yes, you told me that before,"

"Just leave it for now. Let lions rest where they lie,"

"What's a lion?"

"Ah, it's a large meat-eating predator that kills to eat,"

"What's a predator?"

"Something that attacks others for food or fun or some other purpose,"

Kate had never been to a zoo or even seen a picture of wild animals in a book.

"I'll show you one day if you'd like, Kate," I told her, trying to work out in my mind how I could get this arranged.

"Oh, can we? Can we? I would really love it!"

"We will see, Kate. Just be patient," I said as I patted her arm.

We arrived at one of the corners of the strange triangular prism that was the Flatiron Building. It was strange not seeing a face of a building which normally has a base that is either a square or a rectangle. This one had to be a triangle because of a lack of space between the two streets and a short-straw pick of the plot of land to make a building. Well they made a good job of it, I'll say.

A sudden gush of wind flipped up Kate's skirt, as it typically does to women around this building.

"Naughty vortices" I mumbled, politely looking away while Kate got the material under control.

We approached the brick entrance arch, which was on the Fifth Avenue side of the busing. We had a short chat with what I would say was the guard but he said he didn't need to worry about people with ill will because they didn't go around this part of town. We explained that we merely wanted to gaze at the view and also admire the brand new elevator system.

Since the bottom floors had been rented out by businesses as soon as they were completed we weren't allowed to interfere in their work, to which we agreed.

We would only be permitted to look at the elevators, then briefly go to the higher floors that were still being fitted with furniture and only under supervision. That was fair.

He let us enter and referred us to a man who introduced himself as 'Kent' but had no last name, which was curious for this decade but I didn't mind. There must have been some story to it. He had a tall-slender physique, with an equally slender black and white suit. His face was expressionless, well I would be called a racist but he reminded me of a look that a life-hardened-Russian had one time I met him. His manner was business-like and quite blunt and to the point.

"Will you be long?" came his monosyllabic enquiry, while we were heading towards the elevator base.

"We will just look for a few minutes and move on," I replied, covering my irritation at his pushy attitude as best I could.

From the entrance we went right, through 3 doors, then went left into the elevator corridor.

There were 6 elevator shafts, the entrances of which were all painted in white. There was an ornate outer door to the shaft and a collapsible inner door that the elevator car had. This was probably to save weight.

Kate and I had stopped to admire the craftsmanship and art that had been put into this area alone. Much to the annoyance of Kent, and that was to my personal amusement.

We also admired the indicators for what floor each elevator was on.

Where I came from the elevator told you where it was when you verbally asked it, and a floating holographic number and name was the indicator and illumination source of the room. Here though, a simple wire to the elevator mechanism itself was connected to a gauge where a steel clock-like arm pointed to a number on the black backdrop of a semi-circle.

I was half expecting a bell, but there was no need for a bell when an attendant came out of one of the elevators that had arrived and stood nearby.

I was in the middle of explaining all of this to Kate, quite enthusiastically, when Kent interrupted me with a tap on the shoulder and the words:

"Employees are not that loud here."

I apologised and then Kent led us down some stairs to where we were to see the actual devices that were moving the elevator cars up and down.

The room was well lit and I could clearly see the base of a huge pressurised-oil reservoir that supplied oil to a compressor that forced it into a huge pipe that would push a ram which pushed the elevator car up and down.

It was ingeniously simple in its design and Kate and I were very impressed at how it all worked and how someone could come up with this idea in this day and age.

"Could we please take the elevator to the open floors near the top floor?" I asked, being as patient and courteous because this wasn't our place.

"As long as you do not interrupt the builders and stand well behind the unfinished edges I see no problem with you going there," Kent sniffed, perhaps because of an allergy or something, although it was dusty here.

"Oh, you are not permitted to go to the 21st. That penthouse is reserved. I suggest you observe this well." Kent said in a serious tone.

We all went back upstairs to the elevator corridor and pressed the new electronic button and looked up and watched the floor indicator move down the dial above one of the elevator shafts.

An attendant came from inside the elevator and opened the door and bowed to us. Kate and I felt flattered to be bowed at. We weren't one of the rich... well not in this era at least.

I turned to Kate and took her hand and bowed slightly to her.

"Shall we, darling?" I said in the best imitation Englishman accent I could do.

Both Kate and the elevator attendant laughed. Even Kent cracked a smile on that plaster cast face of his.

"Kent! I require your assistance," came a call from the 'guard' we met earlier.

"Here is where I leave you, Alexander and Kate. I must attend to my duties. It has been good to make your acquaintance," Kent said before he shuffled off.

Kate curtseyed and I bowed and then composed ourselves before entering the elevator with the assistant.