Hydraulic fitter - Expo Paris 1867

Now we are passing under an immense construction which will be one of the attractions of this gallery, since it will allow the curious to go up, or I am mistaken, to go up on the palace to enjoy the view of the Champ de Mars, the hills of Saint-Cloud and Meudon, the course of the Seine and a whole part of Paris. This is [ lift, or more simply the Edoux hydraulic lift.

These two frames, or as they say in the trade, these two fir-works, each formed of four cast-iron columns, and which rise, this one on the right, that one on the left of the platform where we are, and rise together to the vault, regulate respectively the movements of the one and the other platform, which have taken the shape of elegant kiosks for our purposes. In turn, the one at the bottom receives the ten or so curious visitors, and the one at the top takes them back to the starting point. In a few seconds, without tiring or shaking, we made this ascent. Isn't it charming? After having tasted this convenient means, how many people will dream of abolishing the stairs!

©L'Exposition Universelle de 1867 Illustrée