ice of such unusual nature. Had the Eiffel Tower been erected
only 15 years later, the situation would have been simply one of
selection. As it was, Eiffel and the commissioners were governed not by
what they wanted but largely by what was available.

THE OTIS SYSTEM

The curvature of the Tower's legs imposed a problem unique in elevator
design, and it caused great annoyance to Eiffel, the fair's Commission,
and all others concerned. Since a vertical shaftway anywhere within the
open area beneath the first platform was esthetically unthinkable, the
elevators could be placed only in the inclined legs. The problem of
reaching the first platform was not serious. The legs were wide enough and
their curvature so slight in this lower portion as to permit them to
contain a straight run of track, and the service could have been designed
along the lines of an ordinary inclined railway. It was estimated that the
great majority of visitors would go only to this level, attracted by the
several international restaurants, bars and other features located there.
Two elevators to operate only that far were contracted for with no
difficulty--one to be placed in the east leg and one in the west.

To transport people to the second platform was an altogether different
problem. Since there was to be a single run from the ground, it would have
been necessary to form the elevator guides either with a constant
curvature, approximating that of the legs, or with a series of straight
chords connected by short segmental curves of small radius. Eiffel planned
initially to use the first method, but the second was adopted ultimately,
probably as being the simpler because only two straight lengths of run
were found to be necessary.

Bids were invited for two elevators on this basis--one each for the north
and south legs. Here the unprecedented character of the matter became
evident--there was not a firm in France willing to undertake the work. The
American Elevator Company, the European branch of Otis Brothers & Company,
did submit a proposal through its Paris office, Otis Ascenseur Cie., but
the Commission was compelled to reject it because a clause in the fair's
charter prohibited the use of any foreign material in the construction of
the Tower. Furthermore, there was a strong prejudice against foreign
contractors, which, because of the general background of disfavor
surrounding the project during its early stages, was an element worth
serious c