U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for March 23

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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SATURDAY, MARCH 23: ELEVATING AMERICA

Profile America — Saturday, March 23rd.  The ingenuity of one man helped to change the very shape of America's cities — and indeed, those around the world.  On this date in 1857 in New York City, Elisha Otis installed the first passenger safety elevator.  His invention meant that riders were safe, even if the hoisting cable of an elevator broke.  Within a short time, architects began to design increasingly taller buildings.  And reversing centuries of practice, the elevator made the upper floors of a building more desirable for owners and renters than the lower ones.  Making and installing elevators and escalators is a $2.6 billion a year business in the U.S., providing jobs for more than 9,500 people.  You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  2007 Economic Census, NAICS 333921 
National Elevator Industry

Profile America is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotions of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button). 

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

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http://www.census.gov