U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for March 23

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

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090226/CENSUSLOGO)

TUESDAY, MARCH 23: ELEVATORS

Profile America -- Tuesday, March 23rd.  The ingenuity of one man helped to change the very shape of America's cities -- and indeed, those of much of the world.  It was on this day in 1857 that Elisha Otis installed the first safety elevator, in a building in New York City.  His invention meant that passengers were safe, even if the hoisting cable of an elevator broke.  Within a short time, architects began to design taller and taller buildings.  To show how important elevators are in the U.S., these devices now lift close to the equivalent of the nation's population once every day. Making and installing elevators and escalators is a nearly $2 billion a year business in the U.S., providing jobs for nearly 9,000 people.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, counting down to census day April 1st.

Sources:  American Speakers Calendar of Events

National Elevator Industry

2002 Economic Census, NAICS 333921

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office 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 under the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau