This novelette is considered a seminal work of science fiction. After reading it, it is not hard to see why. It was first published in a general-interest fiction magazine in 1919 (there were not yet any magazines devoted to science fiction, and the term had probably not even been coined at that time).
It was Murray Leinster's first published work of science fiction.
In the story, a New York skyscraper is suddenly transported back in time to Pre-Columbian America with all of its C20th occupants, who then have to devise ways to survive in the new setting. The mechanism for the time travel, while not wholly convincing, is one of the strangest I have come across. This work is clearly a precursor of later "hard" science fiction because the author attempts to describe everything in a scientific way and explain the reasons behind why things happen. Where real science is involved, the writer clearly wishes to be accurate. An attempt is made to provide plausible reasons for the fantasy elements too. While it exhbits the biases of gender and race prevalent at the time, the narrative has a very obvious human side to it in that it probes into the effects that suddenly being uprooted and sent back into a more 'primitive' environment would have on individuals and on a group. If people living in 1919 would have had serious problems, how much more true that would be for people living in developed countries today, where they might hardly ever come into direct contact with nature. It also shows that people who are not considered very successful in one environment might come into their own when sudden changes occur. From the point of view of historical interest and story content, it is a worthwhile read. It is good that is now free to read from gutenberg.org. ( )

In an otherwise unremarkable day, the Metropolitan Tower starts sliding back in time. It takes a while for everyone to figure out what happens but when they do, it turns into a race of survival - find enough food for everyone, find a way to back home and do not make things worse.

The story is dated - the science does not hold up and the attitude towards women is atrocious - they are the weak sex and they cannot do anything. Except Estelle - Arthur's very capable secretary that seem to know everything that needs to be known, in a lot of times being the only one that does. Almost 2 decades later, Della Street, Perry Mason's secretary will be created and Estelle reminded me of her - in her attitudes, in her capabilities, in the way she handles her boss. Because of the time frame, it is the other way around of course - Della sounds like Estelle but I had been reading a lot of Perry Mason lately so in my mind the connection works that way.

On the other hand, it being set in the past allows the generators in the building to be based on coal - and to allow them to have lights and lifts even when they are in the middle of a time that had not even thought of electricity.

For a story written in 1919, it is actually less dated than I expected. The story does work to a point - if you ignore the norms of the time. The resolution is almost laughable but... with the state of science a century ago, it probably made sense. And I enjoyed the story a lot - in the way I enjoy old comics - it may be goofy and impossible but it is still a nice yarn. ( )