PURPOSE: To easily confirm completion of starting compensation by providing the second check valve in parallel to a check valve provided in a flow path between an oil hydraulic pump and a hydraulic cylinder, and detecting action of this second check valve by a switch or the like.

CONSTITUTION: In a hydraulic elevator for lifting a car 1 through a rope 4 by supplying/discharging operating oil to/from the inside of a hydraulic cylinder 2 to advance/retract a plunger 3, operating oil from an oil hydraulic pump 5 is supplied/discharged to/from the hydraulic cylinder 2 through a solenoid switching valve 8 which is the first check valve. The solenoid switching valve 8, in the case of energizing an exciting coil 8a, is switched to an operating oil discharge side to lower down the plunger 3. Here in parallel to the first check valve 8, the second check valve 10, actuated prior to the check valve 8, is provided. In the case of gradually increasing a pump delivery pressure at the time of starting the elevator, the second check valve 10 is actuated, to judge completion at the time of starting compensation when a microswitch 11 is turned on.