Disclosed is a hydraulic elevator in which the load and/or the oil temperature are detected under the running condition of a cage of the hydraulic elevator and a proper value of the deceleration delay time corresponding to this running condition is obtained to thereby control the flow of pressure-oil on the basis of the proper value of the deceleration delay time. Various values of the deceleration delay time are stored in advance in the form of table with respect to various values of load and oil temperature.