<input type="button" onclick="alertAxis()" value="Alert axis" />
<html>
<head>
<script type="text/javascript">
function alertAxis()
{
alert(document.getElementById('td3').axis);
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<table border="1">
<tr>
<th>Firstname</th>
<th>Lastname</th>
<th>City</th>
</tr>
<td id="td1">Harry</td>
<td id="td2">Potter</td>
<td id="td3" axis="location">NY</td>
<td id="td4">Peter</td>