Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1869-02-25

scribers at TEN CENTS WEEK.
Mr. GEORGE L. VAN BLARcUM has route
in the upper part of the city. Orders may
be left at this office. Mr.. WILLIAM G. JONES
will supply those at the Port,
Cop es may be obtained at the Post Office.
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CHICAGO OBSERVATORY. 1t is not uni
versally known that we possess in this
country the largest telescope in the
world, and that it is placed in the
observatory of Chicago-the youngest
large city of metropolitan features in
the Union. The university belongs to
the Baptist denomination, and was
built by their money under the direc-
ton of the principal, DR.. Burroughs,
who is "a man of great administrative
ability, energy, integrity and learning.
The building is not yet finished, al
though it possesses every accommoda-
ton for educational purposes, and for
the board and lodging OF the profess
ors and students. The front entrance
is very fine, and the tower and spire
are the very poetry of masonry. The
park wing will be finished next summer
and the university buildings will then
be the most beautiful college structure
in America. and an honor to the great
Baptist body that founded it.
The public munidcence of the Chica-
go temple is wonderful, when we con
slider that the city itself is but the
growth of few years, and that so
much money is demanded for the pur-
poses of trade and commerce. Where
the funds have come from to build and
endow such costly edifices MS grace that
beautiful garden city of the West is, a
great mystery. But it is certain that
its merchant princes are more liberal
than they are in most cities, and seem
to think they can never do enough
The telescope was present to the uni
versity; and W. d. Ogder, Esq. whose
name is indissolubly associated with
Chicago history, and western civiliza-
ton, VINO is the father, so to speak, or
at all events the great patron, of the
western railroad system, and the larg-
est owner of stock in the largest rail-
road in the world, extending over 1900
miles. This gentleman has just given
fifty thousand dollars to the university,
and DIR, Burroughs has raised $150,000
more by the voluntary contributions of
the Chicago princes and the Baptist
Christians.
A great and valuable addition has al
so been made to the observatory by
the gift of new meridian circle, prob
ably the most perfect in the world,
made by Repsold, the most successful
European optician. They have just
placed it in position, and in the hands
of Professor T. H. Stafford. the director
of the observatory, it has begun the
great work for which it was designed.
This work, in connection with nine
other observatories, the best appointed
in the world, is to make an entirely new
catalogue of $50, 900 stars, giving, with
She greatest accuracy, the right ascen-
sion and declination of each star, so
that by observing its position many
years herea fter, the astronomers of a
later age may determine the motion of
that star, and in what direction. These
future observations will aid, also. in the
solution Of that mighty problem which
has batfied the intellectual researches
of the greatest astronomers in times
past and times present, namely, the
direct motion of the sun through space,
and may furnish the requisite data for
E locating the great central sun around
ghich the millions of other suns, called
stars, in all probability revolve.
This great work being divided among
the ten principle observatories of the
world, will make the share of it which
will fall to the observatory of Chicago
university twenty ive thousand $4,000
stars, upon each of which there are to
he the most careful observations, which
are to be as carefully recorded.
TO accomplish this herculean' ask it
will take about ten years--bnt it is in
good hands and will be done.
Besides this wonder working medium
the observatory possesses a refractor
now tho largest on the continent, which
is silently and surely performing its