National Republican., 1873-04-04

the city, II ts stated on the original en- |
socSsspBsT cSs an % general % !" nsmed BY % ne oom @
sasi %'i''Ga'' q ths Eai,sd s,.,ss drew TRUE TRUE
which passed through the area Intended for me
Capitol, crossing u BY another line due east and
west passing through the same area; running all
setermnins st ~ the S scSle angles Sy actual meas
nrement, leaving nothing 70 the uncertainty OF
the compass. or the plan Of the city the Cap
The elevation now oecupisd SJ by the Observatory
was again known as Camp Hill, from ~ having
been occupied BY q part OF the American army
Sp,ss@ee q %,I. nj neSdns stns and Psier
rinemen and the troops from hexandria ad-
yanced from this hill to the vicinity Of Bladens;
s Ross an and Idmirsi Cociburn, August %, lsii.
As a nnal point Of interest In connection with
the Observatory reservation, u may be men;
toned that In the report OF Lieutenant Colonel
q, ". Hughes to the Secretary Of War, January
is 1851, on the subject OF supplying water to the
city, reference Ia made 10 the numerous sur.
ths city" for The sainc purpose Of the watcr-sup-
ply. Major Ellicou hal reported on these plans
In 1921 W, that the positions Of the several
yantaseous ground, commanding the most ex.
tenslye prospects, and susceptible Of improve
ment. The level Of the base Of the Observatory
s one Of those positions They s were ssSsen IN
tenant now Major GcneraD NJ. Z, Meigs, L. ..
A., as the more elevated points OF comparison
levels given By the report Of Col. Hughes are as
follows Foundation Of 81. Johns church, $3.50
feet; corner Of I and Nineteenth streets west,
s2io feet base o. 0h,eIyary, ,er So;S tees cas-,
Eleventh streets, c'hlghest point In the city, }
| 1910 feet.
AdmiraD b. Y. sands, al the time Of the first oc-
cupancy by the Observatory Of It's present site,
the base Of the Observatory was found to be on
level with the noor Of the Congressional
Il thus appears that the level Of tho base Of
the Observatory is the second highest
cmlnence within the city limits tasl
| weight In Its choice by the nrst President and
the commissioners, and subsequently by Presi.
dent Adams for the seat Of a scientific institu'
tion. The founders Of the Government, select
ing this enlinence at nrst for military occupancy
and defence, (tor which purposes Il has been
more than once usedl Welded promptly to theil
/ nrst choice for the permanent occupancy OF tht
site by an institution Of peace. Have not they
and ali others In ofncial and private life up Il
this day, expected the faithful preservation o
the high purposes OF the reservation and OF III
beautiful eminence7
| ERECTION OF BUILDINGS.
| In February, lSiS, Hon. J. Y. Mason cOmmu.
accompanying the same, by Lieutenant j. n
Gllliss, on the erection Of a building In Washing
ton as a depot for Charts and Instruments"
already made, was a complete description o
| the building then erected, and Of the astronom
| ical and magnetical instruments to be used.
nearly eighty pages 2, ,sI with *,
changes which have been made since the date o
that report, IN the plan Of the building and II
some o. the instruments, and Ihe yet more I'm
stantiAl reasons for not accompanying this me
moir with any reproduction OF the plates o
Win descriptions ons o. e. 1me ,ns,rnmen nas Ba'
cure now a copy Of Lieutenant Gilliss' report
citations Of some length are here made, as calle
for in making up even an outline Of the institu
CONSTRUCTION OF TuE MAIN BuIIDtSus.
The ground was excayated TO depth Of
feet for the foundations Of the walls and base
scope, Sc g wi which is feet below the surface Of th
ground. The end wall Of the west wing an
foundation for meridlan-transit piers are seyera
fall in the ground rendering 1t necessary to eX
cavate to greater depth. Directions had beel
given to go down to the gravel, subsequcntl
found at q feet from the surface.
iThe position Of the house being changed 2
feet TO the west, the east wall and pier for tn
E portable transit instrument fell within th
/; masonry from the depth OF II feet below tn
! surface, instead Of nlling the hole with earth.
. "rhe central building Is 80 feet inches squal
on the outside, from the foundation to hclgl
J Of feet inches above the ground; and thenC
!; to the top Of the walls, 80 feet square. Al u
$ foundations to the grOund-llne are Of blue roc
: = teet tnlCk, tine OF Ine Wal
: are Of brick, Is inches thick, finished In the be
: manner, aud the partition walls are Of brio
= II inches thick. II Is two stories and bas
!, ment high, with a parapet and balustrat
l. mounted by revolving dome, 20 feet IN diamete
resting on q circular wall, built up to height
I ! feet above the root Its roof Is nearly na
o having rise Of only one foot In ten; II is CO
3 pered and covered with grating resting on su
!; ports secured TO the parapet on one side and q
le roof on the other SO as TO form level prom
naha NnF n inU n FR n
n. rooms on each moor, separated by passages
le feet wide, crossing each other at right Nngl,
lt Where the dome-wall crosses the passage Il
10 supported on lintes formed by boiling togeth
i've thicknesses OF timber, 10 Inches wide b!
le inches thick, over which brick arch Is turnI
ht There Is, at the intersection Of the passages
he foundation Of masonry. laid In hydraulic cemel
10 for the great pier. Its diameter at the base Is
e, feet, and II Is solid to the height Of lOE fe
el where the diameter Is 10 feet.
u "Upon this Is erected q conlCal pier OF haI
rs burned brick, laid In the same manner; the dla
eter at the base being 10 feet, the height = f.
nj diameter at the top feet, and walls feet thlt
L. to within 10 feet OF the top, where they grad
ally increase In thickness, and the last 3 feet q
solid. The pier Is capped by New York naggit
lg ing-stone, on which rests the pedestal Of
u "stairways from the basement to the secul
at story are Of the ordinary kind, but from the 81
le Ond story TO the rotunda or dome they are sptr
commencing beside the vertical casing, (whl
Y prevents contact with the great pieTD they n
Is ceed TO a landing at the circumference OF I
N dome, the aperture In the door being closed
le closely-ntting doors, which are kept up by cot
'lr ter weights when the observer Is not employ
d. ITO the east aud west sides Of this edince
or wings, entered from the passages, each 20 fee
IN inches long, q feet wide and IS feet high. tn,
n is also q wing TO the south, separated from
house by an entry or passage 10 feet square-ii
lis 81 fee: long, with the same breadth and he'll
as the others. To guard against unequal u
ri peratures likely to be produced by the hea
d. walls OF the house, ION the suggestion OF T
., iessor Enoke1 an extra e-lnch wall Is interpos
N, leaving space Of inches for free passage
e. the air between them. The side walls Of
ct wings are Is inches, and the end walls II Incl
IS thick, the former being strengthened by pllast
he on each side Of the DOORS"
ne The remainder OF the memoir Is devoted u
1e description OF the appointments, instrumen
library, &c., of the building and how they VI
Of obtained, and presents the more extensive lab
H., from time to time achieved by Its corps
of attaehss. The report is very carefully writ
On one and reflects credit upon Its author.
A. |