, 1876-03-18
late residence aud from the Cathedral OF tho
Holy Name, corner Of Stats and 6uporior
THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.

THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.
WHAT IT HAS DONE AND 1lopEs TO DO.
Tho Chicago Astronomical Bocloty respectful
II requests perusal Of tho following ssAsenaonk
Of whnt has beon accomplished, and II proposed
to bo done, ut tho Dearborn Obaer vatorv.
In tho wlutor OF 1923 70 w prominent oitl-
gems Of Chicago formed them selves into an As-
trouomtcal soctctY, A!vau Ciasl Il Sons had
nearly completed what was at that TINA tho
largest and boss roiraesiug telescope IL tho
world, to tito order OF tho University OF sllBsls-
slppf. Tho btoakiuR out OF tho War prevented
the instrument from going Bouth. and 1t WAS
secured for Chicago, through tho personal OK
ostlons >of Tho lion. ThomaH noyno.
The cost Of tho Instrument aud IT, mount
ing-s18. .100-wAs met by subscription among
,o aehe1s o. The so9'asy ana o toTs5 fot
Of tho University Of Chicago, at m expense Of
about e30U0o, which WAS dofrnyed BY Tho lion.
J. Y. scamaon. In March, 1866, tho soleheopo
vas placed In positlot, and Prof. Truman II.
Stafford was appointed Director Of tho obacrvn-
tory, Becoming e1-otlic,o Professor Of Astrono-
my IN tho University OF Chicago.
During Tho years 1906 to 1868, Inclusive, tho
Director Chiefly employed tho instrument In
*s"g oS 9hssssasos Of tho eou dscqyo1tn
= mofit!kn circle (te'cscopc) constructed
" the Mcssra. Kepsold was donated BY
Walter. 3: durnec. md placed ;, IN a
small building a fow rods west from tho main
tuWor. This inBtsilmcnt wAs mounted 10 aa to
move only In the t,lane Of Tho meridian, Ftoul
December. 1868 till 0csober 1871 tho ohseEva-
tfons OF tho Director wcro chlcay made "ish thfa
instrument; scttng in concert with nstronomntA
ut tho leading ubsorrntoticH in other pAfte OF Tue
globo. Their object #as to form
A nErlbTD CATALOGUE,
and deternino the exact positions. Of all tho stars
In the heavens. except taoso of very Hnail tel
esco1to magnitude.
Tho et.aro that was allotted to tho Dearborn
Observatory in this gigantic and most important
work was tho zouo included between
tho parallels Of 85 degrees and 40 degrees
had boon completed A. the data Of tho great fro.
Tlon it WAS discontinued, and has not been re-
sumed. Tho hafary OF Tho Director had been
paid so1oly by Mr. 5cannon I'LL thn dasc Of that
catastrophe: That calamity made # impossible
funds In tho treasury, Prof. Stafford was obliged
to seek employment elsewlie1e; he has since
douc good service In surveying tho boundaries
Of tho Territories, but unfortunately has not
found regular remuneration for the u1erciHo Of
hlH superior talents aH IN oh8oryet aud conl-
pGter.
Early In tho year 1871 tho Society took up a
subscription for tho purchase Of a largo clock,
Which which was placed IN the dome ct the Court
Observatory. For shis service tho city ngroed to
pay to the Society tho sum Of 81 900 per yenr.
But the fire burned ur clock aud Court-Ifousa
and he tho latter In not rot rebuilt, tnat aeeylce
has not been resumed.
During tho next two yenzs tho Astronomical
Hocioty was
PRACTICALLY DEAD.
Thea IN effort Waa made to 1enurrect it, which
1lfe-mcmboEsh.ps, at 500 each, wero taken up,
chiefly by. prominent business men, and
ecYoraI smaller subscriptions were secnred. Tho
Society WAS feorgantzod. with new conHtitu-
tfon, gil tue records Of tho old Society having
becn dchtroyed; It now consists OF 165 nembors.
The now subscriptions weso expended ln putting
tho buildings anuA instruments in much NODDED
ropair, nnd tho Society Waa once moro on good
working baslB. Tho Instruments in good order,
It was resolved to make them useful. Contrnots
hare recently beon perfected, by virtue OF which
the Observatory now supplies BY telegraph m
AUTOMATIC uErohr OF TnuE THE,
by IN svcsago Of 81 signals To every minute in
Chicago Board Of Trade; Michigan contrni
Giles. bro. + Co.. N. Mataon L Co.; Hamil-
ton Rowe L Co. !; r. '. r. 6hurioy d Co.;
Western Union telegraph Company; mud Vest
crn Electric Manufacturing Company.
Tho money rGcciyei for this Hervsco il sufIl.
cient to moer tho present cus1ons expenses Of
tho Observatory, but not to pay tho salaET OF a
Director. Tho institution ia now under the tem-
tho reconstruction is largely duo. Hs Kratui-
tously directs tue time Signals, aud attends tho
great taessope On Tuesday and Thursday syen-
lnSs, for tho bnnoflt Of those members OF the
society aud their families wl1o wlah 10 expfose
ths ulYstoties OF tho boavens. But this is 80
serious tux upon hfa time that It cannot
be houored much longer. Added to this is
tho important fact that the great telescope
il not now being used for purposes Of otiglial
III other words. that magnificent in
sLrutuent is not employed "a 1t was intended to
bo when brought to Chicago. I cannot DO 80
used without moro lnDuoy.
1t has, therefore, been decided TO issue this In
vitatlou to
"coME OVEN AND HELp."
The object is worthy OF liberal support; and 1t
ia believed that the case needs 0uly to bo uuder
atood in ordor 20 bs appreciated. Tho Directors
experience no heattation iu ask kiog our mon Of
lncahB to help tho cause OF acieutifio ioyestiga-
ton, by becoming members Of the Society, or by
donating such Bulns annually or oshorWlsa, ~
they may DO willing to spare TO help forward the
work which has bean NO woli begun.
Tho Society now has library Of abont 1880
volumes, pampb1cts, anu manuac.ipts. aud
permanent fnud OF nearly 3t.000 outside OF tho
revenue derived FROM time Boryicn, and four
geusemeu have agreod to pay zach S25 to S32
poE ycar.: That fund should be increased TO not
lesa than ,00D, Ur revenue Of 5000 an
pually, TO enable tho Observatory 10 do tho work
expected OF tito tnke ita place BY tho sido OF
tho other graat ohaervatorics Of tho world, in
which 30 many important discoveries hare been
made within the past fow years. Onco lot the
basiB, and .horo can be no doubt thai
Chicago will taAo tho aamo leading
place In astronomical discovery that
sho already occunicH III businesa enterprise and
as commercial csntro. 10 auppoBe ii possible
under present conditions would DO as absurd ~
to expect Chicago dealer TO rival the merchant
princes Of tic EaHt without one cont of capital
or dollars worth Of credit.
LIFE sIIMnERsHn
IN tho eociety, costing 500, entities tho meul-
bor and his family 10 visit the Observatory
every Tuesday aud Thursday eyoning. OK
cert during tho vncatioua Of tho UnlyerHlty.
Larger subscriptions secure cotrespondingaY
Creator privileges; NJ, donation OF $500
constitutes tho donor llfe Director. Tho So
cioty would prefer that new members should
pledge thcusse!yes 10 maize hu annual payment
to t!,o ondowtnant fund, tnnsuad OF paylug down
= stipulated BUN ut onco. Whit ID now wsntad
IL tho assurance u! stoady Income, with Which
20 Hect the annuaity recurring expenses OF the
Observatory IN completing work slreaay under-
taken and ontering on nos Actoutlho lnbors
IAero ought to be \ live aeyocla.ion in this
city that viii not only furnish tito means to
carry on the Observatory hut hayo nember-
ship that wtil taho an acsiys interest t1oseiu,
plpat reHu1ary Mt tt,c ar.,n -. ~.