Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-01-15
OUR STATE UNIVERSITY.
IT'S Attractions anu Useful- esq.
BLACK EARTH, Wis, Jan. 18th, 1850.

BLACK EARTH, Wis, Jan. 18th, 1850
MEssRs. EDIToRS;- Few people,
comparatively, of our State are well
acquainted with the head of their
State schools-the University--yet
seldom, indeed, does visitor to It's
departments go away without being
thoroughly enthused by its vast OPP
portnnities of acknowledgements,
chemical and geological laboratories,
instruments af.er every manner OF
thought, in fact, ali nations of birds
and beasts, and men are there, and
men say, What grand school. How
men do progress in the fields of
thought: what viii the world know
one hundred years hence? And
they put fort the thought of Bacon,
knowledge is power For the casual
visitor three objects seem to DO the
center of attraction: the Chapel,
magnetic observatory, and astro-
nomical observatory, Of which a
word, perchance, might be accepta-
Dle 10 your fedutlS.
The Chapel is just built, gothic in
style. The walls contain red sand
stone and magnesium limestone. Its
departments are An extensive libra
ry, and u large assembly hall. Il
has high tower containing a clock
and bell, worth about $4,000. The
pendulum is twenty feet long, and
swings once in two seconds. The
pendulum ball weighs $50 pounds,
and the rod $50 pounds. The strik-
ing weight weighs ! 1900 pounds and
the running weight 500 pounds. It
requires two men to wind it. The
hammer which strikes the bell weighs
80 pounds, and can be heard several
miles. It presents four ground glass
dial plates, some four feet in diane
ter, so that it shows time by night
as it lights and regulates its own gas.
II is a Seth Thomas clock, and pur-
ports to vary not more than twenty
four seconds a year. 1t is o CRANE ,
simple piece Of machinery.
The Magnetic Observatory is one
of the three in the y tied States,
built like n root-house IN the side OF
hill Its material is brick aud
boards, without IA nail, as iron would
effect the magnets If Il man wears
iron earrings or iron watch chain,
he must strip them off before enter
ing its sanctum. Inside all is dark
no light is allowed as it would des-
troy the sensitiZed paper, made with
silver salts. The design of the OBJ
eervatory is to observe the forces,
magnetism aud electricity, 1t is
found. for example, that the earth
displays q quiseling or grand
twist on its axes 81 about : o'clock
and 8 o'clock, each day. Ia this
dungeon seller are three large mag
nets, so positioued, by Shot, the I,
S. mathematician, that the power Of
the magnets have equal iuhnence
upon each other, forming a statlona-
ly magnetic triangle. In one corner
Of the observatory is large magnet
hung in a glass case by enc hundred
uutwisted strands Of silk. This mag
net has glued TO il small mirror up
on which is thrown array OF light from
lamp, screened all out the ray slit.
The magnet reflects the ray OF light
onto a CYLINDER on which is wound
seusitized silver paper. The cylin-
der is turned by clocl1-work, end
wherever this ray OF light strikes
upon the cylinder as it revolves, it
leaves a mark which is made to eye
by washing the paper taken of the
the cylinder in amonia, etc. When
the Aurora Boreallis, or Northern
Lights. displays itself, the mirror
with the magnet quiyeiS, and the
ray Of light is thrown many feet
either way. There are two other
magnets which are much more deli
cately balanced than the one just de-
scribed, hut space forbids desclip-
ton. A well-traiuad graduate of
the University, Mr.. Mason, takes
charge Of 1t. Il j. 8 wonderful cX-
ample of 1eEc1oy III mechanical IN
strumeuts and progress IA observing
things uaohserved.
4 word relaliye 70 The Ass.oaom-