New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-20
THE LEAADER WcoRMcK OBSERVATORY.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING AND TELESCOPE
GIVEN TO THE UNIVERSITY or VIRGINIA.
fFRoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT THE TRiBUNEl
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, April 1G.-rhe
ceremonies attending the transfer Of the keys of the
Leander Mccormick Observatory to the authorities OF
the University took place Monday in the public hall
OF the University In the presence Of the entire faculty
over 800 students many distinguished invited guests
from distance and citizens Of Charlottesville JEFF
birthday had been selected for the occasion and
the wonderful foresight OF the Father Of the University
Of Virginia" he desired to be known manifest In
his choice OF site for observatory long before the
era Of railroads. the Investigations pursued with refer
encc 10 the present having demonstrated the fact
this position the ireest OF any In the neighbor
hood from vibrations caused by the Baltimore and
Ohio. and tho Virginia Midland railroads. This site is
mile from the other OF the University buildings,
and the summit OF solitary hill about 300 feet
above the level Of the surrounding country Of which II
commands Of course. beautiful view The observatory
and its telescope, costing SGs,OOO, the gs Of Lean
der McCnrmlek, 81 Chicago. There Is an endowment
fund OF $4,000 for the Observatory, Of which SO 900
was given by William II. Vanderbilt.
The observatory consist, OF cylindrical building
mounted 10y hcmisphcrical dome rylvo feet In di
aeter and Of rectangular building on the north used
library and computing onicc The walls are of
brick, the crcu portion being heavily butrrssed aud
hearing at the top coping OF Onto stone ON this rests
the cast-irJn track which the dome revolyes This
dome weighs $4,000 pounds. and was built by Mes.rs.
Warner and Swasey. Of cleveland, Ohio aud Is conpnrrd
OF framework OF steel covered with galvanized iron.
and lined With painted canvas having three opening,
covered by shutters when not ~ IL takes about
five seconds 10 open one OF these. and about minute
and quarter to revuye the dome entirely around
II Is u say that there f. no other dome
OF its size which works easily. Its cost
$4,000. The telescope, costing aone $4,000 Is
mounted brick pier under the centre OF he dome
and Is mate TO that AT the United States Naval Obse
yatOry. WashngtOn having, however the advantage OF
all the later Improvements ~ It's mounting and arrange
meuts Tho focal strrnsth r. thirty aud half feet
the clear aperture Of The object gss twentysx Inches
and It's approx intlug power 1000 times. This glass
cast In Birmin CHAM, England by Chance Broihers
& Co.. aud finished IN CambridgepOrt Mass by Messrs.
Alvin Clark & Sons, who made that Wa.Ll gtnn and
have the contract to flush the glass of me LEX
Observatory, California. The graduated circles are IL
Illuminated by small incandesccnt electric lamps In
right ascension the diurna motion OF the earth 4. conn
ttraced by mean, OF driving clock electrically con-
troled by ordinary tmcpiece In the direct rs loom
Professor OrmOnd Stone, the director In charge il
gentleman well qualified for the position lie was eil.
Gated the Chicago University aud aftcrwarl wna u.
ploycd In the Dearborn Observatory. In 1870 he ne
came IN assistant at the Naval Observatory Wnshing
ton, and remained uitil S75. when he was elected ii
rector OF the Cine nnau Observatory. The latter po
sition he held until his election the chair az Inc
Leander Mccormick Observatory In 1882. Ills assist
Is Mr. T. T. Leav worth, and together they arc now
engaged I'm the special work OF measuring The close
double stars between the equator aud 800 south