New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-08-29
TIE LICK OBSERVATORY.
. GREAT WORK NEARING COMPLETION.
..ovrsson HOLDEN DESCRIBES ITS ORIGIN Pro-
nREsa. CHARACTER AND SCOPE.


,~.,,x Cal. Aug. 90 The observatory for
i;ah Afr James Lick gave 100000 in 1870 IL
". naarlv com pleted and another year VIII pr'ns
:. -. go final state Sometime during 1857 tno
-, trrstees expect to transfer to the Regents VI
,ho University Of California the reservation u
500 ac,es with the small village winch n"'
.,oun mn upon it since the beginning OF the unue'-
e.L;nc The little white houses and workshops
,~nicb have been used for tho accommodation" "
,ha employes are nestled together on a mario" sou
als inst below the Observatory Peak proper ivy
have grown by process OF accretoh ho"
nr,c,ra; one-room cabin which was put mp III
1879 At that time the observatory its"', wa.
small dome some ten feet in diameter pero"'" ~
,ocrrelv on narrow ridge between TWO s"''P
ro;nts Of rock ut the summit This h'ue u"n'
coxered a six-inch equatorial belonging 10 81
Hartmann the DISTINGUISHED observer OF """'
s,ars. Mr. Burnham was invited oy '"0
Trustees to bring his telescope from Oh'c"to "'1
observe double stars for several mon'ne az 49,!
Hamilton in order to prove the Supe''",'" "
elevated mountain peak for asironoiho" P"p;
over less elevated position IN '"o ''''0' .,+
- s,oyrod IN the most satisfactory ih"un0i '"''
tho site chosen for the Lick Observatory was
mos, fortunate one Not only are thiee-'o"it"' %
-, n,,,errnptellv clear; but the steadlness
- -, rho absence of twlnklinG of the stars
l,o,s tle most delicate and most precise obserVa
,ions IN he made in far greater number than al any
o,her observatory site in the United States or III
o., Grid The undertaking of founding the obser-
vatory was begun in truly scientific manner ~
this test and all the work done since has been eN-
eeuted in the same spirit. Nothing has been BUM
formcrc show, and yet no expense. however lavish
has been spared to make the whole observatory
bindings instruments and equipment perfect
The observatory ana astronomical science owe
L., &C fha Tfelr frnsf n
tain r.. 5. Floyd-for his direction OF this immense
undertaking. Captain Floyd, whose education al
the United states Naval Ac Idemy and subsequent
service on the Confederate cruiser Florida iam'l-
iarized him with the nautical side OF astronomy.
was fortunately situated that he could give hiN
whole time to the complicated duties OF the Lich
trnst The observatory has been from the begin
ming under his direction, but in addition to tins he
has administered the whole estate of over three
millions Of dollars so as to bring the best results
not only to the observatory but To the many other
institutions founded or en- owed by Mt. Lick DID
California Captain Floyd has been most ably
assisted by Mr. Fraser. the superintendent OF CON
structlon Together they have studied the details
of every important observatory in the world ano
CAPTAIN Floyd has personally inspected many oil
the best observatories Of Europe while Mr.. Fraser
has carefully examined every important ohserv1-
tory IN America. they have ali along been advised
by astronomers all over the world, Tut most par
ticularly by Professor NewcomD of Washington
and by myself
After Nh Bnrnhan's examination had shown
that Mount Hamilton was emnently fitted to be
the site of an observatory of the first class which
was TO contain according 10 Mr.. Lcks beqnesf
the most powerful telescope in the worid' work
was begun in real earnest ana has been continued
I'm the same earnestness up to tO-day Captain
Wa trf,r, in fAS
and in consultation with Professor Newcomb AMI
myself agreed upon plan for the hui lngs am
upon the chief instruments to be bought The
details have oecn settel from time time as
nece,s ~ arose. Ii was iounl that IN order to get
a level platform large enough for the instrument.
and buildings to stand upon ljO0O0.OOO pounds OF
the hard rock OF the summit bad to he bF,SteI
away and tumbied over the edge. Several miles O.
very difficult roads had to DO built in order to
reach the various peaks where reservoirs were to
BE- placed AMI the springs which gave the water
supply. Santa Clara County generously made the
magnificent mountain road from san Jose to thc
summit itwcnty-six miles, at cost of S7s,OOo.
Tho Government of the Uuitci states gave rs d
reservation of 800 acres. to which the trustee,
aided bv purchase 10 and TO which Robert Nor
row. esq. has added some iity acres by gift
Mr.. Licks first idea WAS to establish his observa-
tory At Lake Tahoe but the severity Of the winters
there and especially the great snowfall caused him
quickly to abandon this plan. The question then
was which one OF tho mountain peaks in California
to select The very high mountains cause the for
nation of clouds. and therefore the high Ranges
were abandoned. The mountain selected had to be-
in the Monte DiabO range, for the Coast range is
affected With tine dense sea ioEs. Tn choice was
finally narrowed down to 4 selection between st.
Helena mountain Monte Dlabo, Iona hieta
and one of the three peaks of the mountain mas,
called Hamilton. The Spaniards called this group
Of three peaks Santa Isabel TINS name Is now
confined 20 a grand rounded mass two miles east OF
the observatory. he East Peak now called Mount
Copernicus was a nile further from san lose than
Observatory Peak although a v'ry little higher
(44lS feet. Mount Kcpler l4,31S feet lay between
the two and was utilized as station for reser-
voir The Observatory Peak is 1902 feet after be
ing levcled A whole group of inc peaks lies
around the observatory aud Is owned by it. The
various peaks have received names from the great
founders of astronomy. Ptolemvs Peak lies due
south of the great dome; Calico is north; Hip
parchus il the most distant elevation and lies just
beyond C)pernicus an Kepler 1ychO Brahe and
Huyghens are sharp knobs nearer 10 the o5serva-
tory and less elevated than their great companions.
1t would be difficult to fnd in the whole world
more magnificent view than can be bad from the
summit just before sunrise of our August
mornings. The eastern sky is saffron and gold.
with Just few thin horizontal bars OF purple and
rosy clouds The dark outlines Of Copernicus anI
Keplcr ia sharp profile against this brill
liant background Orion. ProcyOn. the Twins
Sirius are in the morning skyand Venus is brilliant
and steady among the stars. The instant the sun
beams touch the horizon the whole panorama OF
the Sierra Neyadas flashes out ! 80 miles distant
Toward the south and west tho beautiful Santa
Clara valley lies dotted with farms and VINEYARDS
and bOrdered toward the sea by Iona Prieta and
the Santa Cruz range. Tie winding road to San
jose. which takes twenty-siA miles of twisting TO
accomplish the thirteen miles Of airline, lies ike
dusty snake at your feet. The bay of san Fran
cisco looks ike "A piece of chiid's disSocting man