Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-25
Written for The EvHxuo srAl.
NEW NAVAL OBSERVATORY.
its Beautiful Location just North Of
Georgetown.

/ 0cOGGctOwus
| TIE NUMBER OF BUILDINGS TO BE ERECTED AND
THE PROGRESS THAT HAS THUS FAR BEEN MADE
BY THE coNTRAoToRs-usEs TO WHICH THESE
BUILDINGS WILL BE PUT.
m FURLONa OR MORE directly north
INV OF Georgetown, ON what IL known a.
III the old Barber place, the new naval OBJ
eHAAservatory is now in the course Of con-
struction and will, when finished, add another to
Washingson's many attractive environments
The Barber estate was purchased by the gov
eminent about nine years ago for $72.000 and
contains some sixty-two acres, lying bsween the
High street road on the west and the Barnard
estate, Normanstone, on the east. It occupies
the summit of ridge Of hills, the highest in
the vicinity, and commands . superb view for
miles around in every direction save the west
Standing on the crest Of the hill on which the
new structure is situated one is delighted with
the beauty and extent of the vast picture before
him.. The line Of vision extends over the
| nelghts OF Georgetown out across the Potomac,
| dotted with steam and sailing vessels. and over
| the housetops of Washington to the faint hills
| OF Maryland beyond the Eastern branch. This
| view Is obtained by looking directly south from
| the main building On the southwest the view
stretches out in varied panorama across the
i
andria, eight miles distant, and beyond, and on
the left or east to the Soldiers Home. Indeed,
ior beauty, quietness and fitness of position no
| better spot could have been selected for the
purpose.
| Under an act Of Congress entitled:
| An act making an appropriation for
| the naval service for the fiscal year
| ending June 80, 1888, and for other purposes"
| approved March 8, 1887, bids we're received at
the Navy Department up TO June IL, 1888, for
md frno linn Of fha nat wal
Observatory on Georgetown Heights. The
contract, which was awarded to Messrs. P. H.
Mclaughlin d Co., who built the upper por-
ton OF the Washington monument, compre-
hended nine buildings, planned by Mr.. Rich
ard NJ. Hunt Of New York. The act making
/ the appropriation for the purpose provided
that the total cost should not exceed S400, 900.
| Certain details of the work, however, were not
included in the contract as advertised April 10,
| 1888 (such as construction OF floors, piers for
| instruments, equatorial domes, &C. }, and $685.
| 900 was reserved as the maximum cost Of these
extra matters.
WHEN THE WORK COMMENCED.
Ground was broken for the foundations late
| IN October, 1888. The buildings, as stated, will
| be nine In number, to wit: Main building, great
equatorial, east and west transit buildings,
clock room, two observers rooms, prime verti-
cal building and the boiler house. There will
be used in the construction Of these build
| ton to blue stone and 2,43O,O0O bricks.
The marble is from the New York
Quarry Companys quarries at Tuck
ahoe, NY, and the blue stone from the
Potomac river. All materials have been sub
| Jected to the most rigorous examination and
| the cement used in the construction is required
to reach higher standard as to tensile strength,
weight and time of setting than on any other
| building around Washington. Mr.. VIM. H.
Grant, the assistant architect, in charge has
ayprcisp6 tho afrjcteef nd in, nar1 70
| these matters and has endeavored to have the
work done 80 that when it is finished it may be
turned over to the government spotless and
without blemsh.
with cellar under all and an air story
above, that is, all above the small
equatorial portion, which will have third
| story and portico around the dome above
| this In addition to the small equatorial the
main building comprises the library and transit
circle buildings and general Offices. 1t is 307
| feet inches extreme length by IS feet extreme
width facing north and south, and is built
| mainly of cut face marble above the basement,
which is of rock face marble. This latter class
| OF work extends to the top Of the small equa-
| torial, the belt courses pilasters and window
| frames being of cut face. The general surface
Of the entire building is plain. very little orna-
mental work appearing IN any part Of it, save
perhaps the columns to the balcony over
| the south door. To form an idea Of the posi-
| ton of the rooms and the complete arrange
ments of the interior one should enter at the
| small equatorial which forms the extreme
western end Of the stone portion of this build
ing-the transit circle room of iron only the
| stone foundation of which is now built, adjoins
| this still farther westward. Entering then at
this door one passes through this room into the
large main hall extending throughout the en-
tire length. Immediately on the left of the
entrance to this hall is the elevator room. The
elevator shaft from the cellar up is built of
| white enameled imported bricks Next to this
| Is the time service room, IL. 4x9l0, adjoining
| which is the temperature room, 22.2xl9.l,
and beyond this, adjoining the main
| hall running north and south, is the
thermometer and clock room, large
apartment-32.6x19. Here one passes the mar
bic stairway leading to the second floor. and
the first room is the museum, beyond which, in
| order, are the record and the librarians rooms
| At the extreme end is the circular library
| forty-eight feet in diameter. Reversing one
course. on the other side of the hall is first
the instrument store room; then in succession,
| the Instrument makers, secretarys and super
| intendents rooms The latter two are l8xi59
On the other side OF the main hall 10 the assist
ant superinteudent's room, next superntend-
ent of chronometer; then the room of exam
| iner of instruments-27x20.2. and last. adjoin-
ing the passage to transit circle, is the toilet
room-lo. Sx9.i0.
ALL THE FIRST FLOOR,
save the main halls, museum, record and toilet
| ished white oak. The arrangement of the Sec
| ond story Is very much similar to the first but
| a professors room occupies the space over the
! instrument makers room; cabinet east of this.
| one instrument store room and on west two
! C omputers' rooms over secretary and superin-
| tendent's, then another professors room over
the main south entrance. Adjoining are two
more computers' rooms, professors room and
toilet. On the other there is cabinet over
| the time service, and in order to the east of
the building two computers rooms, stairs, two
more computers' room, professor room and
cabinet which is close to the gallery of the
| library.
| All the floors will have fireproof arches be-
| tween the iron beams. filled in above to grade
with concrete for thing or flooring, and the
whole to be fireproof.
THE GREAT EQUATORIAL,
which was the first building completed, that is.
as to the stone work, is a very handsome strue-
! ture. standing about $50 feet west of the main
| building The southern end is circular while
| the northern end gives one the idea of the
| Parthenon without its columns. 1t is built
almost entirely of rock face marble with a cir
| cular balcony aud four corners above it Of cut
face work. The enormous iron dome is not vet
put in place; it is being made by Messrs. War
! ner l. Sevasey OF Ohio.
| bo foundation for ha inafrupoant MIA, -