New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-01
DEATH OF LEWIS MORRIS RUTHERFURD
HIS CAREER As A STUDENT OF AND WRITER ON

ASTRONOMY.
Lewis Morris Rutherfurd. whose excellent pho'o'
graphs Of various heavenly bodies were Only
small part Of the results Of studies In astronomy
and physics which made him an authority on chosc
subjects died at his country home, Tranquility, ~
j.. on Memorial Day, in his seventy-siXth year. lie
had been for several years sufferer from incip'eh,
clot on the BRAIN and the development OF TINS clo'
was the Immediate OF his DEATH HIS sr"o'
mother daughter Of Lewis Morris ana ne was
grandson Of John Ruthcrfurd who was uniteo States
senator from the state Of New-Jersey from l'ol 10
1905 lie WIS born nj MorTtsania on November
%, 1916, and was graduated from williams Cohcse
with tho class OF -. After leaving college lie
studied law with william II. seward, at Auburn, ana
then practlsed law until 1919, first with Peter A.
Jay and after his death with Hamilton FISH, VI 'he
city. From 1919. and until falling health IN 1909
interrupted his work he devoted himself exclusively
TO the study Of scientific subjects chiefly spectrum
analysis and astronomical photography Al i"s
home In this city, No. i75 secondave, he hna al
observatory furnished with excellent Photographic
instruments and telescope, many Of them oeAs u
his invention In 1853 he pubhshcd III ine
American Journal Of science " paper upon tie
specra Of the stars the moon ana plane'S' "nlo"
WIS the first attempt 10 classify the stars according
10 their spccta and the first published paper
on star spccra since the great revelations Oh bun>eh
and Klr,hhoG. This paper contained description
of the Instruments which he used and diagrams OF
the spectral lines.
In l-G4 he constructed an objective lens of eleven
and one fourth inches aperture, achromaucahy cor
rccted for photography alone, and In lo'o prodnceu
another Of thirteen inches aperture, which was 'rdi
narily used for vision could be converted Into
photographic lens by the addition OF third corrective
lens Of flint glass In 1870 lie made ruling engine
with which nc produced Interference gratnss on glass
that have only Just been surpassed. some OF these
contained more than l. 900 lines to the lnch. lie
constructed "A mlchWmeter for the measurement OF
astronomical photographs which was OF great I'M
poItance 70 the world. In 1872 he denohs'ri'ei
conclusivcly that colodon film, which had been first
trcnted with dilute alhumen, was trustworthy for
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS German writers 10 the contrary
Notwithstanding. By using bsupihde Of CARTON
prsuK he obtained a Photograph Of the solar spec
trnm in 1854, which contained three times as many
pnc. ms those Of Bunscn. This was presented TO the
National Academy of sciences. lie one Of the
delegates 10 the international Meridian Conference, In
Washington in 1s-5 and in Ieo7 was named mem
be Of the international Conference on Astronomical
Photography held IN Paris, bnt was forced 10 decline
on account Of falling health
H.. was trustee # Columbia College for twenty
FIVE years Mr.. Ruthcrund was one N the original
members named In the act Of Congress creating the
National Academy Of sciences. and was an associnie
OF the ROYAL Astronomical society. His work has
been recognized by flany diplomas. degrees and
u,.%ials both In this and foreign countries. All OF
his instruments were given 10 the Columbia College
Observatory IN Is-4. when he resigned his treeohip
ond they are now mounted and in uso there by the
classes in astronomy. Professors Rces and jacob
have been gagged IN working out the results OF the
photographic work which Mr.. Ruthcrfrd turned over
to the college and thee result, were Published In
took by Professor Res last week too late, however
for Mr. Rrrs 10 review II.
ADOPTED Vi" dnngster 81 Peter stGyvessnt Three sons
and a daughter survive Ism. The elder snn Is
Iuf hcrfuri Stuyvcsant, he changed his nnmc when
ny nj the request Of Peter stuyveslht who left him
fortune Of about s2,0o00oo His other son. are
Winthrop and Levi. VI. Rutherford r.. md his
daughter Is Mrs Henry White, wife Of tho secretary
u The American Legation at London The funeral
the service will be preached by the Rev. william
RUTHERFORD a nephew Of the dead man.