Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-12-17

plete aud the means OF his own main
tenance there are secured.
The building for the station was COM
pleted n few weeks ago. IL is construct
ed entirely OF iron in tho form Of .
pyramid on a rectangular base, with the
point at the top left of. Its dimen-
sions are as follows: Length, 32K feet;
breadth, I71f feet; height, 20 feet The
building grows narrower as IL rises,
and on top Is only thirteen feet Ia d.
ameter.
Prof. Jansen, who, on visiting Mont
Blanc In the summer OF 1890, conceived
the idea Of establishing an astronomical
and meteorological station on It's sum
nit, requested NJ. Eiiel, the creator Of
the Eifel Tower, to investigate the
q view OF placing the funda-
ments on solid rock. NJ. Eihel
made excavations In the snow 10
the depth OF over one hundred feet,
and then gave up the trial. The fund
aments Of the station rest on the
frozen snow. a fact which does not I'M
peril the safety OF the building, ac-
cording TO M. Eiiiel.
Tho building consists OF I'VE stories,
the second OF which Is reached by
means OF an iron circular staircase.
built outside the building, which :
surrounded by 4 small porch. On th
roof is = platform where the meteor,
logical paraphernalla will be place
The ground floor Is hewn into froz,
snow, so as TO give the building .
ditional strength. Tho engine
thought this essential for the safety
the occupants during storms.
The plans OF construction are
Eiffel's work, while to Prof. Jansen b
longs the credit Of having inyented
windlass strong enough to carry gree
weights over the "Mer dc Glace." In
the summer Of 1892 a fourth parto OF the
building material was deposited on the
top Of the mountain; tho rest bad 10 bo
left In an altitude Of twelve thousand
feet, and could not be moved until the
beginning OF the past summer.
The ground floor, which has been d.
vided into living rooms for the Profess
sor and his assistant, who will also ACT
rs cook ard general servant, looks not
unlike a steamer cabin and kitchen.
Every inch OF the room has been util-
lied, and the arrangements are perfect.
The house Is equipped with electric
lights; electricity also furnishes the
heat and the means for cooking the
meals. The Professor. In his house Ia
the sky. will have exceptional opportu-
mites for trying the numerous inyen-
tlons for preserving food and condens-
Ing food and drlnK into the smallest
possible quantities.
While Prof. Jansen Is ready and
eager 10 start on his experiments, the
scientific world, which encouraged him
to 90 ahead with his hazardous under
taking, Is not prepared 70 lend him tho
financial aid required. The observatory
was built by subscriptions furnished by
Prince Roland Bonapaiie. Baron Roths-
child, Leon Say ana others. but these
gentlemen refuse 20 speId any more
money on II unless other rich men and
the government interested are willing
20 pay their share. The anSunt sull
necessary Is less than 100, 0Nrancs,,
and the friends OF Prof. Jansen
are now making collections among
the scientists OF Europe 20 raise
that sum, which will be sufficient 20
buy the instruments required.
Food will be furnished by patriotic
FrsnchmeD, who promise the best Of
everything In the way Of food aud
drink TO help along the great enter
prise. Prof. Jansen and his assistant
Intend TO spend an entire winter or the
summls Of Mont Blanc. Their obser-
yatIons are expected by the scientific
world 10 be OF an entirely novel chsrac-
ter. inasmucn as they will be indeperd-
ent, as far as II Is possible t6mako
them so, from atmospheric inluesees.