New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-27

shape OF Edison engine and dynamo, complete In
all its details The possession of this is partly due
to the liberallty OF Mr.. Edison specifications were
rent to him for price on the machinery needed
1t would have cost more money than the officers
Of the observatory had to spend. and so an order
Tor much simpler and less effective engine was
ged E h ne sma prce So ths
observatory now possesses complete ana eHecuVe
electric lighting and power plant.
Directly under the big telescope and forming a
foundation for IL Is the tomb OF James LACK. His
the great equatorial itself Few men have more
lasting or conspicuous monument TO perpe.uate their
was me foundation Of this great Siit TO science Is
Itself the foundation OF this magnificent memorial.
which induced him to give part Of his fortune to
found this great institution have never been under
sons have known just what the workings Of his
mind were on this point His intellectual opportunl-
He was of Pennsylvania Dutch origin. Learning
the trade OF carpenter early In life. he went TO
OK mercantile pursuit. Having accumulated consld-
cradle money. he went to California in 1871 and in
to the Golden State about that time land invest
ments proved more Profitable than gold DID, digging
In 1873 at the Of seventy seven years, he found
without wife. child or near relative. lie was man
who believed in no religion and held up Thomas
Paine as his idol.
TO MAKE STATUES WORTH ONE MILLION DOLLARS
His sole idea at this time seemed to be to perpet-
uate MS own memory, ana by MS DrSt Will ne ac-
tually bequeathed $l0O00O0 TO make statues of him
self on the land overlooking San Francisco Bay
and the ocean to the west Of the city. Up TO this
time he had lived an exceedingly isolated life. but
now he began 10 take few friends into his conf
dence and to ask their judgment concerning his
plans for disposng OF his money. He connected
with the Pioneer Association, and seemed to have
a liking for the Academy Of Sciences Of San Fran
cisco.
Just how the thought Of a telescope entered his
brain seems TO know. but in 1873 he offered
the Academy a piece OF land in Market-st for
building for the association. Professor George
Davidson who was then president Of the Academy
called on Mr.. Lick to thank him for the gift Then
for the first time he made known to the outside
world his intention Of leaving money for great
telescope. lie also consulted d. ]. Staples. Of the
Pioneer Association. and Mr.. Staples is credited
with having dissuaded him from leaving much
money for statues of himself
Mr. Lick argued that these costly statues would
be preserved for all time. as statues of antiquity
now remained the relics Of lost civilization. Mr..
Staples replied that more likely the United States
would get into a war, and the enemy would
around with their warshlps and smash the statues
to pieces in bomDardlng the city. This practical
gument is said to have had great impression on
the mind OF Mr. Lick. and he destroyed the will
providing for this sort of memorial. lie knew alb
solutey nothing about astronomy In
binary way 1t was through the advice Of Professor
Davidson that h finally formulated his plans IN
anything like definite shape That gentleman up
to this time has refused to give detailed particulars
of his interviews with Mr.. Lick. All he has al
lowed curious world to know is the following.
which he gave 70 a writer in THE Overland Month
ly' for November 1892.
II not willing at This time to write the MARIA
tive Of my relations with James Iicl; from Febru-
airy. 1873, TO August. 1871 but give briefly the fol-
lowing Items OF interest:
James Lick originally intended to erect the OBJ
scrvatory Fourth and Market sts San Francisco.
Ills IDEAS of what he wanted and what he should do
OF the vaguest character 1t required months
Of careful approaches and the proper presentation
Of facts 10 change his views on location. lie next
had notion of locating 1t on the mountains over
looking his mil! site near Santa Clara and Thought
II would be Me"ca-but only in the sense OF Il
Gradually 1 guided his Judgment place IT on
a great elevation in the Sierra Nevadas, by placing
great elevations. well as the experience OF othei
high-a!titude observers. At the time by my
maintenance OF other obseryatories he named the
sum Of 81 20 coo in one of his Wills the sum TO be
set aside for the founding Of the James Lick OBJ
seryatory and for It's support
I'm making him acquainted with the size and
performance OF the telescopes Of the larger observa
tories l naturally mentioned the great reflector OF
at the next interview ne insisted on refractor or
six feet in diameter. 1t required long and patient
was the diameter We finally adopted
In October. 1873. / obtained his permission to
the main facts Of his intention to place the largest
refracng telescope that could be constructed an
have the announcement within reach but it was
published in The Alta California late in October,
conhdentally made the facts of Llck's intention
known to Leland Stanford and his wife
the whole project by urging Mr. Lick to adop, a re-
hectng telescope instead of refractor; but he had
a remarkably clear mechanical mind, and l had
very little trouble satisfying him Of the weakness
before went to Washington for consultation
with other observers for the transit of Venus expe
dition Of 1874 Mr. Lick held to the decision of the
rcfractor at great elevation, and details had been
decided upon although he had several times changed
how w him tSat b the God Of Cnorn he Gould
not then devise by will to any corporate body. and
urged him to make Il deed of trust.
Upon my return | found he had made the deed
OF trust. and that some Of the Pioneers had pre-
north shore of Lake Tahoe. and had prevailed upon
him to reduce the Sl,2OO00 to 100000. When he |
again changed his views. and determined to locate
the observatory the vastly inferior site of Mount
la milton. declined further conference with him |
THE whole Of my intercourse with him was fuh |
of curious and interesting and sometimes dramatic
incidents that have never been sought by any one |
processing to write the history Of Lick Observa- /
tory"
PROFESSOR DAVIDSON DISCOURAGED.
Professor Davidson was so thoroughly discouraged
when he learned that the observatory was going to
be only 1900 feet high. when he had set his heart
upon having 1t at least 5000 feet above the level
that. as he said. he refused to have any further
Intercourse with Mr.. LICK. Astronomers. however
do not agree about the advsability Of going so
high The writer asked Professor Holden who is
in charge OF the observatory. what experience had
taught him in this respect since the observatory had
been in operation.
lie replied that the astronomers had reason to
feel that the science had lost by the final decision
of Mr.. Lick. The atmospheric conditions at Mount
Hamilton. he said excellent. and the heavenly !
bodies could be seen from these we'll from a
much greater altitude. OF course the few thousand
feet which they would be nearer to the planets by
OF an elevation OF 400 feet cut figure whatever
The distances from these bodies were too great 10
have a mile more or less make any difference. Then !
the extremely important consideration OF accessible
lty was one which could not be ignored The win |
ters at such high attitudes 5000 feet the Serr9
Nevadas excessively harsh. and for many |
months of the year the observatory would be en- |
tirely cut off from the world. The expenses OF |
main tanning such institution in 80 high Il place |