The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-06-18
BIGGEST OF TELESCOPES.
FIRsT VIEW THEOUGH IN YERhLS
OBsLRTITORf LENS.
Climax Of a Great Work Ihat Started IN
and Was Moved to This
Country.

WILLIAMS BAY, VIE, JHh'
first glimpse OF the heavens throush
the world greatest lens was gwen 10
President Harper. of the Chicaso I'M
yersity. and a party of representative
C"hicagoans at the Nerkcs observatory
here yesterday.
Director Hale and Prof. Barnard were
present. Tile telescope was turned on
the planet Jupiter. which Is J'N.o'o'''p
miles distant from the earth' Wio"N"'s
estimated. but the Yerkes telescope
brings il 10 less than a million mr.
distant. The moon. through this instiu-
ment. appears as it would seem to t"e
naked eye at a distance of -p miles
I'VE have "a right To expect great re-
sult,y said Professor Barnard inns
instrument collects % per cent more
light than does the Lick telescope "n'
allows us TO penetrate one-ioullh i"-
thor into space
MAKING THE LENS.
Tho great lens 81 tho Yerkes telescope
bs. boen ten years in making. II WAS
"a rough block in the factory OF NJ. Nam
t,is Paris i'm iSSl. says the chicago
Times-Herald. This Frenchman has the
only MAN, i'm the world which can pro-
d,,lo large disks Of optical glass. ana
ho was given the commission 10 make
the lump from which the A'rkt7 lei7
IS made. 49,
n is not possible 10 tell the story OF
the making OF the great iens because
the man who has the monopoly keeps
his formulas secret. The lump "eisn'n
over GO pounds at the beginning ana i1
uss worth 5000 as IL came from the
molds in case the subsequent tests shoulN
nrov. that IL was exactly what tho SKILL
.f.r-H fN.f fH .nnTfI bee.
THE glass WAS dug from the sands I'D
which il was cast ion the summ'r OF
f,,- Professor Alvin Clark. of cam
bridge. Mas. went across the ocean
and took temporary possession OF '"'
ore.f mass. u was not Doe accepted un-
ie.s If should prove able 20 stand ali
,ho tests which the greatest telescope
maker I'm the new world should apply
to il. The glass was put into condll'l
f,r The series ~ trials. and Professor
clark worked over IL.
Months were spent in cutting BAKING
and holding it. The processes hI'"
moro oxactinr az each stage. and Man
tofs and tho professor stood with dated
breath while tho big lump was taken
from tho furnaces. They both knew ihtl
a minute might destroy hope. or me
profit of the year. II is the record 'l
This singular factory that many "a great
lens stands 400 tho preliminary work ana
then breaks af the last test.
The glass did not reach tae Clark WORK
shop. near Boston. until three years 'li'i
v,- cast. There were two years il
which iittie actual work Was done upon
H.. the work heing mostly experimental
and designed t0 confrivo means for hand
Iiug the big lens. Professor clark began
..ff,4f- or Do ID fs3 and there has not
been "a day since inat 'e @'as
has not been on bis MIND. Bic gave ll NV
years Of cs1seiess. constant care" WI,
that the work mi-ht cost hlW HN7 l'i'
tdflOn.
SMOOTHING VIII LDMi.
Professor Clark says there is noihIi-
secret in bis part OF the work. lt N'-ii
with % series Of tests which an ol"l.'lf
man could learn. provided De- Desired 1'
give DIS life To the making ol lenses
Th. lump was roughly polished ana
and roughly hewu to the general FORM
d. then spent "a year 300 the grinding
room. taking I'll graduated course "
emery. The treatment al first was in the
course-t dust and then dropped down Ia
tho point BOO which the dust seemed noth-
Ing at all. This course WAS followed 10y
jewelers. rouge and nocs"ax ana inc
daiuticst matter known ihti "ouin ,"'7'
amy friction. Do stu not 'nous" 9'
that a da>s rubbing would make 'Ns
impression.
The polishing machine is sep'iii cone
trlvauDe which has the motion OF I'D.
human hand. II is necessary ihat l"'
glass underneath POSTS 900 "a perfectly
smooth foundation. and there are various
means employed for making this fonn-
f.4f.. T..F...r CLARK ..E. that fnI