Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-16


thinner wells towards the south' o"'
seldom sends as far south as ''iros'
where the Monterey fog 10 entering.
Up 10 this time the fogs are iow-'y'hs'
As the afternoon goes on, the 'ea-'os
rises higher and higher, ana one" poD's
over the tops OF the highest peaAs VI
the Coast Range. that tower S'cSs ieet'
completely covers the Valley OK SANTA
Clara, and fills neighboring cahons' e
though IL seldom rises TO the oD9ei
level. being usually 100 iset ioMe''
Thus the scientists at Lick OoserVa-
tory are above the clouds. and gam news
from the heavenly bodies, WINE 'n.y
TO the majority OF persons are inFislpi l,.
once in awhile the fog covers ,ne SUNNY '.
OF Mount Hamilton, but ohIy "oouS
as often as the eauinoctiai storms co,ne.
Much higher is the observatory
on Mount whitney. in Caifornia,
its occupants being lf.sop lee'
above the level OF the sea. ABOUT one
third of the earth's atmosphere lies pe-
meath its level. The mountain IS very
abrupt. so that the lower station, AT Lone
pine with an altitude OF 300 feet, Is
close 10 the upper one, and In fuli vie"
from it, BY act OF Congress OF the
United States, this station WIZ re forever
available for the study OF physieai pIoo-
lens. railway passes near tne loo' .,
the mountain. and comparatively sniaii
expenditure would open practicaple TRANS
for baggage-animals to the observatory
During the summer there Is compara-
lively little snow, even at the nishes.
point of the mountain mass. NOUN.
Whit is but $50 feet lower tnan Mon,
Blanc. ana is very easy OF ascent as ia'
as 12,0o0 feet.
on PIXIES PEAK.
Harvard College Observatory or "hlSn
we have ALREADY learned through Tue
South American chain Of stations, mas
meteorological observatory on me
Peak 14.l34 feet in altitude. FOR hIteen
years this station was continually occu-
pied. but now the observations are gen
orally confined TO the summer hioh'ns'
A notable feature Of the Plkes TedA op-
servatory Is the fact that the most IRE
mendous electrical storms when occur
in North America seem to cluster about
its summit. The lightning Is nearly CON
tinuous for long periods, and the ueep'
rolling thunder is shattering to the stroi's-
est nerves. The observers on the
mountain summit, although much ihSoni-
NODDED by these electrical storhs' NV
learned how to arrange their instruments
so az 10 avoid all real danger. IL was
from this point, in July, 1878, that III
Langley observed the total SOAR ecilpso'
other observatories of note on TINS con- con
tinent are those of Flagstaff, Arlz.' tow
feet: Echo Mountain. Cal, S'oVV re-
Chamberlin Observatory in Denver, Colo,
s 200 feet: the National Observatory OF
Mexico. at Tacubaya, 1900 feet.
No observatory exists around Whlch
more interest clusters than that AT Mont
Blanc. which rears its snowy mead lS,,oO
feet from the surface of the ocean. Inc
story of this observatory, or the dangers
of those who have utilized II, are succeed
ing chapters in the tragedy or human eA-
istence such as science cannot eiseWhsls
produce. This observatory was erecleu
by NJ. Jansen, upon compressed snow'
because no rock foundations were aNah-
able. 1t is provided with jack screws III
order that IL may be levelled If necessary
The base of the structure is lOX5 metres
and the snow always covers the lower
story. 1t was the intention 70 nave tnc
INNER story I'm free air, ana during Oh
servation a telescope is mounted III an
aluminium dome above the upper story
The construction Is very solid ana slrons'
with double walls and floors, and no pans
have been spared TO make IL saie anu
rigid. AS an lluiCdA4Oh u '''D
az the foundation of the observatory tuh-
nels were run IS feet below the sur
face without meeting rock The tempe
rature I'm these tunnels at all times was
3 degrees above zero. ,..
The cost of building on these heights
is very great. The building erec'su ~
NJ. Janssen caused an expense or SgV'VVo'
Ordinary laborers are paid 20 francs
n day. The price for Transporting ma
terial TO the summit was q cents pouhu.
The ordinary load for porter IN such
cases was % pounds, the minimum tenn
perature on the summit or Mont blahc
&c AZ degrees below zero. the TOP Oh inc
mountain is, in fact, glacier =.
ON the Sonnblick Observatory there Is
eioht times as much snowfall as ram
fall The twinkling Of the stars Is reg
uIarIv observed at this point, ana
strangely enough, is considerably greater
than aft the lower station. the move
r,ents of the barometer, the wind pres
sures and velocities, the relative humldlty'
the formation and movements OF CLOUDS
tho amount OF atmospheric electricity
and all meteorological phenomena are
daily observed. There are at this Cd
servatory. on the average, go days each
wear when the mercury stands at zero
or below. -,
The observatory on the Saints is one OF
the least EXPENSIVE, considering It's I'M
nortance. of any that exists, for the total
exnense OF maintaining It Is sl,2O year.
Tie original cost was $1,000. In all or
the observations taken the steadiness OF
the air as well as its transparency are
notable. The star images are entirely
free from twinkling. Each star, viewed