The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-19

a heavy weight. The chief part Of the
work done at the observatory is pho
tograDhing the heavens. Five photo
graphic instruments are kept going
and about fifty plates are made every
night. Last year more than 5000
plates were exposed and developed.
The negatives are shipped at once to
the University of Harvard, at Cam
bridge, and are there used for study
and scientific work. They are kept on
file there and form a wonderful astro-
nomical library of the Southern heav-
ems. Through this observatory Har-
ward college has the best advantages of
the world for astronomical research.
The scientists Of Cambridge are always
wathching the Northern heavens, but
they cannot see much below the equa-
tor. The -Arequipa observatory takes
In the whole sky, from the equator to
the south POLE the two giving a COM
plete view of the heavens.
HIGHEST OBSERVATORY OF
WORLD.
Within the last few years the Are
quipa astronomers here have es abb sh-
ed station or the top Of Mount Misti.
This mountain is enc Of the highest of
the Andes. 1t lies just lack OF Are
cuipa, standing out against the hori-
top kissing the sky at an altitude of
1920 feet above the sea. 1t is some
thousands of feet higher than any point
in America, and is a full mile higher
than our observatory on Pixies Peak
1t Is by more than 3,5e0 feat lof Ter than
any Oft er scientific station Of the world
| The site Of the station is on the edge Of
| huge crater, which now and then
sends clouds Of yellow sulphu Gus vapor
| a thousasld feet into the air. Mount
MIST is an extinct volcano, but If it
is not dead, and it may alt any time
break out into eruption. AT this great
altitude, nearly four miles above the
sea, the Harvard men have now the
finest Of scientific ms run e is for regis
tering the condft ons of the atmosphere,
the velocity Of the winds, the pressure
| of the barometer and other conditions
The instruments are, of course, auto
| matte, running for three months with
out being touched.
No one could live ait such an altitude,
and the scientists go up only period cal
| ly 10 get the records and rewind the in
| struments. AS it is the trip is a very
I hard one. Some Of the men get soro-
| che or mountain sickness, and many
| men cannot make the trip at ALL The
| observatory has other stations ON the
sea near Mollendo, on the high plateau
where l now am, and at Cuzco, the
| famed capital Of the Incas, which is a
| little more than 100 miles from Lake
Tittcaca. The founding Of this wonder
| full work was done by Prof. w. H. Pick
ering and Scion I. Bailey, of Harvard,
| the most of the stations being estab-
| ished by the latter. Prof Bailey has
| just returned to the United States. and
| the observatory and it's stations are
now in charge of Mr.. w B. Clyrner. Of
Ohio, and Mr.. De Isle Stewart, Of Min
nesata. These young astronomers have
| contracts to remain here for five wears.
| The position Is not bad one by 'any
means. The observatory is situated 800
feet above the city of Arequipa, over
| looking the irrigated valley Of the Chile
river, which produces the richest of
crops the year round. The home of the
| observatory is most comfortable, one
of its chief attractions being Mrs. Stew
arts little b,ue-eyed baby a few months
| old. born in Peru, which is as pretty
and as healthy as any baby you will
| find north of the equator.
| ACROSS PAMPAS OF THE ANDES.
There are three mountains back of
Arequipa which are higher than any
point in the United States outside of
Alaska. Mount Charcani is higher than
Mount Misti. and as you leave the
desert and ascend to the lofty plateau
you get glimpse of Corupuno. which
Is 21,S00 feet above the sea- Mount
| Mist's snowy summit is in sight FOR
hours, and watched the fleecy clouds
flying about and below it, sitting In