The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-08-10
OBSERVATORY LIBRARY
NEARLY COMPLETED
Haryard's Collection of Star Photo
graphs Invaluable for Ref
erences.
NOW In NEW BRICK BUILDING.
Outward Architectural Adornment
Dispensed With to Leave
Money for Interior
of Structure.
NOW IN NEW BRICK BUILDING.
SPECIAL

REPUBLIC ECT
Cambridge. Mass, Aug. s-The new build
ing for the Harvard Observatory's cell
lection OF star photographs IS now nearly
completed, and within the next month the
great collection OF negatives of the observa-
tory will be safely stored within It's fire
proof walls. The real Importance of this lit
tie building Is hardly calculable, for If is
to house what is undoubtedly the most valu-
able reference material. from the astrono-
mer's point OF view. in the world. and for
the first time put It beyond reasonable pos
sibility of destruction. 1t Is one Of the
benefits coming to the observatory from the
anonymous gift Of 5000 received las: Feb
ruary.
The collection Of star photographs was
begun some seventeen years ago. and since
1889 Il has formed a complete history of the
heavens. Every night pictures are taken
both here and at the Harvard Station at
AreQuipa. Peru, so that northern and south
ern skies alike are included, and each plate.
after careful examination, is put away In
It's Individual cover. numered and labeled. so
as to be easy of Identification and always
ready for reference. For the first three
years that this work was done the observa-
tory had no place for 1t except the old
has been the main structure OF the little
group on Observatory HILL"
Brick Building Constructed.
Ten years ago. however, a number OF per-
sons who were interested in this special
work, and who appreciated the fact that
the collection was always in danger of de-
struction by fire, raised a fund with which
a brick building was constructed IN accOrd-
ance with the best methods available.
Heavy mill construction was used. but its
strength has proved insufficient for a photo
graphic library, which has now grown to
nearly 10000 Individual plates tho weight
OF the glass upon which they are made be-
Ing nearly sixty tons. Fireproof construc-
ton, moreover. has progressed rapidly since
1882. and the possibility of many impE;ye-
meDtS was great when the fund 0f Spn isQ
was put at Director Edward C.. Picxering's
disposal without any restrictions whatever
upon its use. He has devoted about half Of
this gift to putting up the new building, and
in order that the most might be got for the
money he decided to build Ii In the form of
an addition to the older brick building. pro-
vtding freproof doors, so that 1t might be
absolutely separated; Outward architectural
adornment was sacrificed to leave as much
money as possible for interior construction.
and the result Is q plain brick exterior set
against the end of the old structure, the
windows OF which nave been cut away &c
give entrance, 30 that no room has BEEN
sacrificed to halls and s~tairways.
Floors of Extended Metal.
On heavy steel Orders there are floors Of
extended metal, and over their concrete sur
face strips of cork mating will be laid up
and down the aisies between the cabinets,
about the building, the walls being OF un-
covered plaster. The rooms are 80 feet
square, and there are three stories. The up
per stories will be used at first for storing
manuscript, papers and a part or the yalu-
able astronomical library, while the collec-
ton OF photographic negatives Will be kept
on ths main 6oor. A. ths number u nega- |