New-York tribune., 1902-05-10
SKETCH OF DIR. MORTON's LIFE.

President Morton was born In Hoboken on De
cember H. 1896. Entering the University of Penn
sylvania sophomore he graduated three
years later In the class of 1851 Like his father he
devoted considerable leisure time 10 painting and
sketchng, When, I'm 1856, plaster OF the
Rosetta Stone was presented to the college Philo-
mathean Society complete translation of it's
inscriptions had been made up that time al
though Young. the English scientist. and Cham
pollion had studied It's Greek, demOtic and hero
gyphic texts. Young Morton proposed that COM
mittee be appointed to translate the inscription on
the stone and present 1t to the Phomathean So
Ciety. Charles r. Hale. s r. Jones and Mr.. Nor
ton were selected. Mr.. Hale who afterwari
dean of Davenport College. Iowa, worked out the
Greek and denote texts and Mr.. Morton the
hieroglyphic inscriptions. The manuscript was IL
Illuminated IN colors Henry d. Gipin. classic
scholar who was at one time United States At
torney General, became deeply interested in the
work and induced the students reproduce the
drawing photographic stone. Mr.. Morton un-
dertook the work. and by Christmas of 1858 had
completed book of l72 pages. with about one
hundred coIored illustrations. In 1863 he was
elected professor OF chemistry OF the Philadelphia
Dental College. and one year later received the
appointment OF resident secretary OF the Franklin
Institute OF Pennsylvania. In 1868 the young pro-
fessor began at the Philadelphia Academy OF Music
a series OF lectures on Light" Heat" Sound"
and "CoEnate Topics" The object of the lectures
to raise funds for and explain the usefulness
of the Franklin Institute.
In 1853 Professor Morton accepted the chair of
chemistry and physics ut the University of Penn
sylvania, while Professor John Fraser was on a
years leave OF absence. When Professor Fraser
returned a chair of chemistry created for
Professor Morton. In 1869 the United States Nautt
cal Almanac office organized. TO make photo
graphs OF the total eclipse of the sun on August
i'm Iowa. In connection with these observations
Professor Morton was the first To prove the true
OF the bright line the suns disk adjacent
the edge OF the moon. which Is seen IN
partial eclipse photographs. BY later experiments
Professor
simply the result of a local development and was
In reality a photograph instead ot an optcal phe-
nomenon. Professor Airy at first doubted the eX-
paper. acknowledged that he was right.
About this time Edwin a. stevens, OF Castle
1870 President Morton chosen president OF the
new INSTITUTION which became ear f kRow9 % as o
the president was TO make the new school the
icaI engineering as profession. All the working
details and arrangements were lett he%iole' i tne
to time at the suggestion of the trustees faculty
From the "' begnnng the head Of the INSTITUTION
worked indefatgabiy In 1880 President Morton
~ so6o EincriStv was Introduced three years
later into the domain OF mechanical engineering,
making new branch Of the institute necessary;
electrical apparatus and machinery and guaranteed
the salary of the Instructor takinS ShargG OF the
tees to establish q class Of engineering practice:
bonds for it's further Endorsement. The trustees OF
the institute established the Morton scholarship In
In ISIS President Morton received an appointment
TO the United States Lighthouse Board from See Sec
man OF the committee on scientific tests. the new
Illuminated buoys fire eXtingulshers and electric
lights. He regarded as leading scientific au-
brated patent ntgations, 1t was from this source
"a ,Tens ta 5stn Fne = his eaTv
college president Professor Morton spent con-
developed results of considerable scientific interest
Among the most important of these was that on
tha nd
Thaiene. which possesses the property OF fiuores-
cence to a great extent was discovered by Pres-
dent Morton shortly before the arrival In this
Professor Morton was the first to make thor
oough inyestgation Of the I, Edison inGandescent
years he contributed articles on electricity and
pedia and was also a contrbutor to the London.
Edinburgh and Dublin Philosophical Magazine"
scientifque" of Paris. Many of his poems. of a
light. humorous nature. have appeared in Ameri-
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle Rules the
Andrew Carnegie on the birth of daughter. This
poem is generally believed to have induced Mr..
Carnegie to present 10 Stevens Institute the labora
tory OF engineering which bears his name Presi-
dent Morton once referring TO the N65 goo which
the institute. humorously remarked that IL was a
Up to the time OF his death President Morton
was senior warden OF Trinity Church, Hohoken.
celebration of Stevens Institute in 1897 ne placed
WI Ward % sold % for 4 to be applied toward what is
known @ m as the Alumni n o 5Hidlng m m dInd In 1919 and
and boiler to supply the entire group of institute
buildings with steam, and in the spring OF 1901
he placed In the hands of the trustees $4,000 in
per cent bonds, to be used endowment fund,
interest to be devoted. first, to the maintenance
of the alumni buildings, insofar not required
for that purpose as retiring pensions for any pro-
fessors who might become disabled by age sick
while in the employment of the institute.
In 1873 President Morton was elected member
of the National Academy.
In June 1897. he received the degree of Doctor Of
Science from his alma mater. the University of
Pennsylvania. and of Doctor of Laws from Prince
ton University. Ground which ~ Me 'Nr
Alumni Chemical Building viii c- cfeesta will be
broken in june