Stenometer
date: label: date made
content: ca. 1900
notes: label: Description
content: William J. Peters of the U. S. Geological Survey devised a split objective range finder in 1898, while doing reconnaissance work in Alaska. George N. Saegmuller, proprietor of Fauth & Co., explained its function: "Having a fixed base of known dimensions defined by targets, the measurement is made by bringing the images of the targets together by moving the halved objective by means of a micrometer screw." The U.S. Geological Survey transferred this example to the Smithsonian in 1909, reporting that "Distances up to 1 or 2 miles can be determined with sufficient accuracy for reconnaissance work." This seems to be an early example. "U.S.G.S. No. 3" is scratched onto its surface.
label: Description
content: Ref: George N. Saegmuller, <i>Descriptive Price-List of First-Class Engineering & Astronomical Instruments</i> (Washington, D.C., 1901), p. 108.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: U. S. Geological Survey
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: PH.252977
label: accession number
content: 49676
label: catalog number
content: 252977
objectType: label: Object Name
content: stenometer
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 5.7 cm x 15 cm x 11 cm; 2 1/4 in x 5 7/8 in x 4 5/16 in
label: Measurements
content: overall: 4 1/2 in x 2 5/16 in x 6 1/4 in; 11.43 cm x 5.87375 cm x 15.875 cm