Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/356

 312 A HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO objective cost, when finished, sixty-six thousand dollars; the equatorial mount- ing, fifty-five thousand dollars; the dome and rising floor, forty-five thousand dollars. To these there must be added, as distinct gifts, the thirty-foot dome for the southeast tower, which cost seven thousand dollars; the twenty-six foot dome and mounting of the Kenwood telescope; likewise the stellar spectro- graph, constructed by Mr. J. A. Brashear, costing three thousand dollars; besides all these, the building, with its piers for the instruments, its steam- heating plant, engines, dynamos, and motors, the cost of which has been in round numbers one hundred and thirty-five thousand dollars. On this occasion we must make acknowledgement of three additional gifts which have already come to the Observatory. First of all, the grounds on which it has been built, consisting of fifty-five acres valued at fifty thousand dollars, a contribution of Mr. John Johnston, Jr. ; second, the instruments and equipment of the Kenwood Observatory, presented to the Yerkes Observatory by Mr. William E. Hale; and third, the gift of Miss Catherine Bruce of New York City of seven thousand dollars for a ten-inch photographic telescope with building and dome Has the forty-inch object glass stood the test, and are the atmospheric conditions satisfactory? These questions have already been answered many times. Test after test has been applied. The following statement is made officially by the Director: "(i) Objects beyond the reach of any other telescope in existence have been discovered. The closest double stars have easily been divided by Pro- fessor Burnham. The spectrum of the sun's atmosphere close to the surface has been found by Professor Hale to contain a great number of bright lines hitherto unknown. The photographs of stellar spectra taken show that the glass, because of its great light-gathering power, is particularly suitable for spectroscopic observation of the stars. (2) The steadiness of the telescope mounting is so great that Professor Barnard finds his micrometrical measures of star positions, diameters of planetary nebulae, positions of the satellite of Neptune, etc., to be far more precise than any he has previously obtained. (3) The atmospheric conditions at night are frequently very fine indeed. The best seeing here is not surpassed by the best seeing at the Lick Observatory, though in the course of a year there would be more good nights at Mount Hamilton. On the other hand, the atmospheric conditions during the day are much superior to those of the Lick Observatory. The conditions for solar work, considering both instruments and atmosphere, are probably much better than those enjoyed by any other observatory." Mr. Yerkes, President Ryerson has expressed to you the appreciation of the Board of Trustees for this great gift toward the resources of the University. On behalf of the students and instructors, on behalf of the University of today, and the University of the future, I thank you for the word spoken five years ago, for the word you have spoken today the word which gave the University the gift.