The San Francisco call. [volume], November 04, 1906, Page 4, Image 4

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
HOW THE LENS FOR THE
LARGEST TELESCOPE
IN THE WORLD
Edward James Hart
A MONSTER gasoline-electric au
tomobile truok, designed and
constructed for the specific pur
pose of moving to the top of
Mount Wilson, near Pasadena, Cal.,
the largest telescope in the world, has
3ust been completed at the plant of a
freight wheel company in Grand Rap-.
Ids. Mich. The trial tests of the big
machine are now being made, and it
Tvlll be shipped to California within a
fortnight.
The automobile truck Is unique In
design and in many particulars differs
from anything of the kind ever made.
It Is manufactured under motor pat
ents which cover Interesting innova
tions in the application of power to
the propulsion of vehicles. Among its
peculiar features may be noted the
fact that It drives through all four
wheels, each being hollow and having
an electric motor located within it, and
the fact that it steers with all four
wheels, making the shortest turns pos
sible and affording the widest range
in its manipulation. Then the power
is supplle!! by a small electric plant
•which it carries with it — an electric
dynamo connected to a gasoline engine
Eupplying current to the four individ
ual motors instead of the conventional
storage battery.
Great Sixty-Inch Lens.
The telescope which is to be moved
to the mountain top is being completed
Jn the workshops at Pasadena, and
work on the monster lens of the instru
ment has been in progress about three
yearjs. This lens measures sixty inches
in diameter, or twenty inches more
than the great Yerkes telescope, which
Is now the largest in the world. The
huge mass of glass weighs a ton alone,
but there are other parts of the instru
ment 6till more ponderous, and the
heavy casting of the base weighs five
tons. v
The parts of the giant star-gazing
tube are nearly ready to be mounted
in the observatory at the top of the
mountain. The task of getting them
there, however, proved one of the most
serious problems in connection with
the great telescope undertaking.
The observatory on Mount Wilson is
about nine miles from Pasadena, and
in that distance there is a rise of about
5000 feet. The mountain trail is rough
and precipitous, at some points turning
in an arc with Si radius of but fifteen
fe«t. and at others shelving perpen
dicular walls of rock on narrow ledges
overlooking steep precipices, where -a
Flip would mean a fall of hundreds of
feet. Over such a road It seemed im
possible to carry the heavy parts of the
big InstruniMit by any known means
of transportation. A- gasoline truck
\u25a0w-as designed for the purpose, but it
waf rejected .as unsulted-to the re
quirements.. The building of a rail
way to the top of the- mountain was
considered among other; schemes.
After much, deliberation and careful
study. of more than- a- score: of plans,
C. W. .Rltchey. superintendent of in
strument construction, adopted the
plan of improving the roadway, to -the
top of the mountain and employing this
specially designed automobile ; truck.
The sum of $25,000 is now being ex
pended in improving the roadway from
the base of the mountain to the ob
eervatory.
A Motor in Each Wheel.
One >of the most novel features of
this car lies in the source of \u25a0 power.
Id the trucks ordinarily : built- by this
company a storage battery- is provided
to supply current to the four motors
located within the wheels. - One of
the conditions confronted in this case
was the distance from a charging
station, which rendered the use of a
storage battery impracticable. It was
replaced by a generator of a compact
and comparatively light type, which Is
mounted in the forward part of the
truck and direct-connected"- to a gaso
line engine of forty horsepower. \u25a0
The electric motors are of four
horsepower each nominally, but are
destined to stand a heavy overload.
They are incased within the wheels,
each of which is formed of two dish
shaped disks, between the edges of
which the heavy rubber cushion tire .is
secured. The motors are set so that
the armatunc shaft' is in a horizontal
position and nearly at right angles to
the axis of the wheels. The shaft* is
slightly, at variance with such a right
angle, however, to permit pinions -.at
both ends to. engage circular racks at
tached near the rim of both of the
COAT ISLANd - Its Story - You Should Know it - Do you?
Adolphus E. Graupner
A BULWARK against the tides, a
sentinel amid the inrushing
fogs, a menace, and at the samo
time an aid. to navigation, i'erba
Buena Island, commonly called "Goat".
Island, towers some three. hundred odd
feet above the midchannel rof San
Francisco Bay. Daily -thousands of
commuters and travelers pass _; Its
rocky shores, with little heed to it or
its history. Our _ bay-city \ dwellers
know little beyond the. fact ' that \u25a0 Goat
Island Is in the mainl ine of bay travel
and that it is equipped with^fog-siren
and lighthouse.- Local romance -and
history receive too little attention, ; for
familiar things provoke no investiga
tion and. interest, save fronuthe 'few.
Even; the origin of \ lts unpoetical nick
name .is ' not , known. No longer \ ago
than the other day I heard a prominent
local ' woman - explaining to an * Eastern
visitor; that "the outlines of Goat" Isl
and look iso much like the profile of a
goat' that 'the- discoverers of; the bay
called it "Goat* \u25a0 Island and - it's " had
the name -ever* since." '
inner walls, of the wheel. Thus the
power is "applied ..from, both ends ~_ of
the motor shaft and at both.' the. for
ward and rear sides of \u25a0''.. the -wheel,
forcing the forward side down and the
rear side^upward when the vehicle is
moving forward. A great saving: of
power Is effected by this arrangement
through the" elimination of "thrust"
on the bearings, and the advantages are
obvious. The most perfect traction
is secured by the application of.power
through the four wheels,: and slipping
of the wheels is next to impossible. -
No attempt was madei to, obtain speed
results In designing the car.' Tnettruck
Is expected to make a speed, of t seven
miles per hour on level ; roadway, and
about two miles; per.: hour in climbing
the mountain; fully loaded in .either
case.- The average load* will 'be rabout
five. tons. . T!^ \u25a0 . •.'•"\u25a0; .'<\u25a0 ..*V '
.This wonderful; truck not only.'drives
through all four wheels," but.it steers
with - front -fend .rear wheels '. simulta
neously. This is made possible through
• The first mention of /the' island is
contained in' the- report 'of the": found- 1
Ing of the Mission , of SaniTrapclsco 1 do '
Assisi— our .Mission; Holores. The In- t
dlansVof ' the \u25a0 locality of the .Mission V
were at feud'.with-a'rancheria-:further»
down the .; peninsula I/in; fear of';
dread reprisals for; murder- done, \u25a0 fled '
on : rafts constructed ' of dry » J tules to" the <\
isolation of the'Jslandl. .There.TinHhat i
wide-moated >fastness, = they bade 'den-;-'
ance to their enemies :and v caused- great -^
disappointment' 4 ; to' vthe * good ? "padres. •
That flight deprived ;the r missionaries ':
of -the '.l native audience "'-i at^"the\dedi- '•\u25a0
catory exercises {of ; the -missiont'and 'a
made \u25a0 the "gaining 'i of \nebphy tes > muihv
more 'dlfflcultt;than' any ..'other^mission?
had: experienced,- all'of which , was i men- !
tloned <in> the report \u25a0to*the s Supe'rior t of -
the missions 'of /Alta' California^;' v ;
v There is ' every < evidence ; of "a •- consid - \u25a0
erable» permanent 4 Bettlement;of abor-'
iginesat some, far distant ; time. ';The#oV
are •> large f < shell f: heaps, the 1 - so-called -'
"kitchen . mlddens,V r ; with 'annular "strata i
of shells and ashes that show-genera
tions, if not were 'I
for their . rearing. \u25a0? Al,A 1 , burial I ground yon i'
the r eastern "slope been? a -mine r of \u25a0
interest Uo '\u25a0 scientists and s ethnologists,^
who have -unearthed \u25a0*' skeletons r'and?
TKE S AN FRANCISCO . SUNDAY- \u25a0: CALL;
the motors being mounted within the
wheels and" on the sameybearlngs.- 1 The
•manner- in y, which the- vehicle :1s ma
neuvered ; in .congested; traffic; and* tight:
places cannot fail to surprise 'specta-,'
tors accustomed to the conventional;
ofjsteering. .Tho.steeringjde-^
\u25a0.vlc'e;is-sojarranged that"ordinari»y : both v
.front and rear ; wheels turn r at the same .
jangle, but'.;in' opposite "directions,"" so .
Hhat: the; rear. wheels' follow exactly in.
,;the ;trackv"of ? the' forward: one.:; With
' the ; wheels:, fully ;\u25a0\u25a0 ilefl.ee ted; very; small •'.-
are7made. When tHefe ; is occa- ;
slon .for, it the* connections are changed i
,byv a .device operated ;from;ttie^driver's :
, seat so that, all the wheels" turn^in/the
same" direction, and. f the^. vehicle then
\u25a0\u25a0"executes-; an v.oblique. oblique back-,. .
,'wardSor *i forward.* J 'Again,,;, the Yrear. \u25a0
I wheels^ may- be. locked |so j that 1 the ye- |
' hicle v steers ' like an- ordinary^ automo- ; ,
j ..bile.',- The facility ...with
which the truck, is niariipulated! makes
lit .-especially suited; to _the "conditions
: met in. the caseof moving the big^tele- I
-\u25a0- \u25a0• . -• - •-. \u25a0 s ,\u25a0\u25a0-. <-..;-..'\u25a0 • \u25a0 -. -i
utensils of bone; and stone, mortars,
pestles, : arrow heads.' awls and beads.'
.The Spaniards visited the island fre;
quently, to .gather, wood, and' the lux- ~
urious \u25a0 growth ;of that Vsweet»scented ,
4ierb, .yerba-Abuena. < prompted i them, to,
name --the^ island after • It. "Whalers- of
> tlieC'PfcincJ filled *their> .casks* .from*, the)
:spring"i on the - northern jjside Vand B re-
Iplehished"^ their, "wood* supply Jfrom" the;
thick. growing oaks.;" The- four, hundred;
[ odd k acres \ were;' at r one -\u25a0 time - thickly
, covered! withivegetati6n r and«tfees, r »buti
thefgoats -which' were "on the
;island',destroyedithV,flne«undergrowth; :
ev'ehV to ] obliterating.-: the ,s, s yerba.:;buena,l
and'.ithe'ishipping> and Jearly^; settlers
cloared^off. f most a.of Sthe 3 woods.' <Yet,' :
today vthe^islandt has- its j nooks; and ira-'
vines i and uthat icarry, •;- the "; in 1
qulsitlve ."r.wanderer. ... far, .away/ : .from )
.thqughts, of ; a near-by { city. and .- passing
ferrypboatsAv^;, i^.../Y " : '• : •'• : '-^'V> :
\ The \u25a0 Government * holds c envied 5 pbsi
sesBibn"of the 'island .^Oh the southeast ',
promontory\it; 4 has3establlshedfalllght^
house i a.nd * f dg> signal.^-] Near/, by ?. on', the i
; eastM is } the *. lighthouse \ supply .fstation
and "-pier; i on Vthef northeast j
>the?navaU training?^school? for .'appren-'
tbpmost-.polntfis7.the
naval- wireless \ tblcgraphy^station.f* The '\u25a0\u25a0
scope to * the top: of Mount -"Wilson.
.The .brake • devices . form another •\u25a0".
nbvel.ifeature ;6f, the new truck. On.
descending grades the motors are con
verted Vinto. dynamos, .which work -
through; resistance .provided »or'- the :
sole, concession tc private industries \ is
the ' cable crossing^ and- the ! huge . warn
ing sign^ of "Cable, Crossing," with its
eight-foot V letters,* \u25a0 to -warn -the * new
come 'mariner from casting anchor in
thc^cable .way. •:'''. This " Government pos
session is ..much; coveted by public'ser
vice j corporations J and* utilitarian busi
ness men, who * desire the 'surrender jof
the -island /fori; railway-terminal - sta
tions; and : de«;p-water.. docks. -Petition
afterjpetltion -has been, sent: on* its -way
.to^Washingtonlin : hope- of Government
surrender, ' but Ja } deaf "ear has .. been
turned- mi every, case. 'v ; ' ; > :
':.:\u25a0 Nathan Spear" and '\u25a0. Jack f Fuller, to
gether .with ;:William * Heathr Davis,- two
of 'wh'omVhave '* given '*. their":' names ;, to
San ? Francisco;: streets, are ', responsible
f or ,' theTname of' "Goat" [ Island," a name
which? the Federal authorities and local
historical • societies" have ' t for '-years
sought 'and \u25a0* in ' every i way "endeavored
to (obliterate/?; In ' 184 2 . Spear < and 1 Fuller
obtalnedrsix- goats" from " Captain i Hoyer
of American 4 ship'; Fama,-and,: not
knowings.where> else ;4t; 4 to '"put \u25a0 them,l ob
tained from; the Alcalde to
placed them * Buena • Island!
Thpre\the *?goi.ts ;' found " luxuriant ; pas
turage'and'.multiplied ;rapldly> until, *in
1849/-'the? flock" bad increased ;in*num-
purpose and thus act as electric. brakes.
This' renders unnecessary ;the .use ; of
mechanical brakes and avoids the wear
and tear: incident" to- their use. The
latter, however, -are provided for eraer-.
gency use. :
ber to several hundred. These animals
were one of the sources of meat sup
ply to the: settlement of San Francisco,
and, with the rush", of the gold-seekers,
the : island ; ,was ,, visited : frequently by
hunters tln quest of fresh meat. • . Spear
sold his. interest' in.the, flock to Davis,
but: before Davis coutd realize on his
investment the "hungry J argonauts J had
killed ;aU" but; a --'few of. -.'the most .wary.
,'Jn c a; little /swale" .overlooking the
Oakland .hills, are: .three -graves mel
ancholylirelicsof the first white .-settler"
on the island. "> General Juan Jose Cas
tro'claimed;: a: grant of Yerba Buena
Island ' from - the r Mexican \u25a0, Government'
and \u25a0; sold' l it*to Thomas, Dowling, an
Irishman. | who' had deserted f rora'a vis
iting,trading vesseland married a Mex
ican; r'-At 1 the:beglnnlng of the gold rush
Dowling; erected a house.n ear the spot
where his .first -born and two. friends
still He. ? % and- brought^ his family there
to.Uve.. He, earned; a, living "and ac
cumulated some money, 1 by, cutting wood
ana "I supplying 'the shipping ~ and the
growing J city with; fuel:- His title was
never. recognized ibyj the ; Unlted States,
andjwhen the control* of; the 3 island was
ceded\to^ the jWar, Department Dowllng
was ;'ejected.v:Forf years the .old 5 man
begged r and struggled \u25a0 and ; pleaded ' for
The body of the. car. is cut away la
the center to conform to the snap© of a
part of the heavy, base casting, the one
weighing five tons, in" order to lower
the center of gravity, and this adds
something to its unique appearance.
recognition of his rights. His effort*
to recover possession quickly dissipated
his 'accumulations and Dowllnr ended
his days on the poor tann. Joel 8
Polack also claimed title to the island
under deed from General Castro, but his
rights -were never seriously considered
Jose W. Limantour. .whose wholesale
fraudulent claims of property occunl«rt
the public, mind' fo* y«a» wd SSS
PcP c , a Y c / p^ n3e - ' lltlEatlon *n«i trocble.
included the island in his forged Krant
but he never occupied it Th« Island
was transferred to < the Nary Depart
ment several years ago and is bow un
der the control of, that department.
In the deep cove .facing the rlalnjc
-sun stands the naval apprentices' train
ing quarters; the clean white of th«
Greek-modeled buildings gleaming in
the su^against the background of tha
green sward of the slope that rises
from the' main .buildings to the "ffl!
cers* quarters." Daily, the , trim r f utura
sel-thatVfollowed Farragut »? Jew
. Orleans and . Mobile Bay is modrJi \u2666
dignified retirement "^h, pSSjSttto!
out-ia front of- the>traiain S quMtwf