45° POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



the new astro-physical observatory of the Western University of Penn- 

 sylvania — the equal of any in the world. " I can not say," he says, 

 " that the hank balance bears a fair relation to the work we have 

 done," but he adds that in view of the marvelous discoveries made, 

 and the appreciative and kind treatment he has had from the world, he 

 feels like saying, " I am content. ... I have that which can not be 

 bought by dollars and cents." Dr. Brashear always emphasizes that 

 his associate and son-in-law, James B. McDowell, is master of the 

 development of the delicate work in optical service; and that he could 

 never have made his success without McDowell's cooperation. Dr. 

 Charles S. Hastings, of Yale University has also been associated with 

 Dr. Brashear in the development of the mathematical problems of 

 modern optics : the day of empiricism in optical science having become 

 a thing of the past. Dr. Brashear has twice been a director of the 

 Allegheny Observatory; and is now chairman of the Observatory Com- 

 mittee; he served two and a half years as acting chancellor of the 

 Western University of Pennsylvania. He has degrees of LL.D. from 

 Wooster University of Ohio and Washington-Jefferson Unversity, as 

 well as degree of Sc.D. from the Western University. 



Pittsburgh's " arrogance and greed " have been so advertised that 

 it should be permissible to mention that the city contains more than one 

 Imndred and fifty active benevolent and charitable institutions; more 

 than twenty large, finely equipped hospitals; and over four hundred 

 churches of all denominations. It is scarcely more of an iron city than 

 a city of churches and church-going people. There are benevolent 

 societies, non-sectarian and sectarian; homes for the destitute, aged, 

 infirm, white and colored, for men, women, girls and children; public 

 baths for the poor ; children's playgrounds for poor children. 



One of the most notable institutions (undoubtedly the most remark- 

 able single-handed permanent beneficence in the world) is the Carnegie 

 Belief Fund, endowed five years ago by Andrew Carnegie, with a gift 

 of four million dollars in Steel Company bonds. This fund applies 

 to more than 65,000 men employed in the iron and steel trades, who, 

 with their families and dependents, would comprise an aggregate popu- 

 lation of over 300,000 persons. The bonds bear good interest, and the 

 income provides for accidents, deaths and pensions. There has been a 

 total disbursement already of $1,129,117.29. In 1907 the amount paid 

 out was $216,764.03. 



A well-known writer has said that Pittsburgh men are strong, 

 upright and good intentioned, but "too busy" in the upbuilding of 

 industries and fortunes to pay attention to the civic welfare. Perhaps 

 the utterance was timely ; for since then the long-delayed civic awaken- 

 ing has come to pass. The betterment, always hoped for — regarded by 

 the many as impossibly Utopian, but always fought for by a tenacious 

 and stubborn few — is an accomplished and positive fact. Two years 



