Figure i i . — Standard Plate Glass Company, Butler, Pennsylvania, with x marking building where Peate's 



62-inch disc was cast. (From Preston, fig. i .) 



of Dr. Peate, indicates the impression his hobby had 

 made on his contemporaries. According to this leg- 

 end, John suddenly realized at the age of seventy- 

 three that he must have something to occupy his 

 time while retired. 



"What am I to do all the rest of my life?" he asked 

 of the presiding officer of the meeting. Bishop Hurst, 

 who was also chancellor of the newly founded 

 University. 



"Oh, study astronomy," said the Bishop. 



"Make a big telescope lens," said Dr. Wythe. 



Dr. Wythe, whose doctorate was in medicine, was 

 a minister well known in the conference as an in- 

 ventor and technologist. The legend continues that, 

 urged on by Wythe, Peate announced to the confer- 

 ence, "1 will make for the new University the largest 

 telescope lens in the world, if you will defray the out 

 of pocket expenses." 



"Well, how big a lens can you make?" asked the 

 Bishop. 



"Oh, as big as that chart on the wall," said Peate. 



"Get a rule and measure the chart." 



The chart was 62 inches across. 



"Offer accepted. One 62-inch reflecting telescope 

 from Dr. Peate," ordered the Bishop.'^ 



The minutes of the conference state: '^ 



Proposition of John Peate. . . . John Peate made a 

 proposition to manufacture a large reflecting lens for the 

 University providing material for the same was furnished 

 him ... a committee of 5 was appointed to take the same 

 into consideration. R. N. Stubbs, G. H. Humason, N. T. 

 Arnold, G. P. Hukill, and G. B. Chase were appointed to 

 that committee. 



Although he was 73 )-ears old Peate was in good 

 health and had treinendous vitality for one his age. 

 He had already made a number of large mirrors, so 

 that he could estimate the amount of time and energy 

 he would expend in this work. He knew that if he 

 retained his health for the next few years he could 

 complete it. 



With his typical planned enthusiam he started his 

 preparations. He wrote to his usual supplier St. 

 Gobain of France asking the price of a glass blank 



>- Preston, p. 129, notes 2 & 3. Based on recollections of 

 George Lambert (1895) and John Morrison (1903). That the 

 decision to make the mirror 62 inches in diameter may have 

 had another origin is suggested by the fact that Common, in 

 England, had made two mirrors of 60 and 61 inches in 1886-91. 



13 Minutes of the Erie Conference, 1893, p. 29. Preston, 

 p. 130, n. 4. 



PAPER 26: THREE 19TH-CENTURY AMERICAN TELESCOPE MAKERS 



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