Taking knowledge of the universe as a
measure of progress, I wish to invite attention to the fact that
American astronomy began with your city, and has slowly but surely
kept pace with it, until to-day our country stands second only to
Germany in the number of researches being prosecuted, and second
to none in the number of men who have gained the highest
recognition by their labors.
In 1836 Professor Albert Hopkins, of Williams College, and
Professor Elias Loomis, of Western Reserve College, Ohio, both
commenced little observatories. Professor Loomis went to Europe
for all his instruments, but Hopkins was able even then to get
some of his in this country. Shortly afterwards a little wooden
structure was erected by Captain Gilliss on Capitol Hill, at
Washington, and supplied with a transit instrument for observing
moon culminations, in conjunction with Captain Wilkes, who was
then setting out on his exploring expedition to the southern
hemisphere. The date of these observatories was practically the
same as that on which a charter for the city of Chicago was
obtained from the legislature. With their establishment the
population of your city had increased to 703.
The next decade, 1840 to 1850, was that in which our practical
astronomy seriously commenced.
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