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J.B. Silvis
Mr.J.B. Silvis - owner of a photographic car traveling over the Union Pacific Railroad
1878
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LL/36541
George F. Barker "On the Total Solar Eclipse of July 29th, 1878" [Read before the American Philosophical Society, Nov. 15th, 1878], p.103-114 Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society held at Philadelphia for Promoting Useful Knowledge, Vol.XVIII, July 1878 to March 1880, p.104.
The ten days of time which had been allowed for completing the preparations was found to be none too much. During a large portion of everyday and most of the night, some or all of the party were engaged in adjustment of the instruments, in practice with them, in determining positions in photographic work, or in the numberless details necessary to success. On the night of the 24th, we were joined by the English astronomer, J. Norman Lockyer, F. R. S., and also by Professor James C. Watson, of the University of Michigan. Mr. Lockyer's work being mostly photographic, he was efficiently aided by Mr. J. B. Silvis, the owner of a photographic car traveling over the Union Pacific Railroad, which chanced at that time to be in Rawlins. Mr. Silvis not only most generously placed himself and his car at Mr. Lockyer's disposal for any experimental purposes entirely free of expense, but on the day of the eclipse, he allowed him to take the car to Separation, about thirteen miles distant, assisted him in observing, and returned with him to Rawlins the same evening.
[An account of this same event was provided in a telegram from Mr. Lockyer and printed in Nature, No.457, Vol.18, August 1, 1878, p.353.]
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