Methods And Results: A Catalogue Of Stars For Observations Of Latitude...
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Methods And Results: A Catalogue Of Stars For Observations Of Latitude
U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, Julius Erasmus Hilgard
Govt. print. off., 1879
Science; Astronomy; Latitude; Science / Astronomy; Stars
Description Of A Model Of The Depths Of The Sea In The Bay Of North America And Gulf Of Mexico (1885)
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Julius Erasmus Hilgard was a German-American engineer. He served as a director of the Office of Weights and Measures and president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Background
Julius Erasmus Hilgard was born on January 7, 1825 in Zweibrucken, Germany. He was a brother of Eugene Woldemar Hilgard, and son of Theodor Erasmus Hilgard and Margaretha (Pauli) Hilgard. His father emigrated to the United States in 1836 and sought his ideal of social and political freedom on a farm at Belleville, Illinois.
Education
A man of unusual talents and training, Hilgard's father successfully undertook the education of his nine children, instructing them in languages and philosophy, but soon yielding the teacher's place in the exact sciences to young Julius, who displayed a remarkable aptitude for mathematics.
At the age of eighteen, Hilgard went to Philadelphia to study civil engineering, and there came under the observation of Alexander Dallas Bache, superintendent of the United States Coast Survey, who found evidence of his promising development.
Career
Offered a position on the Survey in a beginner's capacity and at small pay, Hilgard accepted it gladly with the characteristic comment, "I would rather do high work at low pay than low work at high pay. " For forty years, except for a brief interval in 1860-1862, when he was in business at Paterson, New Jersey, the Survey was the sphere of Hilgard's studious endeavors. His exceptional abilities early advanced him to a position in which he could impress his character upon the operations; and, for some twenty years before he himself became superintendent, he was in a controlling position in conducting its destinies. His professional mind was eminently practical, and greatly assisted in the attainment of the high standard of execution which has been reached by the Coast Survey. While directing large interests on the broadest plans, he grasped and gave attention to minute and varied details in perfecting methods for applying theory to practice.
At the international convention held in Paris in 1872 for the purpose of forming the International Bureau of Weights and Measures, he was the delegate of the United States. At the Centennial Exposition in 1876, he acted, in association with the ablest scientists of the world, as one of the judges on scientific apparatus. He took an active part, as director of the Office of Weights and Measures, in shaping legislation relating to the introduction of the metric system, and prepared the metric standards which were distributed to the several states of the Union. His publications, which include lectures and addresses marked by lucidity of expression, consist chiefly of researches relating to geodesy and geophysics printed in the annual reports of the Coast and Geodetic Survey.
In 1881 he was appointed superintendent of the Survey, but toward 1885 his superintendency began to be assailed with accusations of maladministration. These charges were not justified by the ensuing official investigation of the Survey, which left Hilgard's integrity untarnished and his scientific standing undiminished, nevertheless they decided him to resign his office in 1885. He died at his home in Washington, on May 8, 1891, of Bright's disease, after several years of painful illness.
Hilgard was a charter member of the National Academy of Sciences, and was president, in 1875, of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Personality
Quotes from others about the person
"The measurement of the angles was made by Mr. J. E. Hilgard, whose zeal and the ability with which he has discharged these duties deserve notice here, as they have received it in the reports of the chief of his party. "
"It affords me unusual gratification to acknowledge the services of Mr. Hilgard, in charge of the computing department, and to commend the zeal, promptitude, and accuracy of every member of that department. "
Connections
In August 1848, at the age of twenty-three, Hilgard was married to Katherine Clements of Washington. Four children were born to them; but none survived their father.