▁& ▁Co . ▁replied ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁obtain ▁glass ▁for ▁the ▁l ens ▁because ▁of ▁limited ▁supplies ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁I . ▁However , ▁John ▁A . ▁Bras he ar ▁Pitts burgh , ▁Pennsylvania ▁manufact urer ▁of ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁World ’ s ▁fin est ▁optical ▁instruments , ▁had ▁on - hand ▁a ▁nine - inch ▁objective , ▁which ▁Mr . ▁Dar ling ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁obtain . ▁▁ ▁The ▁teles cope ▁was ▁completed ▁and ▁set ▁up ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁at ▁a ▁cost ▁at ▁about ▁$ 3 , 5 0 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁Marshall ▁W . ▁Al worth ▁Planet arium , ▁located ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Minnesota ▁D ul uth , ▁is ▁now ▁the ▁home ▁of ▁Dar ling ' s ▁T eles cope . ▁ ▁John ▁H . ▁Dar ling ▁Mr . ▁Dar ling ▁was ▁a ▁native ▁of ▁Michigan , ▁having ▁been ▁born ▁at ▁Lake ▁R idge , ▁a ▁small ▁settlement ▁in ▁L ena we e ▁county , ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 8 4 7 . ▁His ▁early ▁education ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁district ▁school , ▁called ▁the ▁Dar ling ▁School ▁House , ▁after ▁which ▁he ▁attended ▁high ▁school ▁for ▁a ▁term ▁at ▁T ec um seh , ▁Michigan , ▁eight ▁miles ▁from ▁his ▁farm ▁home . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁he ▁graduated ▁as ▁civil ▁engineer ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Michigan . ▁The ▁same ▁year ▁he ▁entered ▁the ▁employ ▁of ▁the ▁government ▁and ▁for ▁nine ▁years ▁was ▁engaged ▁as ▁assistant ▁engineer