“Offer accepted. One 62-inch reflecting telescope from Dr. Peate,” ordered the Bishop.[25] The minutes of the conference state:[26] 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 years old Peate was in good health and had tremendous 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 enthusiasm he started his preparations. He wrote to his usual supplier St. Gobain of France asking the price of a glass blank large enough for a mirror of this size.[27] They quoted a price of $18,000—more, obviously, than he could afford. He then canvassed the glassmakers of Pittsburgh, the center of American glassmaking. However, the Pittsburgh firms had little experience in optical glass, especially of this size, and none would consider making the blank. Having been rebuffed in Pittsburgh, he approached the Standard Plate Glass Company of Butler, Pennsylvania. Plate glass making, at least profitable plate glass making, was new in America and the Standard was one of the newer companies. Moreover, it was reputed one of the best plate glass makers in the country. Peate wrote to H. C. Tilton, general manager of the plant, asking him for a disc of glass without bubble or flaw 62 inches in diameter and 7 inches thick. He further advised him that he would see him in a few days. Tilton’s experience and that of his top supervisors was limited to the business of making ordinary plate glass. Therefore, he sought advice as to the feasibility of this fantastic project. He consulted George Howard, maintenance engineer of the plant, who had graduated from Cornell only a year before. George Howard, later to become noted as an inventor of glassmaking machinery, was at this time simply an optimistic young engineer. “Howard, here’s a man at Greenville who wants us to cast him a disc 62 inches in diameter and 7 inches thick. Is that possible?” Howard calculated the cubical contents of the proposed disc and replied that it was just barely possible. He didn’t see any particular difficulty in it. He thought the first few attempts might fail but felt that they could cast it successfully. Howard was later to ascribe his success more to his optimism and ignorance, rather than to any particular innovation he made. After being reassured by Howard, Tilton continued “Well, this Dr. Peate is coming down here tomorrow and he wants a quotation. How much do you think we ought to ask?”