The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-03-05
A Series OF Midnight Pictures-The Flee
trio Light as am Adjunct to Picture
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trio Light as am Adjunct TO Picture
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Boston Herald, Feb. o.
The winding and spooling room of the
Willimantic Linen company's mills. at Will
imantlc, Conn.,, was the scene last Thursday
night and Friday morning of a singular and
very valuable scientific demonstration. This
was the production Of series OF photo
graphs OF animate and inanimate objects in
rapid succession during the night, and solely
by the aid of apparatus in regular use In the
room, except the camera and the sensinzed
plates upon which the negative pictures
were produced.
pictures at night, for many years since this
was accom- slished by the aid of the oxy-
hydrogen light, and more recently the same
result has been attained by the aid of the
electric light in Paris, London, Boston, and
it Is believed, in some other cities In Paris
General Grant was made the subject of
sitting in an electrically lighted studio, and
in Boston. at the Mechanics Exhibition
building, Mr.. J. w. Black took number of
views while the electric lights were in oper-
alton. So far as the European efforts are
known to have gone, they have been mere
laboratory experiments, and Mr.. Blacks at
tempts were not altogether successful. The
calcium light photography, which, for a
time, was conducted in Court or Hanover
street, has long since been abandoned, so
that it may be said that nothing of an abso-
lutely practical character was accomplished
in the night photography till the recent sue
cessful efforts at Willimantic.
These were carried out by the artists of
the Forbes Lithograph company, who entered
field in which others In their line had
failed to occupy. Taking the spooling room
at the Willlamantic company's mill which
is illuminated by five Brush electric lights,
as the scene of operations the photographers
made number of entirely satisfactory views
of the interior, while the machinery was at
rest, as well as half-a dozen groups of the
principal and subordinate officers of the cor
poration and mills. These efforts resulted
favorably in nearly every instance for
two reasons, one of which was that peculiar
1y prepared plates were used, and the other
a relocation of one or two of the lamps. As
these were originally placed, one OF them
threw strong light upon the front of the
camera and this served to produce a con-
fused effect on the plate, much like that OBJ
tanned in that wel-knoHn humbug called
spirit photography" By moving this light
to point in the rear of the instrument, and
by hanging small curtains of white cotton
between so-1e of the nearer lamps and the
camera, the rays OF light were reflected
upon the objects to be reproduced, while the
instrument remained in comparative dark
ness
In photographing the groups from five to
six minutes exposure was allowed, although
it is quite probable that shorter time
would have answered. As they had no lab
of plates to work with, the operators did
not deem it judicious to experiment as to
economy of time, but rather preferred to
make each piece of glass perform its full
duty and become the repository of a
clearly defined picture From 8 o'clock
day morning two cameras were in
constant use, and during that time
the lights behaved admirably. They flick
cred rarely, and then so lightly that it was
not apparent, except when the observer was
looking directly at the lamp at which the
trouble existed. This steadiness of illumin-
n'was, oil course, due to the remarkable
continuity of the electric arc, which was
maintained to degree which one of the
spectators, who has witnessed many exhibit
tions of the electric light about Boston,
never before observed. Whether this ad-
mirable effect is the rule or not there Is
room for question, and, no doubt, those most
familiar with the matter of electric illumin-
alton will be the most sceptIcal, but the fact
exists that successful Photographic views
were really obtained, and it is equally true
that the manager of the mills are SO well
satisfied with their experience that they are
about to order other dynamo electric ma
chimes, and extend the system of lighting
through considerable portion OF their
buildings. They have become we'll satisfied
that. in large rooms. the electric is a highly
economical substitute for gas, and that it
has the additional advantage of rendering
delicate shades, which, under the gas flame
seem alike, as distinct as by the light of the
sun.
1t is now possible. with the use of the
electric light. and by the process developed
by the Forbes company, to make entirely
successful Photographic productions of dark
interiors, 30 that buildings into which the
raw Mt ho npta ~ INN ~
tunnels, may be as faithfully photographed
as an object in the glass-roofec studio.
Every Man His Own Undertakes.