The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-10-22
BIG PHOTOGRAPHS.
How the Mammoth Pictures Of the Public
Buildings Are Made.
Washington Star.l .


~ don't know that they are the largest
photographs ever made, but they are the
largest have any knowledge Of" The
speaker, Mr.. T. w. Smillie. the photog
rapher of the National Museum, was look
ing at an immense photograph OF the Treas.
ury building which was standing in his
laboratory In the Museum building, as he
answered in this way question of a Star
reporter. The picture in question is one
Of a series of thirteen OF all the public
buildings in this city. and the distinct out
lines and vast extent OF the photographs
gave an impression that was vividly real.
All these photographs are seven feet long
and four wide, and are intended to form
part of the Government exhibit at Cincin.
natl and New Orleans. The process by
which these large photographs are made is
one of great interest, and Mr.. SmiDie was
obliging enough to give somewhat in de.
tail the method Of their production.
"These photographs" he remarked tc
the reporter, "differ in the process of their
production from the ordinary photograph,
because the latter is printed by contact
with the original, the light passing through
IL in contact with the paper. There is nc
development needed, and the picture is
printed at once to the depth we require"
"Iu the case of these large photo
graphs" continued Mr.. Smillie, ian in.
strument similar TO a solar camera Is used
except we apply the electric light with
1t. The process is a modification Of the
old.fashioned whey and silver process.
We first take a strong, heavy paper,
which we get in rolls 200 feet long and 81
inches wide, and salt it with whey CON
taiping iodine and bromide Of potassium,
with trace OF chloride OF ammonia. The
paper is sponged over and then dried.
Then the negative is placed in the enlarg'
ing instrument. The negative is eight by
ten inches: very clear and sharp, being
made especially for this purpose. The
light passing through itprojects the image
upon a screen from the instrument de-
terming the size of the photograph. Then
the paper is spread down on the table and
flowed over with solution OF nitric OF
silver This combines with the iolines
and bromides already in the paper, form
ing iodine and bromide OF silver. Toe pa.
pei is then hung on the screen and exposed
TO the light, that is the light image pro-
jected upon the screen. After being ex'
posed until the image just appears slight
ly, 1t is laid down on the table and devel.
oped, which is done by flowing solution
OF pyrogalic acid over the surface. Wheu
the proper point OF development il
reached IL is stopped by throwing solu
hon OF salt in the water. Then the sail
is washed of and the print is firmly fixed
in a solution of hyposulphite of soda.
When It is washed out the picture Il
DONE"
ADO you find the use Of the electric lIgh
an advantageT asked the listensr.
ayes" be replied. ave are not affected
by the weather In the Arst place and car
work on cloudy days or at night Thei
the pictures are sharper WITH the electric
light. We get finer definition. Will
the solar light he plctureswould not bs 81
successful. Our picture Of the Washing
ton Monument, at its present height" con
tinued the artist, sis one Of the most elfeo
tive we have made. The monument look
so immense in the picture and everything
else so small. The building Of the print
ing bureau Is shown in the background
but 1t is C-ily six inches high, while tn
monument is six leet"
In the use OF the electric light Nj
Smillie said that they empl Dyed an cleo
trio governor, or q resistance dial, whic
is similar 70 governor In steam engine
By means OF this governor the strength &
the current is regulated aud the light
kept at one point constantly. The stead
ness OF the light adds to the sharpnei
and distinctness Of the outlines Of th
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