New-York tribune., 1886-08-15
IMPRINTED BY LIGHTNING.
A PICTURE TAKEN IN A THUNDER STORM
SCIENTIFIC MRN PUZZLED By TIE PHENOMENON
A GIRLS FACE PHOTOGRAPHED on A TRAY.

SCIENTIFIC MrN PUZZLED By TuE PHENOMENON
GIRLS sFACF PHOTOGRAPHED on TRAY.
A remar1a freak of lightning recently Oc-
Cured Plainheld, ~ J. Cornelius ID. Paul lives in
West Fourthst The Of the bay window the
dinng OF his large fra mo house open and In
the OF the window stood small stsd on which
rested polished Old gold Japanese Upon this tray
the lightning imprinted the photograph of Miss Lillian
Paul. young lady about eighteen years OF The in
cidents attending this phenomenon best described
in the following statement which Mrs Pau has pre-
parcd
Ihave been requested to give account OF singular
ph nomen0u or freak OF nature that occurred In our
OF tue Isth OF July. Tho faulty had all retired early,
with he exception OF my daughter who was sitting up
home minute. The Of the storm increased
the igntnng Was vivid and continuous thatth
daughter -" st"pping iuto the TO ro-e the
WINDOWS saw thai small Irav tn. lay upon aoir IN
ssem,d danserou, MANNER beDg In The ccntro 0i an
almost constant hlaz- OF light. Approaching Tor the
purpose of removing H. she ideniy siartlet by
fearful fash amd hastily Inr, 3s.ay hut waiting for
ing off aud covering IL with Nothing further
WAS thought OF this until next in"rninr wien on re-
IT. we discovered prnhle likeness OF my
daughter apparently burned into the lacquer Of the tray
We cannot account or this. except cn the hyolhess
that the p'cur' must have neen photoerapheh ny ns
electric ght at the tDe my daughter drew BACK 50
TIE and we contribute these few facts IN tnn ncr
fQnHrd. v. J. Aug. IL, lss6
Tue we-known electrician. Leo Daft. who lives In
Pia nfeld has taken considerable interest in the mat
toI. lie has examined the tray, and has prepared the
following as his opinion OF the cause OF the phenom-
From a careful examination Of tho circumstances
attending the really phenomchhi case aDoVo rr"rreu
TO- on led attribute the result to the secondary
rather han t1r prlary effect ol electricity inasmnc
OF the vtabe si.nS o; local ais
charse visible, far can rAr were the eutcs
OF "snocs" experienced ~ the yonng Lady. which
beon received by the metal tray since ia' on
"A dry mahogany tanir without mrtailc surround
ing = and body would thds fDrmcd tho line o
direct action that OF change briug dua TO
heat also regarded untenabr not oniv iroiil.
reme mprobauy. hut because the opposite sid" oi
thin metal Ippeara Ia br entirely nhaHe'teu
we ar. therefore apparently compelled to accept tho
only ning hyp"tnesis. namely that the enect ".s
ght, this theory does Do present the difn-
cuty apparent conflict with natural iaw sihc"
we'll knOwn certain acqucrs. tsptcia thO>o
containing cOorns matter NOR" or less SensVf 10
ghi md rbs-hce of proper anay.i- OF this par
cuar ldcq Ter am led 10 suspect tHai the sipsiaicn
known Dragon Bio'i was useu. whl"h III cOnioi-
Nation wi:h certain germs commonly +lupioyrh hy
scaler manufacturers exh!tits marked ELECTS ny ohs
continued seton Of even feeble Giuse light 1ts not
therefore impo-soie tnat su, an inteusrly Actnio
image wonld he projected IRON. brilliant ana
dow pane and from thence 10 the tray ef,
fectei change ID tue fraction OF second "hch wouu
represent that due 10 many days or even weeks oi su
diifus.d light, nud thus produced the image NY
reducing ina; particular spot 10 the condition ~hoh
tnic vii develop Uvrr the whole surface.
Samuel V. D. Burr, Of The Seitnhfc American, who Is
also resident her, says that the Is the only orc
TN record that he Will endeavor by means OF expert
melts 10 explain the ctlse OF the phenomenon. Tho
has atrac, cd considerable attention from other
scientific nen.