The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-07-13
AMATEURS CAMERAS.
PHOTOGRAPHY A RAGE. AMONG
THE ARTlsTlcALLY INCLINED.

a Curious Collection Of Pictures, OBJ
tained in the slums ut Midnight BY
Means Of the Magnesium Flssh-Amuss-
mont for Ones Guests. #u%. @
Amateur photography has become a genu-
inc rage Every self respecting young PEI.
son who would keep abreast Of he times b
produces more or less speaking Licensees Of
their friends and family, Of everything Thai
lives and moves or has its being within tense
nook and corner Of the house. There IL
Scarcely q library table throughout the
length and breadth Of this city which is not
laden with dim and wierd amateur Licensees
of the family-pictures the amateur regards
with blissful pride and the family with in
dulgent federation. But sven this joy Of
caricature begins to pail on the holder spirits,
and their very latest achievement and de-
light is the fash light photograph.
For those who are unfamiliar with this
method Of melancholy p~erpetuation it may
be necessary to explain that it includes an in
Simultaneous tense, a detective camera, and
cartridges loaded with magnesium. These
cartridges are either fired off with a match
or exploded in a pistol made for the purpose.
With these implements an instantaneous
picture can be taken in the pitch dark, and
the favorite fad is founder the guidance
and protection Of a p~oliceman-visit the
slums at midnight and BY the use Of the sud-
den binding fash Of magnesium cartridge
procure strange incidents Of that quarter
taken as they occurred.
a CURIOUS COLLECTION.
A physician here-well known, too, but
who objects to any Publicity concerning his
little a,aueoncnt-has a cul ious collection OF
pictures obtained in this way. He is a friend
4 Inspector Byrncs, and by special indul-
gence and under the personal conduct of the
great detective was enabled to procure some
negatives that could not be duplicated in this
country. He and the inpector visited the
vilest dives and, without the inmates being
aware Of his purpose, he would get his
camera focused, and without warning, a
lightning flash from his pistol would fix the
scene OF the plate. One of the scenes in an
opium den is peculiarly effective, as he stood
in the doorway unnoticed until the magnes-
iuml light flashed out and caught the whole
picture, with every inmate of the place in
his natural, unrestrained attitude. There
are fan tan players in the full fury Of the
game on some Of his plates; dance halls,
filed with half drunken and wholly drunken
brutes knocking their glasses on the table in
applause Of some salacious ditty chanted by
a bedizened creature whom it is fattery to
call a woman. Without going down into the
haunts of the criminal classes, it is possible,
through this large collection of proofs, to
get a clear idea of them in their unconscious
One OF the most remarkable pictures in
this collection is one taken, not by the quick
glare OF incandescent mineral, but imprinted
on the sensitive gelitine by heavens own fire.
he;: DR.. - first began his experiments at
The seashore last summer there can a night
of pitchy ~blackness, with a prodigious wind
and great electrical disturbances, but no
rain. Carrying the camera out upon the
and drawing the slide he waited for a
lash of the lightning, which was binding in
its intensity. 4 sudden CLEAN lit the world
as suddenly expired in blackness. He
closed the slide and carried the plate away
'or development. Such a picture as that rag
ng ocean, photographed by lightning, pre-
'ents was never equaled. It is like one of
Dore's CHASTITY phantasies.
AMUSING ONES GUESTS.
Another use of this fash photography is to
lford amusement to ones guests. It has
superseded for the moment the amateur reci-
~ationist and the parlor warbler. At break
asst, luncheon and Inner parties the camera
nan is introduced and catches a picture Of
he entire scene, the results being dis
ributed by mail among the guests a few
lays later. 1t used to be the fashion, when
attending a meal notable in any way, to Sc
ure the autographs Of the whole party on
he back of the menu, but how it is held far
more desirable to have the likeness of the
or beautiful participants. and that in
heir natural attitudes, engrossed in CONVEX
alton, and not primly arranged for perpetu-
ton.
The other night q lot of actors and artists
Blum, Howard Pyle, Bacher the etcher.
'oung Sothern, Boil billiard, and more than
can recall at the moment-wcre frolicking
n a studio at 5 o'clock in the morning whe,,
sacher suddenly flashed his camera on t.,
nd they are fixed forever in the full tide Of
lark. The bottles are like leaves III Valanl-
rosa, the air is thick with smoke wreathes,
1il]iard is in the midst Of a good story and
he auditors all roaring with laughter. It's
he most life like and picturesque photograph
I all of the many instantaneous pictures I've
cen. Another was taken at a luncheon
by Mrs. Stevens to Miss Paget just be-
ore she set sail for England, and tho young
beauty was caught by the camera
Nth her mouth wide open III a yawn, which
he took advantage Of tue momentary dark
ming Of the room to indus &c in. It displays,
|oes that rosy opening, a good double rowo Of
white teeth, but the effect is very
unny, and her friends say that her counte-
ance is even more open than candid.-New
FORK Cor. Brooklyn Eagle.