Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-07
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Daily eagle
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
4. n. CONNOLLY WRITES OF PHO
GEOGRAPHIC SPORTS.

Tho Evolution of the Magic Lantern to
the ereopticon-Explosive Cause.-The
Zoetrope-Animalsi in Motion-The Craze
for Amateur Photography-Fiash Lights
Especial Correspondence.l
NEW YORK, - -~>-Father Kircher, as
Eisted by the defn, invented the ''magic Ian
tern" OF course the same invention has
been attributed to Roger Bacon, but we need
not pay any attention to that story. Some
folks want to credit everything that hap
pened several years ago to some member Of
the Bacon family. That Kircher and the
devil did 1t was clearly understood by the
best people at the time, and they had serious
thoughts Of cooking the only one Of the pair
that they could get hold of, for the good Of
his soul, In the hearty, whole souled way they
had then Of encouraging inventors. Before
they had quite made up their minds to do so
he gave an exhibition, with a lot Of saints
and other respectable persons painted on his
slides, and that Saved his baconn-a colo
quial way of referring to his escape which
possibly accounts for the mixing up Of the
name of Bacon In the matter.
Until the camera came to its aid the magic
lantern was simply toy, and very imper-
ers, Of Philadelphia, found that by means Of
transmitted light, through glass negative,
they could reproduce sun made pictures upon
the glass "slide" Of magic lantern, a process
to which they gave the name Of 'hyalotype."
1t is hardly possible TO overestimate the
importance Of the discovery that thus raised
the toy to the dignity of scientific apparatus
for comforting the keenest enjoyment, effect
lively widening information and elevating
popular taste through the vivid and fault
lessly correct depletion Of the glories and
beauties of nature, the grand works of hui
man genius and the triumphs Of art.
Something In this direction had already
been accomplished by Terrier and others in
Paris, but the slides they produced were only
fit to aid artists, by enlargement, in theatre
cal scene painting, and were by no means
good enough 10 exhibit in public. And they
did no better until Fred Langenheim went
over to Paris and taught them how
1t must not be inferred that the Langen-
helms produced the splendid thing known To-
day as the ''stereopticon. They only made
slides worthy Of q better medium for exhi-
bition than the magic lantern Of that day
was, and the inventive genius Of others
brought the lantern up to the requirements
upon it. The first step in its evolution was in
consequence of the discovery by Lieut.. Drum
mond, Of the English navy, that a mixture Of
oxygen and hydrogen gases, burned upon
calcium, produced light far brighter than
anything previously known to science. II
had its drawback, but it was one that con.
cerned the exhibitor much more than the
spectators. The gases were mixed in big
rubber bag and forced out by enormous pres
sure.
They were, when mixed, very explosive
and not infrequently the exhibition of the
light led Immediately TO search among the
ruins Of the hall for fragments Of the exhibi
tor to keep as souvenirs of the occasion OF
to bury. This naturally had tendency tc
chill the enthusiasm Of exhibitors, and it was
really annoying TO an audience to have lee
turer get as far as, 1--WE viii now exhibit to
you view off, and then never know
what it was that he was going to show or what
had become of him. Professor Hoace's in
vention of the oxyhydrogen blowpipo-which
mixed the gases near the point of ignition
made the use of the Drummond light safe
and that is the light still used for 'stereop
ticon" exhibitions.
The next great step in the perfection Of
this apparatus was a mechanical appliance
invented by Professor G. W. Cromwell, al
American, by which the pictures were giver
the roundness and solid effect of the ''Stereo
scope" made to ''stand out" as artists say
a queer thing about that invention is that il
70 ho in Il ~
SO perfectly that within a forenoon after he
walked he had it made and it worked perfect
ly. 1t not only gave that effect, but it en-
abled him to shift his pictures instantaneous
or to work them as 'dissolving views" anc
to produce the most enchanting and almost
miraculous cloud pictures, such as had pre-
viously not even been dreamed Of.
Another invention that greatly increased
the scope and effectiveness of the magic Ian
tern in its evoluted form was the dry plat
method. AT first, when wet plates were used
it was quite q serious thing to take picture o.
a building, a statue or a landscape In many
places the camera was tabooed; many more
it and the outfit that went with it could only
be got to with the greatest difficulty; anC
where it was practicable and permissible L
use it extraordinary means had TO he taker
TO keep human figures out OF the neld, be
cause they could not be relied upon to keel
still during the time required for exposure
But with the extremely sensitive dry plate
and small effective cameras invented in lat
years al those difficulties are done away with
The apparatus can go wherever person car
carry it; as many persons as choose TO do 81
may ill the field before it and move as much
as they like, and nobody need know that {
picture is being taken. Some of the later ad
ditions to Professor Cromweirs collection o.
over 60,000 views, taken in all parts of the
world. are simply marvellous as specimens OF
instantaneous photography.
The improvements in detail in the making
Of Photographic slides have been too numer-
Gus to mention and, in fact, are still being
made constantly. 1t is an interesting fact
and creditable TO the scientific knowledg,
and skin of our American amateurs that
number of the most valuable have been mad,
by them. In fact there is nothing In thi
branch of the art, except mere love of it, Il
tempt the professional photographer TO waste
his time upon il. Probably not one in TWEEN
tv of the professionals could make a decent
slide. There are some exceptions. of course