The Dickinson press., 1889-08-17
THE SILENT CITY,"
Wonderful Photograph Taken of Re-
narkablo Mirage in Alaska.

murkablo Mirage in Alaska.
During the past fifteen years Professor
Richard ID. Willoughby has been II char
acter in Alaska we'll known among
whites and natives. AS one of the early
settlers of old Fort Wranscl, in which
his individuality was stamped among
the sturdy miners who frcqucm,cd the
then important trading post, lie has
grown with the far off territory, and is
today as much part of AlaslSls history
rs the totem poles arc identified with
the past lives of native chieftains. To
him belongs the honor of being the first
American who discovered gold within
Al;,slsa's ice hound peaks.
Professor WillougAbv is favorahly
known from Fort Tongas to Mount st.
Elias He lived third of century
along the coast, and his knowledge of
Southeastern Alaska forms an Arctic
encyclopedia of which he himself is an
inscparable part. He left civilization so
long ago that he does not remember of
ever having seen a locomotive or IL train
of cars. He is Il man of robust stature
and about 60 years of age. AS Il miner
he has no equal in the territory, He has
exposed more locations of mineral wealth
than any other three men, and is at pres
pnt the owner of many promising claims.
Among other things upon which he en-
ploys his spare momcntsis is photography
While pursuing this scientific ;muse
mcnt Professor Willoughby frequently
discovered remarkable mirages, and al
ter four years of labor, amid dangers,
privation and suffering, he accomplish
cd for tho civilized world Il feat in pho
Biography heretofore considered prob
lcnatic. 1t was on the longest day in
June, 1888, that Willoughby's camera
took within its grasp the reproduction of
Il city rcmotcand, at first glance, thought
to be within the rccesscs of another
world This remarkable photograph was
taken at 0 9o'clock at night in Glacier bay
The mirage city was named by Profcs-
sor Willoushby 1.-The Silent City" The
first two copies were sent to the govern
mcnt officials at Washington, ID. c. Tic
second was placed in the hands of the
purser of an Alaskan steamer, and the
third copy was sent to The Chronicle. 1t
is 10 inches in length by 8 inches in width.
The view. sometimes indistincl, is arp;,-
rcntly taken from public park or gar
den on Il hill. In the foreground is Il
sravclcd walk, q stout fence, II rustic
scat and littlo child at play. Bcysnt
the stone wall are tho roofs of houses
with clumps of trees ut the sides. In til,
distance arc the half completed towcr
of ii cathedral and several tall publ,
buildings, while far away, cnvclopcd il
what appears to bo Il cloud like atm"s
phcrc, are tall siuokc stacks and tn,
towers of churches. The style of arcli
lecture is decidedly modern, the roof
are like those of England OF tho Britlsl
provinces. Tho climncys aro made o
tiles. Taken as Il whole, it is u remark
able photograph, artistic to large dc
gree.
a correspondent of The Chronicle
writing from Juneau, Alaska, says o
Willoughbv and his wonderful photo
graph: 1.-THE professor is perfect.
straight i'm his business transactions, am,
in my dealings with him have foun
him tho soul of honor. | have frequent
ly seen miragcs in Alaska, hut ncvc
saw tho photograph OF one. Peterson
Brothers, who are tho only first elias
artists here, say tho picture is a genuine
production, and think it is of Il city il
Russia San Francisco can probably 10
cato tho town"
a hundred people or more wcr
shown the photograph yesterday. Som
regarded tho whole thing as u fraud
while others believed it the gcnun
Photographic result of mirage. On
} man related his experience with Il mi
rage i'm Death Valley, in San Bcrnardin
county. Going down the mountain sid
into the valley one sees Il mirage repre-
scnting luxuriant garden with lakes
rivers, waterfalls and rich vegetation
Upon reaching the base of tho noun
tain barren. sandy desert is found il
the valley.
The expert photographer employed Il
Ialoss art rooms examined the photo
} graph critically and said: 81 ncvc
heard of city represented in u mirag
before have seen islands and land
scaps, but never a city The photo
graph is the result of n badly expose
plate | regard it as a trick Such a re
suit could he obtained in making cop
from Il similar photograph by long e.;
pos,ire on a bright moonlight night, sa
am hours exposure But the figure of
human being, like those Of tho childrcl
in the foreground Of this picture, woul
not show ut all in the representation Of
mirage. This photograph was taken b.
a rapid exposure, about two on three sec
onds in duration, either in bad light O
a poor exposure. ~
Mragcs, as general rule, reprcacL
scenes i'm the immediate vicinity, nc
over few .lundrcd miles away at tn
best. At first the city Of Victoria wa
suggested, but an old resident of tina
city denied the likeness. Victoria is full
900 miles from Glacier bay, where tn
alleged photograph was made. A scor
of persons vcnturcd an opinion as to II!
location of "Thc Silent City," However
no one could be found who recognize
the scene At Tabor's and other plloto
. graphic establishments it was though
the picture was that Of Il city in Franc
; or Germany. A dozen persons agree
that it resemblcd Montreal or Quebec
possibly Halifax. The agents of the {;
} madam Pacific, who are well acquaintc
: with Canadian cities, stated that it coul
not he Toronto, Ottawa or Quebec. The
were divided in opinion as to Ha!ifa
and Montreal. In the latter city thcrc
a cathedral building resembling The on
in the photograph. AS final result {
yesterdays investigation Montreal AZ
pears to he the most likely city repre-
scntcl in the wonderful mirage rictul
pt The Silent City."-San Francise
Chronicle.
Another Eoya. Engagement.
FRINGE Eugene, of Sweden, and ii
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