The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-05-18
PULLING ILLUSIONS.
HOW EFFECTED.
Results That Battle Keenest Eyes
Attained by the Use of Mir
rOrs and Other Devices.
GHOSTS WALK. SPHINXES TALK.
Tricks by Which Showmen Conjure
Shekels Into Their Coffers-An
Instance in Which a Patent Did
Not Provide Monopoly.

NaEF, AosT people find sort of fascination in
EWE things very ike yet unlike nature which
E|&A . are close limitations of the genuine arti-
@ND Gle aud yet are lacking in some of the
essential particulars.
Good illusions" and "automata" are always
in demand in proportion to their excellence.
Still so great are III difficulties in the way of
producing them, and so great the Ignorance re-
garding their manufacture, even by those who
have for years handled them, that those worthy
OF an extended history are comparatively few
''AuIomata" were commenced very early in
the worlds history. Homer describes Vulcan as
having maze tripods that moved on wheels"
and Plato and Aristotle both wrote OF STATUES
Invented by D8daluS which EotiOnly walked but
nad 10 be lied up TO prevent their walking
away" And so the list might be continued down
TO KelIsr's famous Psyche OF the present time
aud fame.
Before automata properly come illusions-those
puzzles that confound by appealing TO the
in a manner which the judgment
demus as an impossbiity.
"CHLoRIs" AND PEPPERS GHOST"
An enclosed platform raised some three feet
above the floor about three feet square is sur
mounted on both sides by a simple railing, from
which depends curtain. In the center Is box,
perhaps two feet long, eighteen inches wide and
eight or len inches deep, supported on legs per
haps eight inches high. In the center of the box
is >eeu l6llale mead apparently placed on Top
OF the box surrounded by flowers. The rest Of
the anatomy is concealed, and the astoulshed
spectator is left 10 guess where and how. Just
how these Illusions are produced Professor Feg-
gelteT, at presenI i!lusOnist and mechanic to tile
Palace Museum and other noted museums In this
and other cities, and who has invented and
shown nearly all OF the famous receptions OF the
past thirty years, has kindly given me his time
ana drawings and explanation OF the way illu-
sious are made, taking them IN the order of their
production down TO his latest
HE nrst sensation in this line the ghOstly
apparljion known as Peppers Ghost" and it
was one OF the simplest illusions, as might be
expected. II WAS tiTst produced at a penny
GAM one OF the cheapest OF London theateTS, by
Professor Feggetter, who was then but 13 years
old. Like most OF the famous inventions il
came about through observance of natures
laws. Professor FegeetteT observed his mothers
Image reflected IN polished window glass and
following out the principle there revealed set to
work ana 10 primitive form brought forth the
ghost show" using as subject Miss Minnie
Cough. lady who has since become famous as
an actress IN England and in this country. Pro-
lessor Dlrckes, a noted English mechanic OF that
period. SEEING the idea anu its capabilities for
improvement, made proper apparatus patented
II ana took II TO The Polytechnic in London, and
there II gained the name OF Peppers Ghost"
from the TACT that Professor Pepper was the
lecturer OF that institute and constantly before
tie public.
HOW THE GHOST WORKS.
The ghost show" speedily became the talk
OF TIE town and II ran IOr four years. It's sue
cess, OF course occasluned an American appear
auee, which It gOI al Barnum's Museum on the
lime Peppers Ghost" has been shown all over
ihls country, aud now furnishes entertainment
10 thousands daily In some of the various dime
museums that dot The continent.