The sun., 1890-12-07
BELLEVUE'S PHOTOGRAPHER.
1wExTr-Tuo YEARS OF UNPAID WORK
ron HUMANITY.

Those Money.chasinG Tines - Work
which Has Been Model for the World.
For many years the city has had photographs
taken OF most OF tho dead bodies which have
been brought to the Morgue and not identified
by friends or relatives within two or three
days after reception. Tho object OF this 10
evident A record OF the appearance OF the
unknown dead Is thus preserved on single
sheet OF paper. which Is Infinitely moro ser
viceable than verbal dcscrip iptions which might
I'LL q volume. These records In silver and sun
light have. in hundreds Of instances, led to tho
Identification OF the dead long after burial
In some casos months and years afterward.
Besides, when photograph OF an unidentified
body has been secured. the body can be buried
In tho Potter's Field on Hart's Island without
delay. Tho system is rendered practically
poriect by New Yorks method OF burial in the
Potter's Field. A body buried there any time
within the past twenty years can be recovered
with certainty and without trouble
few months ago man called at the ONCE
OF the Department OF Charities and Correction
at Third avenue and Eleventh street. and
asked to SOC President Porter. He exhibited
several photographs OF persons taken after
death. The workmanship was excellent The
man explained that he was q photographer,
and had frequently been called upon by FAM
iles to make pictures OF their dead. His suc-
cess with the work had suggested 10 him that
he mako 1t q specially. He has done SO. and
now. after several years OF experimenting. he
considered himself an expert Mr.. Porter OK
amined the portraits, and pronounced them
first class. Tho man then made formal mp.
plication for the work OF photoGraphing the
dead Of tho city MorGue.
do you know what we pay for that work ?"
asked Mr.. Porter
d IL w.. ~ Il
for caoh photograph"
THAT is So" said Mr.. Porter. but do you
know how much It all amounts to In tho
course OF the year2"
Il do not" replied tho photographer. but I
do know that your present photographer.
Oscar g. Mason. manages 70 live In pretty good
style and docs not have to do outside work.
Would 1t surprise you to know" asked Mr..
Porter, pointedly. that Mr. Masons work
costs the city between $40O and 5000 year2"
The photographer whistled softly and was
silent Then he said that the business was
very much smaller than he had supposed. but
that still. at the rate Of IS photograph. 1t was
we'll worth the doing. He said he was d;sap-
pointed in the prospect but that. nevertheless.
Gs Topd ID p,ts1s his apDleason and Il sue.
ness sn and In, il fhat ;s Wy %sEs:it nrottsSie. -
sbons ason T '09 Yoa ss
ona S 90 Is nos ,Rs Reea a
the work that Mr.. Mason docs for u.s. vet It is
hs Great bulk Of his sins 10
photoSrapninE cases OF disease and deformity
Of n
hs.HTss IS q Ia ths aayanys Of s
physicians. and mex perienced surgeons This
lish;;cass h;e scientific work he throws in ior
ncsHmsm mSfd Which comes from the occasional Jobs
nos iSs dsS hHt Is bn is
snd m ed and ssufsss ga ph
the unpleasant work Of phosoeraphine eighty
devotes almost his entire time 70 department
work: and is always ready and willing to saeri-
But. to como down to the question before rs.
you seriously want to undertake all OF Mr.
your application with the COMMISSIONERS and
I ~ Whsthsr It + t9 the
sS.s ySa Ios Mr. Mason as tSs a department sa
The pho,oxraphher arose. He said simply
on his hat and lett the building. Hs is not the
% 9nly one e, WHO -, has appied for Mr. Mason's Job
". there have been many applications for the
Mor%f M% q H., ph"tograph;ns the G,ys Unknown
has rsaEed ior hs hat and and
oscar 6; Mason has been photographer to
te!eyue HGGsrtal n Tor oyer & tTensy;two years.
aranhic work Tor notnlng. aud gave his entire
time to II. He has never since received pay
rsnbns Sr ,ns exSsp h0 q
That very useful department was added
s:ss;sSd nSthIns M Only xhss s4nf he 'Rs eiPs
hs consented 10 draw pay for tho Mnrsus w"rs. .I
he has persisted In performing for noIhing.
.skiGg only H that the city pay the bare cost 81
less than 500 year and iulnish him studio
foems rent free AZ his studio has always been
tho city outlay sss M %sson Sss
pever used this studio for personal profit it
has never lever been e, public gallery and such pr:
require his services. and with instruments and
are numerous and Of ilne quality The instru:
and oudo:r @ work Ss a. M~cS d1f!s 81
the most careful picture taking cannot be done
fthe patients to DO pbotoeraphed or the many
oGsratinG,ro instrumsnts and surgical ap-
plbnc0S u De used III the operations photO-
GRABBED. Such pictures must be tBkeu in the
hospi tai wards In insufficient light. Hence the
not suilioe; Several complete portab,'e instru-
overcome tho defects OF the HOSPITAL wards
from tho photographic standpoint. There are
nearly sixty fine and expensive lenses on the
fnhe|yss n|ys q, o.. til. hospital gallery. But
Bellevue does not own sinRio instru-
mont or Ions, or indeed any OF the minor n3-
P!ihnce. Tor Ieyoloning. printing, aud finish
Ing. EVERYTHING in tho gallery. except tho few
cheap chemicals + tho personal property
BY him especially ior tho hospital work, and
very rarely, used for my other purpose. The
uso. a., we'll rs tho time and labor OF the pho.
toerapherr; are 81 essnted TO the hospital by Mr..
Mason. There Is also In the gallery u photo
graphic library equal to any private library OF
= similar charnctor In the country, and i'm
msnsuraEly better than any other at the COM
nand OF any nation. Stale, Or civic authority.
Mr. Mason has COLLECTED this library during an
experience of mnny years rs practical pho-
tographer and o student OF his art 1t also Is
devoted to the Bellevue work without charge.
The photograpnsE himself 10 on duty every
work Tor him 10 do: II there are no new cases
to be photographed there are plates to be de-
N nd mr. TO 10 baA ANi al ND tol