River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-05-16

of which latter, however, there is not
much, and what there is circles the
horizon only of well-shaped head.
His brownish-gray eyes are as kindly
as his soft voice. lie is thoroughly
contented when at work in his studio
and loves to mingle with his appliances
in the shop just as an inventor loves to
test and operate a machine OF which he
is the happy author. Mr.. Smillie is an
expert on Photographic work, and
owing to his reputation was engaged
to take charge of the photographs Of
flee when the organization was estab-
lished. lie modestly asserts that he is
as vet only rudimentary worker, but
il can be said that he ranks as one of
the foremost of American photograph
ers.
The camera shop is connected with
the Smithsonian institution. but is To-
Gated within the building occupied by
the national museum. The studio en-
braces a number of rooms on the top
floor of the building, completely iso-
lated from the rest of the structure
and quite remote from the exhibits of
curios. The quarters occupied are by
no means suitable for the work which
is done, but owing to the lack of funds
there has been no adequate provision
made for the enlargement and improve
ment of the present facilities. Several
blind doors shut off the sight of the
gallery from the communicating corri-
doris, and the gallery is only reached
after climbing a rather perpendicular
and perilous circular flight of iron
stairs. The room where the principal
work is done is occupied by the in
Vulnerable tools and appliances of the
workers, and affords anything but
an agreeable place to labor. 1t is
lighted by large slSylight, the roof of
which starts from the surrounding
walls, about five feet from the floor.
The room is therefore close and
squatty, and disagreeable in summer
on account of the heat, while it is UNI
comfortable in the winter months on
account of the cold. There is also a
number of windows or small doors on
the walls from which are built large
board platforms. On these the mega
tives are placed when the pictures are
being printed by exposure to the light.
Although the photographers have IN
adequate and disagreeable quarters
their scientific appliances are said to be
the best obtainable. The institution is
fortunate, too, in being the recipient of
valuable specimens of improvements,
which are donated by the manufacture
| ers who desire them - be tested Off
cially, and great importance is attached
to the opinion Of the photographers at
/ this studio who examine the various
appliances and put theIn to the best
use. The room has a varied collection
\ of cameras of all kinds, from the little
miniature plaything to the immense
F, tripod camera for use in taking pictures
and views of extensive landscapes and
large buildings. The largest camera in
the collection has "a plate 25x30 inches.
To the visitor to the studio the most in
teresting figure in the collection is a
I small daguerreotype camera which was
presented to the National Photograph
ers' association. September 81, 1871, by
/ Prof S. f. Il. Morse, the well-known
inventor of the telegraph. That asso-
citation was the prototype of the Photo
/ graphic association of to-day. The
former association ceased to exist a
1 few months after Prof. Morse made mis-
donation. Its history is very interest
| ing, as il numbered among its member
ship nearly all of the early and famous
photographers of the country, and to
I it is due much credit for the place
which photography holds to-day in the
world of arts and refined mechanics.
| This camera was the first daguerreo-
/ type apparatus made in our country
and before its presentation the father
of practical electricity sent to Paris
and secured the fra achromatic lenses
ever made. and which have since that
time played very important part in
photography,
Along the Row wall of one side of the
room are several cabinets which were
/ formerly used To hold curios downstairs
in the Smithsonian institution. and
nave been taken up for use in the
studio In these cabinets are exhibited
specimens showing the entire process
of taking picture from the time OF re-
moving the cap IT nm the lens until Il a
mounted and polls ned on the cardboard
back This.fine coll ectiop of specimens
is the result of years of extensive re-
search on the part OF the photographer,
Mr.. Smillie, who has gathered together
samples of each of the articles used in
taking and developing a photograph
from the time the first machine was in
vented until the present day. 1t Is be-
! lieved that the national museum viii in