The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-05

land. Others who were familiar with Bris-
tol verified the identification. and more late-
y Prof: William H. Hudson, Of Stanord
University, California, recognized the view
as Of Bristol, looking from the noted Bran
don hill.
In the June useD number of the Popular
Science Monthly, Prof. David Starr Jordan,
president Of the Stanford University, pup
l!shed an article in which he charged that
and said that it had been made from an
old plate taken twentv years ago. professor
Hudson remembered that the FAMOUS nous
undergoing repairs. An INVESTIGATION INTO
the methods of photography used by Mr..
Willoughby, which was made by an ofncer
Of the Albatross, was not satisfactory. The
old prospector fatty refused to disclose
what sort of chemicals he had used or how
he had developed his plates. Professor Jor-
dan took high scientific ground in his criti-
ciSm of the photographs, and did not hesl-
Alaska were concerned. the Willoughby
stantial guide.
Professor Jordans argument would be
strong or even convincing from the stand
point of cfrcums tantial evidence were it not
counterba,la1nced by testimonial evidence nee
sonable doubt. Even If Mr.. Willoughbys
photographs were not genuine, the chances
great A man named Bruce we'll known in
Alaska, testifies that he saw the city de-
scrfbed by Mr.. Willoughby. s. B. French
also says he was fortunate enough to see
it. There is an Indian legend about Glacier
bay in which the story of the phantom city
is preserved Robert Christie and George
Patterson, Of Bartlett bay aver that they,
too have seen it. And now comes Mr.
Thornton, man Of position in Seattle ana
agree perfectly not only in their statement
of having seen the citv, but also in the de-
tailed description of it.
the mirage agree in several important de-
tails Of the appearance. The streets IN the
mirage are always deserted The observers
o architecture
like the architecture of an American town.
The houses are quaint, solid and old-fash-
in the presence Of towers and a dome, as
If of some monster building, and OF at
least one thin church splrre, IN the dlsIhnce.
graphs taken in 1888 is in possession of the
writer. In the foreground are seen several
houses unquestionably Of English architec-
ture. There are the elm trees with leafless
branches. The main feature Of the picture
is the LOFTY structure in the middle, SAID
Bristol as it appeared twenty years ago,
when the building was undergoing repairs.
The strongest points made by Prof. Jor-
dan in his article are found in his indica-
tons of the nearness of the houses in the
foreground and the leafless elm trees lin
midsummer.) These two things are certain
ly telling points against the genuineness of
the Willoughby photographs. Even the small
judging by the tales told by Mr.. Thornton,
apparent proximity and clearness Of detail
mirages.
Are there two silent cities in the skies of
Alaska? If the Willoughby photographs are
genuine there must be, for the description
given by Mr.. Thornton of what he saw in
July does not coincide with the photo
graphs taken AXE NH nine years ago from the
ton, distinct as to require strong
faith that 1T was not a real city. The pr1n-
peared to be two Chinese temples. In the
middle OF the city was a huge building
with great columns aF reaching fr ON the
great dome. Near this structure was a
group of solid buildings which Mr.. Thorn-
there was a church with a tall spire and
then three buildings that looked like fac
tories" He added that these three build
city seemed to extend far away in that d.
rection.
for all these stories The alleged observers
are deluded and no one ever saw city,
silent otherwise, in the Alaskan skies;
all these stories are pure fabrtcations. and
the travellers are attempting to deliberately
deceive their hearers; or silent cities are
seen in mirage from the Muir and the
seem absurd to charge six men with will
full deception. Such suppoSition involves
concerted action among them and six men
Of ordinarily good character do not de-
liberately lie with no especial purpose in
view. Equally absurd is 1t to suppose that
these various witnesses were the victims
of Illusion delusion or hallucination, which
ever the scientific man desires to call it,
Even scientific men have been doubted
wren they have made assertions concerning
marvellous matters unsupported by more
substantial evidence. The only absolute
proof Of the truth of these travellers tales
will be. of course, photographs taken under
conditions which will admit of no doubt
OF their genuineness. Until this is done
scientific men will ridicule the stories, and
for that very reason, perhaps, 1t will not
be a man of science who will be the first
to obtain indisputable evidence of the al
legged phenomenon.
Alaska's mysterious city Qf it be a mirage
truly is of that class of mirages known
as "Fata MOrgana," so called because of
the Sieilian belief that the wonderful
mirages. Of the Sea of Reggie are caused
The phenomenon seen in the Straits of
MeSSina is Il most remarkable and beauti-
full effect of mirage. The airy images take
the forms of grand architectural struc-
arches towers, castles, palaces, avenues,
trees and wooded plains, with crowds of
moving men and women and animals, the
whole scene being full of the highest ami
velously in color. These transformations
are caused by extraordinary reflections in
the atmosphere. The silent city of the
glaciers is a most commonplace and order
credible effects of refraction that are seen
in Calabria. and if Mr.. Willoughby had
told Of a mirage such as the Fata Morgana
is known to be he would probably be given
received at the hands of Professor Jordan
in the Popular Science Monthly But as
Professor Jordan confidently predicted a
new outbreak of the glacier city and more
doubt feel more than justified for the
opinions he has expressed concerning the
Enrelability of the unframed observers of
Glacier bay.