Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-08-26
PHOTOGRAPHIC MYSTERIES.
The Surprising Images That some.'"s
a1,c,v After q Plate II Developed.

-..,,~ Images That Sometimes
show After Plate II Developed.
Il IA no uncommon experience to una
upon new plates certain images ioi
which there seems no possible e1piana
ton. their startling and unaccountapie
anpearance being ''wropt in mlstry,
cansinc establishment not unmlxed with
nnoapny feeling. A gentleman MADE
an exposure upon the interior OF
friend;s house. p was doubtful OF the
time and proceeded to develop for un-
der exposure To his great surprise tne
plate developed quickly, and 10 ms
Greater surprise the image was an IN
terior unite different from that upon
,-bicb he had exposed. The plate was
from a fresh box and could not possibly
have had previous exposure.
Another instance of the kind, having
ANTE a sensational and tragic ending, |
| Is ON record. An exposure was mace
nnon a view having a river IN the 1ore-
Ground. The photographer, while de-
velopinq this peculiar plate. was per-
| feotiy astounded by an appearance
which he had not seen while taking the
| nhotoorauh, and for which he could IN
m wav account. On completing the
development there was plainly reveal
ed in the foreground Of the picture the
/ Arure of q woman, apparently floating
nnrioht In the water. Not many weeks
after. to complete the mystery, the BODY
~ woman was found in the river at
the exact spot where the photograph
hal been taken.
Again. not long since, the daily pa.
ners we're agitated over the account OF
travelling photographer who, upon
making an exposure upon the exterior
! Of reputed haunted house, discovered
at one Of the windows portrait VI .ne
murdered man through whom the
: house had gained its evil nfsne. III az
! other case three distinct images, having
J. No connection one with the other, were
: Impressed upon a single film. The plate
8 was exposed upon a garden In the even
! ;no-nothing remarkable being seem
Init when placed in the developer
Q man,a hat of old fashioned shape, a
r ohild's dress and dog were olstr1o-
o uted over the image of the garden.
f Such mysterious images were more
n common in the days of wet plates than
= now. A few years back Professor Bur
IS ton Investigated the matter. Upon trac-
, ing back the history of the glass he
= found that it had been used for other
is Aims. and that the images which ap
is reared undoubtedly arose from the re-
& mains Of previous images. The olf
a glass was thus proved to be the source
ID Of tho CHESTS; it only deepened the SCI
t. entific mystery, while it cleared away
Sc the supernatural. The glass traced b.
Or Burton had been washed for SOM
weeks, immersed in strong nitric ACID
s, and every means taken to insure chem
e. ical cleanliness. yet in spite OF all thl
IT. enough energy remained latent to forI
d. a developable image upon the new HIN
r. whether by chemical or physical fore
Is remains to be discovered. A complet
nd solution Of the difficulty would prot
It, ably throw considerable light upon Il
ch nature of the photographic images
IL general. At least, it seems to indioa
use that light is not absolutely essential
Ids the formation Of latent images IN
en- sensitive fiim.-American Journal
he Photopraphy.