The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1903-10-22
LIGHTNING PHOTOGRAPHS.
The Electric FIaid Ia a wonderful
Operator when a suitable
Negative onern.

During a thunderstorm recently q
number Of Swiss marksmen were
struck by lightning while practising at
the rifle butts. Il was subsequently
found that upon their bodies were inn
printed Photographic Impressions OF
the trees by which the range is sur
rounded. The report Of the affair has
been received with incredulity In some
of the London papers. The skepticism
Is more surprising than the occurrence,
says ST. James Gazette. For at least
century and quarter the photo
grapic powers OF lightning have been
known 10 the scientist The records
of the Royal society abound with data
upon the point Benjamin Franklin
noted an Instance In 1866. In which the
effect Of what he enormously described
as a thunderbolt was a photograph
upon the breast OF a man the likeness
Of tree against which he was stand
ing A New York scientific journal
noted case Of little girl upon whose
body was impressed the exact image OF
young maple tree growing before the
window at which she stood when
struck by lightning.
Modern ingenuity has done a great
deal in photography. and by the aid Of
wonderfully rapid shutters. has given
as from time 10 time very good photo
graphs Of a lightning fash, But the
man Is not yet born who can make
shutter fast enough to catch the real.
full thing Seen at night. a fash Of
lightning appears little more powerful
as an lllumlnant than moonlight As a
matter Of fact. the duration OF one Of
these nashes is 40 brief that 100000
OF them In succession could be crowded
into the space OF a single second II
one fash could last but a tenth OF
second Il would give near objects an
illumination 100000 times more brill
liant than that of moonlight The most
rapidly rotating bodies known 10
science appear absolutely stationary
when ~ up by r. The brillancy Of a
fire-hall is incomparably less vivid than
ts=. 81 flash Of lightning. being,
roughly. no brighter than red-hot iron.
With its intense luminosity and al
most immeasurable rapldity. II is not
surprising that the lightning should
prove a wonderful photographer when
a suitable negative offers
A series OF unauthentlcated instances
OF photography by lightning was COM
municated 20 the Royal society by
Prof Andres Poey. a one-tlme director
OF the Havana observatory. Among
his instances were several very nota-
BILE ones. A tree in which was a boy
IN the act of robblng a birds nest. was
struck by lightning. Upon the breast
Of the boy appeared the image Of
branches Of the tree. with the nest
lodged In them. and the young birds in
the nest Upon the back OF a sailor
struck dead by lightning appeared a
photograph OF horseshoe fastened TO
the foremast against which he had
been standing. Another mariner had
left upon HIS chest the inscription,
"4.4." just as II appeared upon one OF
the masts. Again. n young man, struck
when wearing a belt in which he had
concealed a quantity OF coins. carried
20 his grave the Photographic impress
sion OF those coins. More remarkable
siill was the case u lady upon whose
leg was imprinted the impression Of a
flower which happened TO be in tho
path of the electric current. and vas
photographed through brick wall