The San Francisco call., 1906-11-04

10 this picture. Still less is IL possible
for the camera TO reproduce such 2
panorama. A photograph of the Great
White Way from this point OF view is,
however. an exceedingly interesting ex-
pertinent. II serves TO bring out the
general competition of the picture. the
height or, rather. depth OF this great
artificial canyon and the brilliancy OF
the continuous lines of illumination.
The photograph which is produced
herewith was made the result of a
nifty seconds exposure. In this time
Rany lines which were invisible to the
eye were distinctly recorded on the
plate. while the lights gradually
merged themselves into continuous
wave of light
During the time the picture was be-
ing taken many thousands of people
passed and repassed along the side
walks and hundreds Of vehicles rolled
along the streets. vet the camera
failed TO catch one OF them. Both the
street and the pavement appear abso-
lutely deserted. Still this is not quite
true in the case OF the vehicles which
carried lights through the field of the
picture All such lights were recorded
on the plate By long lines OF light
however faint they may be. In the
case OF the searchIights carried on the
Of hundreds Of such lamps has served
10 form a broad. cIean-cut line OF light
exactly following. OF course. the line
OF the trolley tracks. The turn OF the
tracks near Forty-seeond street is es-
pecialIy well defined.
II is commonly argued by foreigners
that while Broadway is the most bril-
liantly Illuminated OF streets. il is due
10 the private enterprise OF the shop
l. III
accompanying photograph will serve as
an Interesting piece of evidence in any
such discussion As rule the private
signs are in the form Of electric letters
or designs. while the regular street
lights are the more brilliant arc lamps.
II will be seen that a very considerable
share OF the illumination is due, how
ever. TO these arc lamps. rather than
10 the signs. So brilliant are these
lights. in fact. that each has formed a
halo about itself during so long an eX-
posure.
The famous streets OF the world
which naturally suggest themselves for
comparison with the Great White
Way" are the Rue Royale or the Boule-
ward des ltaliens in Paris or the general
region OF Piccadilly Circus in London.
The Partisan streets have a charm of
their own. but they are in q different
class from Broadway The lights along
the level OF the pavements in the Pa
risiau boulevards are perhaps as bright
as along Broadway and as continuous.
but they are not supplemented by the
electric signs in such numbers or
groupings as on Broadway. and the
general effect of the streets for long
stretches is less brilliant
In London again there is even less
chance for comparison The public
lights about Piccadilly Circus. for in
stance. serve their purpose and many
theaters and shops add to the ilIumina-
tion, but there is nowhere such eontin-
nous masses of lights as on upper
Broadway. The Strand again appears
dark and strangely deserted ty COM
parison- For one thing there is no
great street for promenading in Lon
don al night and the shops are as a
rule closed and darkened early Many
OF the streets in London are brightly
lighted in spots. but there are likely to
be long and dreary intervals of dark
ened fronts.
Color Effects.
A photograph fails. of course. TO
give any suggestion of the charm of