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Show PHOTOGRAPHS BY LIGHTNING. The Nicholas Building is a corner building of two stories and forms an L fronting on two blocks. The upper story has been occupied in whole or in part by families or as workshops in the inverse order as follows. John M Wilson, present occupant, hacking; Charles Day, John McKinley, B. W. Day's shoe and harness shop. Jas. (James) Wm. (William) Boyce, John Mofford, Jack Boyce, the Grange, etc. On the rear of each L in the upper story there is a window facing respectively southwest and northwest. Last January, 1880, O. W. Davis accidentally discovered a distinct likeness of a little girl's face on one of the panes of the windows facing southwest. The attention of several persons was called to it at the time, each of whom saw the face, but for reasons best known to themselves it was not made public until last Monday evening. On Tuesday morning considerable interest seemed to be manifested about the matter when my attention was first called to it. Armed with John L. Barkley's opera glass I began an investigation of what was to be seen, and, on examination, the likeness of a little girl was distinctly seen on the window pane, or, rather, appeared a little inside the window; so distinct, indeed, that all the party then present, some twenty in number, agreed that it was the likeness of Cora Rogers, a little daughter of Thos. (Thomas) Rogers. This child, about six years old, lived with Jas. (James) W. Boyce, who occupied these rooms about a year and a half ago. On careful inspection another image was discovered on the same pane. The face turned partly toward the observer. And on the other side of the first picture still another, much younger, but plump and smiling, and later in the day still a fourth one; this was of an elder person all on the same pane. None of these last could be identified. Viewed from a particular locality, and under favorable circumstances of illumination, all of the first three could be seen at once. The fourth seemed to partly overlap the others, and could not always be seen at the same time with the others. While looking at this object Mrs. Ln. Carter, discovered what was supposed to be another likeness on one of the panes of the other window (the one facing northwest). Almost all could see it, but by means of the opera glass I found no difficulty in recognizing the faces of two children lying abed, the face of one partly concealed from view by the one in front. Several of the party could recognize this also. Later in the day Dr. (Doctor) O. D. Simmons discovered another face on the same pane, and still later I found the fourth one, all four distinctly seen under favorable circumstances at one view. At one time in the forenoon the sash was removed to within the darkened room, but by ever so careful management of the light the views were not so satisfactory as in its natural place in the window. Later in the afternoon I could distinctly recognize a likeness on another pane of this last window, and also Walter Simmons discovered a good likeness on still another pane of the same window. With the opera glass I could plainly see this face. It was that of a little girl with a round-crowned hat on. This made four panes of window glass having on them these likenesses. They are viewed from the ground, and from many positions and distances. A good deal depends on their illumination and the particular point from which they are viewed. By placing a dark hat behind the picture it is shown in the hat. Nothing can be discovered on or in the pane of window-glass when very close to it. The panes were washed and rubbed dry, etc., only to make the images more distinct, doubtless by removing the particles of dust, etc. Later (Wednesday noon), On the panel first described today, on carefully focusing the opera glass in steady position and in particular locality, and in good state of personal health and fasting, I was enabled to see it appear literally full of faces. I counted nine of men beside the children first described. They could not all be seen at one view, but all from the same locality. In directing the point of vision to this or that locality I would see the image there; the others would gradually dissolve away. They seem to overlap each other somewhat, like a lot of coin thrown promiscuously in a heap. It is known that the Grange had a meeting in this room on one particularly electric night. Now, how came these pictures here? Evidently they were photographed by lightning. The flash of lightning furnished the light to form the image, and this, together with the accompanying electricity, produced chemical or molecular change in the constituents of the glass and then the images were fixed. - I. N. Brown, M. D. in Cin. (Cincinnati) Gazette. |