Читать книгу History of Westchester County, New York, Volume 3 - Группа авторов - Страница 19

No pen, however facile or however skillful with thought that moves it, can compete in its portrayals with the sun ray. This swift and beautiful messenger, robed in the mysteries of sun and stars, silent in its ministry, in an instant gives the picture, and the picture is errorless. Through a small opening it will bring in the landscape and throw it upon the screen. It will touch the sensitive plate and leave there every lineament of the human face. It is fleeter than muscular movement, or steam, or even electricity. To the eye rapidity of motion veils the object; to light everything is still. It writes history on the wing. It vestures earth and sky, the infinitely small and the infinitely great, and tells the story of either with absolute exactness. Nothing more clearly establishes nature's willingness to divulge her secrets than this marvelous ministry of the sun's ray. "Know me, learn my ways and behavior, and I will teach you all," is the new "bow of promise" of light to science. A direct ray of light not only pictures but it analyzes. It breaks itself up, at the will of the scientists, into innumerable indices of refrangibility, detailing a separate messenger for each individual story it has to tell.

He whose name initiates this review has attained distinction in the scientific world, as the result of his well-directed study, investigation and careful experimental work, and in no one line have the practical results of his efforts been more pronounced and effective than in those closely allied to the art or science of photography. Revelations of the ultimate possibilities of photography have been made rapidly within the past decade, and Dr. Baekeland has contributed in no small measure toward the advance movement. As identified with one of the principal industrial enterprises of Westchester county, — an enterprise whose ramifications are of wide extent and whose basis may be properly said to be of semi-scientific character, — Dr. Baekeland merits distinct representation in this work, which has to do with those who have been and those who are identified with the specific progress of this favored county of the old Empire state.

Leo Hendrik Baekeland is a native of Belgium, having been born in the famed old city of Ghent, on the 14th of November, 1863, the son of Karel Lodewyk Baekeland and Rosalia Merchie. His preliminary educational discipline was received in the public schools of his native city, the capital of East Flanders. He next became a student in the Athenaeum in Ghent, in which institution he was prepared for the university. In the evenings he attended the free lectures of the Technical School of Ghent, taking the free yearly course in chemistry and graduating with honors in 1880. Soon after his graduation the young man was offered the position of assistant chemist at the State Agricultural Station, but as he wished to continue his studies and to attain the highest possible degree of proficiency, he declined to accept the offer, and within the same year matriculated in the University of Ghent, a government institution, being the youngest student in that institution. On entering the university Dr. Baekeland took up the course of study in the medical department, but it was a notable fact that chemistry and natural sciences bad a special attraction for him, and to these branches he devoted himself with marked interest and zeal. After having passed the two examinations for the degree of Bachelor of Sciences, summa cum laude, he attracted the attention of the professors of the faculty of sciences, and a position as laboratory assistant in chemistry was tendered to him and accepted, whereupon he indefinitely renounced the specific study of medicine for that of the natural sciences. His devotion to his work was earnest and unremitting, and in 1884 the degree of Doctor of Natural Sciences was conferred upon him. He also obtained a special diploma in chemistry, passing both examinations summa cum laude, which required ninety-five per cent, of the maximum points allowable.

Ambitious to learn and to accomplish something in a practical way, Dr. Baekeland prepared himself to accompany one of the scientific expeditions which were then being organized for the exploration of the upper Congo, but just as he was about to take his departure for the wilds of Africa he received the appointment of first assistant professor of chemistry in the University of Ghent, and that of professor of chemistry and physics at the government Normal School for Sciences, which was then located at Bruges. These noteworthy appointments naturally caused him to abandon his proposed trip to Africa. In the meanwhile he had given to the world the results of certain of his original researches in the field of pure chemistry, by the publication of works exploiting said researches, — notably, "A New and Analytical Method for the Separation of Copper and Cadmium," "Researches on the Oxydation of Hydrochloric Acid Under the Influence of Light," "Dissociation of Nitrate of Lead," etc. In 1887 he was proclaimed laureate in chemistry of the four Belgian universities, in a competition among all alumni who had obtained within the three preceding years the degree of Doctor of Sciences at any on& of the universities. The work which earned him this distinction was his original researches on the phenomena of chemical dissociation. The prize awarded consisted of a gold medal, two thousand francs' worth of books, and a two-yearly subsidy of two thousand francs, for traveling and visiting foreign universities. The Doctor visited the higher institutions of learning in Germany, England and Scotland, and subsequently the University of Ghent promoted him to the rank of associate professor of chemistry, after he had resigned his. position as professor in the normal school at Bruges.

From bis boyhood Dr. Baekeland had been an enthusiastic amateur photographer, and it is needless to say that his wide knowledge of chemistry enabled him to work out the best results in the production of negatives, while his appreciation of the artistic values in photography eventually led him to the series of experiments which brought about the establishing of the Nepera Chemical Company, with which he is now so conspicuously identified. When the dry plate was invented he was one of the first to try this process, which was revolutionizing photography. It so happened that in Ghent several large dry-plate manufactories were established, and that later on, when Dr. Baekeland had begun to gain some reputation as a chemist, he was frequently consulted by these manufacturers in regard to the technical difficulties encountered. About 1888 he took out a patent for an improved dry plate, which could be developed in a tray of plain water. At the time, this invention was a very important one, and created a sensation; but since then the methods of developing dry plates have been enormously simplified, thus diminishing the importance of his invention.

In 1889 Dr. Baekeland was united in marriage to Miss Celine Swarts, the daughter of Professor Theodore Swarts, dean of the faculty of sciences at the University of Ghent, and within the same year — during his summer vacation — he came to the United States for the first time. His expenses were paid by the Belgian government, the object of the trip being to visit some of the more important American universities and colleges and make a report on same. While here he was consulted by certain chemical-manufacturing firms, securing suitable recompense for his services. He asked for an extension of his leave of absence, and, this being granted, he remained here a few months longer, — " long enough," as the Doctor says, "to become thoroughly enthused with American ideas and American institutions." When he returned to Belgium he there remained for a time, but his experience in the United States prompted him to return hither and to try his fortunes in the New World, with whose spirit of progress and vitality he was thoroughly in sympathy. He accordingly resigned his position at the university, the special privilege being granted him by the Belgian government of retaining his rank and title of associate professor of the University of Ghent. He returned to the United States in the month of September, 1890, and established himself as a consulting chemist in New York city, where he remained until 1893, when he removed to Yonkers, Westchester county, where he became associated with his friend, Leonard Jacobi (who is individually mentioned elsewhere), in the organization of the Nepera Chemical Company, whose history has been one of marked and merited success. At a later date Albert G. C. Hahn, M.S., became identified with the enterprise, and the three gentlemen mentioned constitute the official corps of the company, — Mr. Jacobi being president, Dr. Baekeland, secretary, and Mr. Hahn, treasurer. The fine manufactory of the company is largely devoted to the production of photographic papers, the manufacture and the final manipulation of which are based on original and improved methods, — the result of the critical investigation and practical experimenting on the part of the subject of this review, who devotes his time and attention to laboratory and scientific work having a bearing on the continuous improvement of the processes of manufacture and the bringing out of new and valuable products. Mr. Jacobi devotes his attention more particularly to the commercial department of the enterprise, promoting and expanding its interests in every possible direction, while Mr. Hahn superintends the general work of manufacturing. The company has not satisfied itself with the limited trade derived from this continent, but has established a large export business, there being hardly a civilized country in which the products of the factory are not to be found. The leading product is the celebrated " Velox " paper, whose superiority over all other photographic papers manufactured either in this country or abroad cannot be doubted. It is hardly in the province of this article to enter into details in regard to Velox paper, but it is certainly demanded that a brief mention of the same be made, since it represents the practical outcome of careful study and work on the part of Dr. Baekeland.

In a little brochure issued by the company the superior claims of "Velox " are presented in a very attractive way, and from the introductory paragraph we make the following extracts:

Ordinary processes of printing, toning and fixing are slow, dirty and uncertain. They require sunshine, patience, persistent attention; unpleasant, uncertain and expensive chemical processes,— in other words, time and outlay. A process which is quick, simple, certain and independent of sunlight, increases the profits of the professional and the pleasure of the amateur. Velox paper does not require sunlight, complex chemical processes or time. It prints by sunlight, daylight, gaslight, or any light as fast as frames can be filled. It requires no toning and no long and tedious chemical manipulation. It is clean, easy, simple and certain. Velox paper conquers technical difficulties due to imperfect methods, and thereby gives sole prominence to the artistic element,— that which makes photography an art instead of a handicraft.

In short, the mere fact that the paper is susceptible to the influence of slow light is sufficient to cause it to supplant all papers hitherto used,— the uncertainty of printing, owing to unfavorable light, having seriously handicapped all professional photographists who have had recourse to the ordinary types of photographic paper. But superadded to this point of great superiority justly claimed for Velox are others of almost equal importance to the artist. The simple method employed in bringing the prints into condition for final mounting is such that the entire processes of printing, toning and fixing may be accomplished in less time, and with no complicated chemical combinations, than any one of the three portions of the work would require with the ordinary aristo or albumen papers. Again, the full values of the delicate chiaroscuro of the negative are preserved with even greater fidelity than in the albumen paper, which has in this regard always surpassed the more modern aristo products, while the Velox insures practical permanency in every, print made thereon, — there is no fading or disintegration. More need not be said in regard to the result of the labors of Dr. Baekeland along this particular line.

We have already referred to the marriage of Dr. Baekeland to Miss Swarts, and in conclusion we may note that to them three children have been born: The first child was born in Belgium after the return of the Doctor to that country after his first visit to the United States, the death of the first-born occurring in Yonkers, after his removal here. In this city were born his son, George Washington Baekeland, and his little daughter, Nina, both of whom lend brightness and cheer to the attractive home, which is a center of refined hospitality.