Re: Can't read census image, illegible

On Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:59:37 -0400, Sandy <scaubin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Here's the rub; the transcribed database info on Ancestry.com could not be a transcription from the census page image
displayed. See references below my signature. The hand-written line items are completely unreadable, even with the most
extreme of histogram/contrast/etc. manipulation. I always (if possible) cite the digital image since the text is so
often inaccurate. I don't use a Microsoft OS, so TIA for "Enhanced Image" feature, but A.com is needlessly (as a WWW
based repository) MS centric; I can't use it. I welcome any comments on the following:

* A technique for linking to the image used for the database transcription?
* Access to the "enhanced image" without the DL plugin(?) if different than above.
* Alternate source of census digital images other than National Archives. (I think I already know)

I may ultimately resort to requesting the help of a fellow traveler to DL the image for me, but, like most, I prefer to
do it myself if I can.

Source Citation:
Year: 1860; Census Place: New Bedford Ward 5, Bristol, Massachusetts; Roll M653_490; Page: 690; Image: 223;
Family History Library Film: 803490.

URL:
http://search.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=7667&iid=4231350_00223&fn=Joseph&ln=Allen&st=r&ssrc=&pid=270674

I can't help you, Sandy, but I'll join you in your complaint. I've
been doing a lot of work on the mid-Western US and every page I've
gone to in the 1860 census has been illegible with only occasional
words rising above the threshold. I wonder if the originals faded
so badly or if the copy process failed.
--
Don
donsgenes@xxxxxxxxxxx
.