The Moving Picture World (April 1907)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD. We learn of an amusement feature planned for the coming season, which promises to be as spectacular and hair-raising as the "loop-the-loop." A Pennsylvania man is responsible, for the invention, and he claims that amusement enthusiasts who desire novelty will be assured of plenty of it when they take a ride on this contrivance. It is a revolving hollow sphere, which is supported upon an axle inclined at about 45 degrees. Surrounding the sphere is a stationary spiral track, while within the globe is another spiral track. The seeker of thrills enters the car at the entrance, is whirled within the sphere by gravity and the revolving of the sphere, and is again whirled on the outside of the globe. Charles Mihleder's electrical city, a big novelty for amusement parks, is being installed at Luna Park, Pitts- burg, having been engaged by Manager E. E. Gregg for the coming season. Mr. Mihleder devoted eight ^rears at Franklin, Pa., his home, to the erection of this marvel, which has attracted hundreds of showmen to Franklin, Pa., to view the outfit, and a corps of workmen will be busy until the park opens in completing the electrical city for exhibition. This will be the first time it has been pre- sented to the public. The electrical city is entirely different from all other automatic exhibitions in that there is no machinery jerk in any of the devices or figures. The inventor has util- ized phonographs, light effects and almost every device known to the electrical world to achieve his results, and the effect is perfectly natural. The city itself presents a picture of a modern town. There are stores, horses, depots, shops, mills, street.railways, steam railways, thea- tres, hotels and street signs, all in operation. In the blacksmith shop sparks are made to fly from the horse- shoe while being attached to horses. The city will be presented both day and night. Boston's new and unique amusement palace, the Thea- tre Premier, opened April 1 with a press night, a number of prominent men in city and business affairs visiting the theatre and inspecting the beautiful exterior and interior. The theatre, which was constructed at a cost, it is said, of $75,000, by the Automatic Vaudeville Company, is absolutely fireproof, being constructed of ornamental steel work both inside and out, and having 12 exits. The front of the building, which is in white and gold, is studded with 3,000 electric bulbs and makes a brilliant ef- fect. The theatre proper holds 400 persons, the seats being the same as at any first-class house. There are two boxes and a balcony, which makes the house look attract- ive, and which shows up the old gold and ivory decora- tions of the walls, loft and proscenium arch. The in- terior is lighted by 1,500 electric bulbs, controlled by the latest improvement in switch-boards. ■\ J f! A special feature is the ventilating system. Air shafts are built around the walls to draw out the foul air replace it with sterilized fresh air. This will make theatre cool in warm weather. The stage .is 20 by 2 feet, the curtain being of old gold plush, which hangs festoons when raised. The machines used in throwin the pictures are the finest in the country, and are so cob structed as to prevent flickering of the films. J. H Michael is the resident manager. Pittsburg possesses one of the most expert artists the coloring of lantern slides in the United States, an this artist is a minister and professor of theology—R« David R. Breed, formerly pastor of the wealthy and fasb ionable First Presbyterian Church, on Wood street, an now holding the chair of homiletics at the Western Theo logical Seminary, in Allegheny. For more than a of years he has been engaged during spare moments i color work with lantern slides and so finished and true nature are his plates that lecturers of world-wide renom such as Burton Holmes and Nansen, the Arctic explore have used specimens of his handicraft and he has b awarded prizes at international and national exhibitio of lantern slide work. Dr. Breed colors his plates with aniline tints or colon but the process of making the colors is a secret in whid the superiority of his transparencies largely lies, but course he possesses the artistic perception and applicatii of color tones and shading that are necessary to make las tern slides successfully. "No, I have never had my process patented," answered in response to a question. "If I did it wool become the property of anyone wishing to use it. Wh a patent is taken out a detailed description of the proces to be covered must be filed at Washington and sad things leak out in one way or another." Dr. Breed's slides were awarded the first prize for "col ored positives" at the International Amateur Photograp! ers' Exhibition held in Geneva, Switzerland, about I years ago. This prize was in the form of a diploma this country the slides have been exhibited in New Yo: Philadelphia and at various exhibitions of photographer held in Pittsburg and other cities. Through the ternational Lantern Slide Exchange the collection of distinguished divine has traveled all over the world been viewed by the people of nearly all civilized lands climes. In speaking of the work in which as a recreation he gages, Dr. Breed said: "Lantern slide making and coloring is the highest fo: of photographic art. Very few people who attempt s ceed at it. - It demands not only a perception of what beautiful and what will look well on a screen, but also perspective and of the art of coloring. It is not cola that are put on the plates, but tints, and they must . treated very carefully to obtain the natural shades high lights. The trouble with so many so-called a in this line of work is that they put on too glaring colo