Motography (Apr-Dec 1911)

74 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. VI, No. 2. He seldom grants himself a moment's leisure. If the subject to be discussed is business, very well and good ; if not, lock him up and forget him. He is of medium height; well groomed; well fed; slightly inclined to stout, yet anything but fat. High strung, but attentive ; inclined to nervousness, doubtless due to assuming too many of his great responsibilities ; smokes ; decides quickly. His mind made up, he acts vigorously. Success comes from sound business judgment and careful planning. Spoor's name spells success in many ways and he shares little of the credit with any one else, because he has always been the guiding spirit in his many enterprises. He is a member of the Chicago Athletic Club and the Republican Club of New York. Next to automobiling he prefers yachting. Pictures to Testify against Bakery Combine While three big bread-baking firms in America are preparing, the union and independent bakers believe, to form a trust, the delegates to a conference representing over 11,000 union and independent bakers are adopting up-to-date methods, through moving pictures, to defeat it. What "Uncle Tom's Cabin" did for negro slavery, the unions believe the pictures will do to avert industrial slavery for the bakers. Contracts have been secretly made with moving picture concerns to make films of the conditions in non-union bakeries, showing the dreadful toil and the long hours, the unhygienic surroundings of some of the cheaper bakeries, the Saturday night pay envelope and the family of the workman when he comes home, the council between father and mother as how best to spend the little wages, the breaking of the news in the union man's home that he has been discharged, his hunt for work and his children crying for bread, the ruthless landlord and eviction and the final breaking up of the family. This is being done secretly because, it is alleged, the trust leaders are throwing every impediment possible in the way. The unions intend that the pictures shall be shown in every school district throughout the country, in every city and town. Oaldand, Cal., in Pictures A. J. MacMurty, Ph. D., who introduced before the Chamber of Commerce of Oakland, Cal., a plan to show on moving pictures the beauties and advantages of Oakland, exhibiting the films through the eastern states, has a great deal of faith in the plan, and believes that it would work immeasurably to the city's advantage. He said : "I proposed the making of a moving picture of Oakland and other east bay interests because I know the value of such advertising. "For several years I have supplied a demand in giving an exhibition travelogue of 'California Illustrated,' on eastern entertainment circuits. I have not given my whole time to this, but during the winter have filled as many engagements as my ministerial duties allowed. Last winter I gave my whole time to this work. "The people of the East want to see California, and the lack of suitable material is keenly felt. Local interests have absolutely no representation. Enter tainers and moving picture circuits would be only too glad to put such scenes before the people. Fifteen years ago I made a moving picture from the front end of a San Leandro and Haywards electric car, covering the line from Fourth and Washington to Hayward, and I still have it in my collection. "My proposition to the Chamber of Commerce was not made because I am in the business of manufacturing moving pictures, but because I am in a position to arrange for the making at one-half the usual expense, and I can give the Chamber of Commerce the exclusive right to such negatives, that duplicate copies can be furnished those who desire them at actual cost. Southern California, the Yosemite, and various parts of the state, have become famous through the moving picture exhibitions. "Death Valley is better known in the East than Santa Clara or Almeda counties, simply because F. M. Smith's enterprises are advertised through the moving pictures, and thousands of people have gone into Death Valley on the train moving on the curtain before their eyes. Borax from the mine to the bathtub is better understood than money from the mint to the average person's pocket. "Oakland can stand out before the world as a 'Natural Wonder,' if it is thus thrown upon the canvas. Personally, I am ready to give of my time and experience to see the work done, and I hope that the advertising committee of the Chamber of Commerce will decide to have a film made." Pocket Motion Pictures m Germany One of the latest novelties with which Berliners are amusing themselves is about to be imported into America. For some weeks one of the popular pastimes among the people who loiter in the evenings along the Friedrichstrasse has been to get photographed by moving picture machines. There are a number of small shops where the customer, after attitudinizing a few minutes before the camera receives a roll of photographs packed in a small metal box. By turning a crank rapidly the pictures are made to appear in as rapid succession as in the kinematograph. The proud owner goes around exhibiting his pocket picture shows to his friends. Marcus Braun, port warden of New York, has decided that the idea would catch the popular fancy in American cities and has completed arrangements to introduce it into the United States. Colorado Pictures Being Advertised The Greater Colorado Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, at Denver, will distribute free thousands of postcards to every one in Denver. This postcard will bear one of the famous bits of Colorado scenery and also have a notice appended in blank form to the effect that the moving pictures of Colorado will be exhibited in such and such a city on a certain date. It is thought every one who gets one or more of these postals will send it to some friend in the East bearing the date and name of theater where the pictures will be shown. This will advertise Colorado materially and give those people a chance to see its scenic wonders.