Motography (Apr-Dec 1911)

October, 1911. MOTOGRAPHY 191 Of Interest to the Trade Sunlight Screen Company Victim of Impostors The Sunlight Metallic Cloth Curtain Company, Chicago, has been made the victim of a group of peculiarly unscrupulous men, who are operating in the middle west. It seems to be the practice of these men to represent themselves as agents or representatives of the Sunlight Company and to take orders for patent screens under that guise. They then deliver a very poor and practically worthless imitation of the Sunlight screen — or, as a variation, deliver nothing at all. Here is a letter received by the company, showing how the importers operate : Trinidad, Colo., Sept. 18, ign. Sunlight Metallic Cloth Curtain Company. — Some time ago I purchased what I supposed to be one of your screens from a party who claimed to represent you, by the name of Warwick, paying him $20 in cash. Upon the arrival of this screen, a slight examination at the express office showed it to be a very inferior article to the sample that Warwick demonstrated to me. I consequently refused to accept the curtain and it still remains at the express office and I am out $20. In the meantime I have read some of your articles in regard to these parties — a party in Denver by the name of Edmund Anderson is represented to be secretary and he has an office in 314 Y. M. C. A. building, Denver.— A. R. Wilson (Isis Theater). The Sunlight Company immediately wired Mr. Wilson that Warwick was an impostor and did not represent the company. September 23 the following letter was received: Avoca, Iowa, September 23, 1911. "Sunlight" Metallic Cloth Curtain Co. — I wish to inform you that we bought one of your curtains on September 15th of one of your salesmen, Nat I. Brown. He said that the curtain would be shipped from St. Louis. He also told us that they would send us a slide and advertising matter for us to use, but up to the present time we have not heard from them. Please let us hear from you in regard to this, and oblige. — Billo Brothers. To which the Sunlight Company replied : Chicago, September 27, 1911. Billo Brothers, Avoca, Iowa.— We are in receipt of your letter of September 23d and in response beg to inform you that Mr. Nat I. Brown is not in any way connected with our concern. We have no traveling salesmen in your territory. Through the columns of the Moving Picture World, the Moving Picture News, and Motography, we have for some time past endeavored to protect exhibitors against this impostor and his associates. We have letters from many sources showing the imposition they are working upon exhibitors by claiming to sell our "Sunlight" screens. Our "Sunlight" screens are never sold without our own special frame with its tightening device and we have no traveling salesmen. Anyone offering screens claiming them to be "Sunlight" screens or claiming to represent us are frauds^ unless carrying unmistakable credentials. The word "Sunlight" is a registered trade-mark that we will fully protect. Our factory is in Chicago. Our screens are shipped from this point and no screens are shipped except on the terms of our special contract and no sales made except on this contract. We hope that this letter will reach you in time to protect you. Have you any letters or other blanks or printed matter in which he used the word "Sunlight"? Let us hear from you again giving us any further detail with which you can supply us.— Sunlight Metallic Cloth Curtain Co. Another direction of this pernicious activity is indicated by the following : Ada, Okla., October 10, 1911. Sunlight Metallic Curtain Co. — Please let me know at once if the Radium Screen Co., of No. 105 North Main street, St. Louis, Mo., and your company are the same. I gave an order yesterday for a curtain to their representative, F. H. Roys, and he claimed his company and yours was all the same company and the curtain he sold me was the genuine Sunlight curtain. — Ed Ward. The Sunlight Company's reply by wire was : Mr. Ed. Ward, Majestic Theater, Ada, Okla. — Letter tenth received. Roys an impostor. Has no connection with our company. Sunlight is our registered trademark. Have written fully. — Sunlight Metallic Cloth Curtain Co. These various letters and replies are given here to show the extent of the gang's operations. Besides the three names mentioned, the Sunlight Company has other letters mentioning Robert Kane as one of those who have misrepresented themselves as agents of the company. Exhibitors who are approached by these men or any others who represent that they are taking orders for the Sunlight screen will do well to assure themselves that the screen bears the trademark name "Sunlight" in clear, unmistakable lettering, as that name is copywrited and will be protected by the company. The Sunlight Company would, of course, appreciate any information that our readers can give as to the operations or personnel of the impostors. Wisconsin Exhibitors Organize Wisconsin has followed the lead of some of her progressive neighbors and now has a full-fledged exhibitors' league. Sixty-five exhibitors are the original members, although it is expected that nearly every picture man in the state will soon belong. It is the intention to affiliate a little later with the Moving Picture Exhibitors' League of America. At the first meeting, the following officers were elected : President, Charles H. Phillips, Milwaukee ; vice-presidents, Thomas Foster, Stanley, and Charles W. Christianson, Racine ; secretary, J. W. Clarke, Sheboygan; treasurer, Henry S. Klein, Milwaukee; sergeant, Peter Jermais, Milwaukee ; trustees, B. K. Fischer and O. Sprecher, Milwaukee ; L. W. Anderson, Neenah, and C. W. Tiede, Burlington. Kiewert Company Offers a Suggestion The Charles -L. Kiewert Company, manufacturer of "Bio" carbons for projection purposes, is taking a broad general interest in the welfare of motion-picture exhibitors. The problem of filling the theater during the dull hours has occupied the attention of officials of the company, with the result that they have offered the following suggestion, which course is the more praiseworthy since it contains nothing whatever about the company's excellent carbons : This plan applies to amusement enterprises, a principle long recognized in other lines of trade in which business is concentrated over a very small portion of the day, namely: offering special inducements during the hours of dull business. The plan may, or may not, be original, but it has been put in operation at our suggestion in a number of theaters and in each case has been regarded as a novel means of increasing business. The reports that we have had from these theaters regarding the results of this plan, have been so gratifying that we have been led to believe that exhibitors in general would be interested in it and as our own business directly depends upon the