The Moving Picture World (June 1907)

198 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD. the one direction from A to B without a beat or pulsation. An alternating current is a current that will flow first from A to B, then reverses and starts back again to A from B, or, in popular language, just like two chil- dren on a see-saw. These see-saws or alternations may occur fast or slow, either at a very high or slow rate per second of our common or daily time. A.com plete see-saw or alternation consists of the current first flowing from A to B in the one direction and then from B to A back again in the other direction. This is called a complete alternation or "cycle" and an alternating cur rent is known by the number of "cycles," which, by the way, when spoken of are always understood and meant to be as so many complete see-saws or alternations per sec- ond, always remembering the second of time (the one-six- tieth part of a minute) is the unit of measurement There are other forms of electrical energy known in the alternat- ing current or A. C. and they are known as the "Phases," but this will be dealt with at length under their propel heading of Chapter 5, entitled "Alternating Current Gen eration," when it will be shown the why, how and where- for of them; also how they occur. The subject of alter- nating currents is a most fascinating and absorbing one and is still in its infancy, but we can in this work deal only with its practical application to use of the cinemato- graph or magic lantern operator. Having thus made clear the two forms of electrical energy in daily use oi the operator and the fundamental law of Ohm, in its ap- plication to the flow of all electric currents or energy, wc will now naturally pass on to the method of electrical units of measurement now in general practice and use throughout the entire civilized world and their applica- tion to electrical energy or "juice." Miss Jane Addams is going into the theatrical busi- ness. She believes that there is a good field on South Halsted street, and on or before July 1 she will open a theater at Hull House. The uniform price of admission will be five cents. The place will be open from 6 to n o'clock each evening and all day Saturday and Sunday. [Where does the reform come in, to open on Sunday?— Ed. M. P. W.] It is billed to run three months. The chairs are in tiers and seat about three hundred persons. There will be a "barker" on the street and an electric sign over the door. Nothing to induce patronage will be left undone. Only attractive, amusing, edifying and moral pictures will be shown. The idea is to combat the influence of those five-cent theaters where pictures of a different character are displayed. • . Judge Julian W. Mack, of the Juvenile Court, is highly in favor of Miss Addams' proposed venture. "This is a plan which might well be copied by the churches," he declared. Miss Addams' plan was outlined at a meeting at the City Club of the committee appointed by several societies to co-operate with the police in the censorship and regu- lation of cheap theaters and vaudeville houses. After personal inspection of sixty such theaters, .Mrs. Britton gave it as her opinion that the work done by Lieutenant Alexander McDonald and his twelve policemen had re- sulted in much good. There are few, if any, theaters patronized by children where the pictures, songs or jokes are really objectionable, she said, though some of them are very silly and coarse. "The five-cent theater is an institution and it has come to stay," declared Mrs. Britton - "It is all right and all it needs is to be regulated." Lieutenant McDonald reported that in Chicago there are 116 five-cent theaters, 18 ten-cent vaudeville houses and 19 penny arcades. Miles Bros., of New York and San Francisco, have been gathering material of the Fiesta and the Shriners' Conclave at Los Angeles for cinematograph exhibitions. An excellent collection of films has been secured. Th» representatives of the company state that the picture will be exhibited in the leading vaudeville theaters of the country and will also be sent to Europe. A large number of standing orders from English managers are on hand,f| and their advertising and pulling power will do much to make the City of Angels talked about. As the last of tit parade passed 200 feet of unused film remained in the machine, and the operators told the crowds to wave their hats and show how Californians can root. Men and women immediately got busy, waving hats and hand- kerchiefs, and the remaining film was used up in a novel manner. Surrounding the camera stand at least fifty amateur photographers had their lenses pointed the parade line. * * * The building at the corner of Oak and Congress streets. Portland, Me., has been purchased by a close corporati<x| consisting of J. W. Greely and another Portland busine man and a New York promoter. The building will hi entirely remodeled and refitted for a motion picture the-| ater of the higher class. * * * The Mesaba Theatrical Company has leased the firstf floor of the Karon building, Chisholm, and will openi vaudeville and moving picture show, which will be know as the Bijotwand will be under the management of F. I Whiting. * * * Boswell Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., is coo-I sidering the establishment of a plant in Memphis, Tenn,| for manufacturing moving picture films. * * ♦ Port Clinton now has two moving picture shows, tkj second one being conducted by Messrs. D. E. Payne; Walter Pete in Turner Hall. The new theater on the ground floor of the Con_ block, Fifth street, Red Jacket, Mich., opened last week and will be known as "The Star," and is under the masjl agement of James W. Silk, "formerly manager of #~ Savoy Theater, of Hancock and Houghton. There ^ be moving pictures, illustrated songs, and from timefe time other features. It is the intention to have a fir* class line of films on exhibition, and no expense is tel | spared in any one department. * * * The shrieks of a woman drew tenants of 41 N street, New York, to the fourth floor recently in a rush, and they crowded into the anteroom of the of Walter Isaacs, a moving picture man, whence isscm the alarm. In the inner room they saw Isaacs, Pj weighs 200 pounds, and a woman who could balance t^ steelyards with him bouncing a little man back and fp between them like a baseball. The little man was sayi#: