The Moving Picture World (November 1907)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD. s6i from attending danger, and at the end of the week the man was discharged and replaced by the inexperienced boy at small wages. * * * As thoy Appeal to the Fire Fighter*. Under caption of "Explosion of Moving Picture Films," State Fire Marshal D. S. Cramer, of Ohio, has published in The Fire- man's Herald an interesting article, which in part is as follows: The moving picture show has achieved popularity more rapidly than any new form of entertainment. The number of these ma- chines in Ohio being large, they constitute an important fire dan- ger because the film, which will explode at a comparatively low temperature, is exposed to electric sparks and the heat from the light which illumines it. Many of these theaters are in old buildings where rent is low and nearly all are in the business dis- trict, where conflagration hazard is greatest. SEVERAL ACCIDENTS WEEKLY. Two or three such accidents occur each week in the State, and the Are loss from them would be enormous but for the fact that the chiefs of fire departments, backed by the fire marshal, lave required that the machines have fire-proof surroundings. This precaution will not prevent the stampeding of the audience when an explosion occurs, and the fire is usually beside the only exit. The celluloid strip on which the photograph's are made is one and three-eighths inches wide and one two-hundredths of an inch thick. If a whole show, usually three subjects, is on one film, its length is one-fourth of a mile. This substance is closely allied to nan cotton and takes fire if heated to 284 degree Fahrenheit. ELEMENT OF DANGER. So. if any accident interferes with the continuous movement of 'he film it will ignite if the shutter in front of the light is not stantly dropped. The film is usually moved by a hand crank. n the Ohio experience more films have been ignited by sparks rom badly installed electrical appliances within the booth than rom the lamp. The booth for the machine should be metal lined and the film hould be unwound from a metal box and simultaneously re- mind in another below and each should have an automatic butter to close it when the film parts. In England the booth ust be of iron and the operator must be locked in it. The lickel theaters have increased in number so rapidly that trained perators cannot be had. FATAL ACCIDENTS REPORTED. While displaying a fire fighting scene an operator in Marys- ille was terribly burned by the film exploding. In Cleveland, 1 operator, frightened by an explosion, jumped from a window death. In Lockport, N. Y., an operator was burned to death in the oth. In Caldwell an operator was badly hurt by the explo- 1011 of acetylene used to furnish light for the machine. Ace- er.e should not be used for light in moving picture shows be- use the calcium carbide from which it is made is too dangerous have about It is well-nigh impossible to extinguish fire in celluloid because has within itself oxygen to support its combustion. It makes e hottest fire known. Mr. Cramer's article has led to widespread discussion of the bject in Ohio newspapers. Correspondence. lot StulBF from the City of Brotherly Love. I ditors Moving Picture World: Dear Sirs: "FREE LUNCH" the next proposition those beer saloon film renters will offer. It is to be regretted that a lucrative business must needs be ined by a set of cheap sports; one an ex-saloonkeeper whom e license judges warned not to ask for a license again, another rmerly a second-hand clothing dealer, and still another a bar- r, and every one of them is a Aim expert (?) (God save the ark!) If you want a watch, you don't go to a boiler factory, and by e same token, don't go to a junk dealer for good film service. mare of the fellow who continually offers an article of value ee of charge. He is no better than any other "sharper" who is aying a "skin game." Let the legitimate rental bureaus combine for the express pur- se of driving but the scavengers and the fellow whose strong point is to periodically get beastly drunk, although he is a musical prodigy (plays the cymbals in a cheap brass band) and formerly bought stolen goods. Nickelodeon owners are likely to be interfered with when rent- ing from cheap concerns, in that the films in _ use might be claimed by the owner, when it would be inconvenient to procure others, even for one night. R,ent films from a reliable concern, the house that buys everything made, that has merit and charges a living price for the use thereof. The scavengers _ here offer three reels per week for $16.00, while the usual price for the same service is $25.00. Of course, they live in pens, mostly, with a crust to eat occasionally, but most likely use the free lunch route. Let us get together and drive out these vultures; they are a blot on civilization. Lewis M. Swaab. 338 Spruce St., Philadelphia, Pa. A New Concern Starts Out Right. Indianapolis, Ind., October 23, 1907. The World Photographic Publishing Company, Gentlemen—We have just entered the film service business and your admirable paper has been brought to our notice. Your magazine is so newsy and of so much interest that we hasten to have you enter our subscription, and we will thank you also to enter a subscription for one of our customers, Mr. Thomas D. Bayne. We enclose to you herewith our check for four dollars cover- ing these two subscriptions and we will thank you to enter the same at once. Yours truly, The H. Leiber Company. A Protest Against the Fly-nr-Nitfnts. Austin, Minn., October 26, 1907. The Moving Picture World, Gentlemen.—It gives me pleasure to write a few words about the status of the moving picture business in Minnesota. Here almost everybody that can raise a hundred dollars is starting a moving picture show. They last a few weeks and then "fold their tents like the Arabs and silently steal away." At least that has been the way in which two different parties have vacated the same building in this town. The enclosed clipping from the Austin Daily Register speaks for itself, and if every paper would be as outspoken we would soon rid the country of this class of show people. SKIPPED BY NIGHT. Dro Not Even Bid Farewell to Their Closest Friends — The Creditors. Dreamland Electric Theater is no more and the pictures that have been shown there for the past two weeks can be seen now only in one's "dreams." The promoters cannot be found to-day. Their machine is gone, and all was done during the hours be- tween last midnight and this morning, under the shadows of the moonlight, with no one to see except the owl and the moon and neither of these could speak. Their departure is regretted, in a financial way, by a number in Austin, the Register being among them, but there is no loss without some small gain, namely, the bills won't get any larger. It has been known for some time that Dreamland could not last, on account of the patronage being so small, which could not be revived, at least until a better machine was installed and better pictures given. When coming to Ausin, Messrs. Wagner and Kelly made a good impression and seemed like fine gentle- men, and little did the citizens dream that they were made of the "skipping" material. This is the' second time that this little amusement place has. suffered in a like manner, and it is to be regretted that young men will stoop so low and resort to such means as to attempt to conduct a business of any kind and in case of non-patronage depart indebted to those who have kindly placed confidence in them and believed that they were honest. Such things react and are detrimental to those who are honest, and want consideration. The Register speaks plainly in condemning such as these, and can only say that before credit is given by our business men it would, in the future, be wise, to know that the financial resources of those desiring credit should be demonstrated, and that a cash basis be inaugurated and conducted for a period sufficient to guarantee a permanent business in our midst. The "come to-day and go to-morrow" (or rather, night by moonlight) is getting too common throughout the country. Those doing this kind of business should be sought and made to pay for their conduct. Again wishing the Moving Picture World the best success for the future, I remain, Yours truly, W. J. Mahnke, Proprietor and Manager, Gem Family Theater.