The Moving Picture World (1908)

528 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD NEW FILM EXCHANGE INCORPORATED. The United Film Exchange Company, Cleveland, O. Ed- ward Kohl, C. W. Craig, C. M. Christensen, Robert Cranger, W. R. Granger. Capital, $10,000. FREIGHT RATES MAY BE REDUCED. The present rate of kinetoscopes, or moving picture ma- chinery, from the East to San Francisco is $6 per 100 pounds. These machines are forwarded in such volume to San Fran- cisco that parties interested believe they should have a lower rate, and have made an application to the transcontinental lines for a reduction "to a fair and a just figure," or in other words; to about $3 per 100 pounds. This subject will be considered at the next meeting of the transcontinental lines, the date for which has not been set. It is possible that some reduction may be granted, as the water routes are making low rates on these machines.. NO SHOWS IN TENEMENT PROPERTY IN . BROOKLYN. As result of a decision handed down by Justice Kelly in the Supreme Court, the Tenement House Department has decided not to approve any more applications for the in- stallation of moving picture shows in tenement houses. Some time ago Henry Bloomgarden, of 68 Tompkins ave- nue, made application to the Tenement House Department for permission to make alterations to the premises so that moving pictures could be shown in the rear of an ice-cream saloon. Deputy Commissioner John McKeown refused to give the necessary permit, claiming that the moving pictures shown in tenements were dangerous to the lives of the occu- pants of the building. Failing to get the department to agree to his plans, Bloom- garden took the matter before Justice Kelly and asked the court to compel the commissioner to grant the permission to make the alterations. While this case was pending a num- ber of applications for moving picture shows were held up in the Tenement House Department. Edmond J. Butler, the Commissioner of the Tenement House Department, is reported as having said that he intends to begin a crusade against the shows at present located in the tenements and will try to wipe them all out. BALTIMORE IS GOING THE LIMIT ON PICTURES. Baltimore has had its full share of moving picture enjoy- ment this Spring, as not only have the exhibitions been given in leading theaters, but there are scores of small places all over town. So little capital is required that a moving picture theater may be established anywhere. The managers of the theaters are becoming anxious, for, as the New York "Mirror" asks, where is it to end? Not only are the familiar moving pictures shown, but there are the "talking pictures," -the plays and the vaudeville acts with voices and lifelike action. The suburban parks this Summer have their moving pic- tures, and in the West there are the "airdome theaters"— places of amusement improvised by canvas and high fences and vacant lots, each with one or more buildings as a back- ground, and, where no other provision can be made, the pic- tures are shown in black tents, which give the requisite dark- ness for the display. The hope is entertained by most of the managers that "the public, which is extremely fickle in its tastes, will weary of the pictures and turn as suddenly against them as it is now inclined in their favor. This is the history of all crazes. Who has forgotten the bicycle madness, when every person in the country seemed to be a rider of the wheel? The dealers could not supply the demand. The craze expended itself, and the riders are now by no means so numerous. So, it is hoped by the managers, there will follow a. surfeit of the pictures. ADVERTISING THE COLONIES BY MOTION K PICTURES. The value of advertising nowadays is recognized as much by nations and governments as by private individuals, and the Canadian Government has shown that it does not mean to let slip any proper method of making known the advan- tages and resources of British Columbia to the outside world. The latest advertising scheme is that of a moving picture reproduction of all the most interesting scenes and chief industries of the province, which will be shown in the music halls and other places of entertainment throughout the Brit- ish Isles during the coming Winter. ■ Arrangements have been completed with the Charles Urban Trading Company, Ltd., to take a number of series of these moving pictures. The company's representative will leave England en route for British Columbia this month and will be taken to the various places of interest. Among the scenes to be photographed will be included cannery operations, fruit orchard scenes, lumbering, logging, mining, and so forth. The chief scenic beauties of the province will also find a place, and the result should be that the British public will get as vivid and realistic a representation of life and con- ditions in this province as it is possible to get without actu- ally paying it a visit. The contract includes a guarantee that the pictures will be exhibited in all the places of amusement in London and throughout Great Britain which are supplied by the Urban Company. RUINOUS COMPETITION IN TOLEDO.. The moving picture shows in Toledo are putting on a bat- tle stunt that all lovers of the cheap theaters will thoroughly enjoy. The managers are fighting among themselves and the patrons are getting the benefit, for the present, in reduced prices and better attractions. Toledo is said to be the only city in America where every theater has put in moving pictures as a Summer attraction. We lose this distinction next Week, for the moving picture machine from Burt's will be moved to the Lyceum and Burt's will be closed for the annual renovation. Nassr will probably take his machine from the Lyceum to Walbridge Park. Meantime Hurtig & Seamon, who first put local theaters into- the picture game by opening, the Arcade for that pur- pose, have now declared a new move. Moving pictures will be put in the Empire absolutely free to all, and all who attend there get a coupon which procures admittance to. the Arcade at half price. "If it's necessary, we'll open the Coliseum and give free vaudeville to 7»ooo people every day," said Leon Berg, who is conducting the fight for Hurtig & Seamon. Burt and Hooley have made no counter move yet, but something will probably develop early next week unless the war be settled before then. The war began here in an attempt on the part of the big theaters to kill off the picture shows which were getting the money, and was carried on all over the country. Now the big fellows are fighting and the little fellows taking sides. THE SHOW AT THE CHICAGO AUDITORIUM. The Chicago "Examiner" says: "It seemed rather odd to be looking at a cinematograph and listening to a phonograph in Chicago's largest playhouse at 25 cents a head, but there was nothing in the performance that lowered the dignity of the theater or did discredit to the names of distinguished composers that flashed into view around the arch of the stage whenever the spotlight was turned to permit Joseph Kilgour, garbed as for an afternoon wedding, to stalk out and say what was going to happen next. "Many a man in that audience has slept peacefully through classic works of Mozart and Wagner, who was wide awake through the picture show, absorbing some information and much amusement. < "The great pipe organ, which is one of the glories of the Auditorium, did duty in lieu of an orchestra, and with such musicians as Arthur. Dunham and Arthur Keller in charge the substitute might truthfully be described in the words of the druggist as 'just as good, or better.' "Mr. Lee has collected from all over the world a series of pictures that are unique and valuable. For instance, he has followed a trip of Alfred Vanderbilt's famous folly, the four- in-hand coach, from London to Brighton, catching it at both ends of the line, at relay points, at picturesque places on the road, in crowded streets, where the laughing populace cheers and smiles at the 'multi-millionaire coachman.' Hear the Pictures Talk. "You can hear the click of the horse's iron shoes on the pavement stones in perfect rhythm with the movements on the canvas. Every howling phantom in the picture has his real shouter behind the curtain to make him appear genuine. You see and hear and feel the whole fifty-mile journey to' the unloading point at the Hotel Metropole as plainly as though you were riding in the coach instead of watching a repro- duction of something that took place long ago on the other side of the ocean. "Mr. Lee's pictures have a way of transporting you. . They are in the best sense living pictures because he has a corps of trained supernumeraries behind the scenes who operate