Moving Picture News (Jan-Dec 1911)

14 THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS SNAPSHOTS AT A FIRE A STREAM IS PUT UN But it's only a moving picture fire and no lives were lost although several hundred old railroad ties died a quick death for the benefit of the picture, a Thanhouser called "The Railroad Builder." and positives have gone far enough to warrant an unqualified statement to the effect that the camera is a complete success and practically ready for the market. The company has been so busy up to the present time in using its entire efforts in the perfection of the camera and the arrangements for its manufacture that they have not formulated definite plans for the business needs of the proposition. Fully realizing that any statement on the camera subject will meet with doubt in the minds of the entire moving picture world, we have concentrated all our work on the camera. I again say, however, that my associates are all interested in the untrammelled growth of the moving picture business on account of their large interests in this line, and that the business plans when formulated will tend to the growth and advancement of the industry." DR. COOK AT THE NORTH POLE The Cook film of "THE TRUTH ABOUT THE POLE" will from now on, like the famous minute man's gun, "be heard (of) around the World." Mr. Wilbert IMelville, who made the picture and who owns and controls it, has just completed arrangements with the Gaumont Company for its exploitation in Canada and Europe and is about to close a deal for its appearance in South America. The American rights are being looked after by the North Pole Picture Company, of Chicago, a concern organized by Mr. Melville for the purpose of placing the film on this market. The success of the picture has been very marked and Dr. Cook has been so much impressed by the artistic and business ability of its originator, Wilbert Melville, that he has placed Mr. Melville in charge of all of his affairs, including the publication and circulation of his book, "My Attainment of the Pole," and of all his personal booking and public appearances. Headquarters will be at the Marbridge Building, in New York City, where all applications for time should be sent. The Precision Camera Company and the Non-Infringing Camera It would seem that after years of litigation the Non-Infringing Camera, which is to move the motion picture industry from the court and give it a chance for unimpeded progress has at last arrived. Mr. H. E. Aitken, president of the Western Film Exchange of Milwaukee, and largely interested in the moving picture industry of St. Louis, Chicago and New York, and who has just recently returned from Europe, where he is interested in several offices, in London and other cities of Europe, speaking for his associates, states as follows: "The Precision Camera Company has been organized under the state laws of Illinois, and the stock is closely held by a few men of ample means, all of whom have been for years closely connected with the movmg picture industry, and who have practical experience in all of the various branches and with a full knowledge of its needs." We have taken up by purchase the Fames Patents, No. 546093, issued September 10, 1895, on application filed March 25, 1895. The camera and claims were presented to the well-knov^fn patent attorneys Kenyon & Kenyon, and the following are extracts from their written report: "This camera clearly does not infringe the Edison Camera Patent, issued 12037, as the same has been heretofore interpreted by the courts. It has a moving lens and a continuously and uniformly moving film, and is therefore outside the field of the Edison monopoly, just as the Wagner Camera was held to be outside the Edison field in the cases against Yankee Film Company, and against William Steiner et al. In my opinion it is also entirely clear that the camera does not infringe the Latham loop patent, 707934." Mr. Aitken, on being questioned concerning the future movements of this company, replied as follows: "The experiments leading to the practical perfection of the camera have been made. The arrangements for the manufacture are virtually completed, and the actual production of negatives