The Moving picture world (May 1922)

322 MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 20, 1922 high intensity lamps. The projection throw measures one hundred and fifty-five feet. Two spotlights and forty-two baby spots are provided for illumination of the stage when vaudeville is being presented. Monster Moller Organ The house music will be furnished by a monster seventy-five thousand dollar Moller organ, a larger instrument than that recently installed in the Philadelphia Aldine, in fact, we are advised that this is the largest organ ever installed in an eastern theatre. The instrument will be played from a fourmanual console, equipped with all the modern accessories, including the Moller doubletouch system. The instrument itself will be divided in structural sound proof chambers specially provided and designed by M. P. Moller in cooperation with architect Vivarttas. These organ chambers are located on each side the proscenium arch above the upper loges. The grilles, to allow the tone to pass into the auditorium, are twenty-five feet wide and sixteen feet high in the centre. Wonderful Electrical Equipment The lighting installation is the very latest. The high lights are brought out by large crystal chandeliers, while the flooding in different colors is effected by concealed lights. The lighting fixtures were furnished by the Black & Boyd Manufacturing Company, New York City, and represent one of the most up-to-date and attractive installations in the country. The main ceiling is lighted with one large and two smaller all crystal fixtures composed of more than 62,000 crystals of various shapes and sizes with a mass of candles on the outside and containing the same color effect and dimmer control as the lobby chandeliers. The lower part of the balcony is lighted with fixtures suspended from small domes in the ceiling, and consist of a cluster of frosted lamps from a band with leaded glass, trimmed with crystals and pendalogues. Some of the larger wall brackets have a crystal and art glass panel in the center lighted by a lamp set in the wall, in addition to candles, and make a very pleasing effect. The ladies' and men's rooms and other locations are lighted with specially designed fixtures which are works of art and fit in with the surroundings perfectly. The complete electrical equipment of the State was executed by J. G. Berger & Company, Newark. On the stage is a large deae front switchboard which controls all the lighting of the auditorium and the stage. There is also located on the stage a large Ward Leonard dimmer equipment which controls the intensity of the lights from full bright to dead out. The lighting system of the auditorium and stage is designed for four different colors, and with the proper blending many attractive lighting i.ffects m y be obtained. A separate service supplies current for the operation of the motors. This service is entirely independent of the lighting system. A number of innovations in this equipment are not to be found in any other theatre in the Metropolitan district. The most striking is a storage battery equipment of ample capacity to furnish light and power for the entire l5uilding for an evening performance in the event of failure of the outside electric system. This battery equipment and the wiring system in conjunction with it is so designed and installed, that in case the power and lighting system from the outside is discontinued for any reason, the lights and motors in the entire building will receive their 'Kiwer from the storage battery equipment. This is accomplished by the means of specially designed equipment and automatic switches which make the change automatically without the audience being aware of it. This same principal, only on a smaller scale, is in rverydav use in the subway trains of New York City. The Ajax interlocking switchboard was built by the Safety-Rite Company, of Jersey City, especially for the State, and was constructed in ten working days. This represents the highest type of interlocking switchboard and its many unique features recommend it to the most critical engineers and house electricians. The broad proper is arranged in a very compact manner with busbars in perfect alignment and properly supported so as to minimize space. All materials throughout are rugged and built for long usage. Each handle is arranged with a special indicating quick change trigger, permitting presetting ; very simple in operation, Ever-Burning Exit Lights The exit lights are so sonnected that in the event of failure on the "art of the lighting service, they will automatically receive their energy from the power service, and in case of failure of the power service they will receive thir energy from the storage battery equipmnt. This means that there are three sources from which the exit lights may receive energy and the change over from one source of energy to another source is accomplished almost instantaneously. This insures every possible protection in case of an accident or fire. All lights such as electric signs, etc., on the outside of the building are controlled from the manager's office. The manager may press a SAFETY AND COMFORT In the construction of the State, pubhc safety and comfort have been given the first consideration by the company, the architect and the contractor. To this end the building itself "from pit to dome" is absolutely fireproof. Added to this, to guard against even the remotest chances of fire, have been installed every modem device designed for the protection of human life. few small push buttons, and automatically operate large switches in another part of the house which control the lights on the outside of the building. Aside from the features above mentioned, there are other electric systems such as electric in the auditorium, ventilator fans above tlie ceilings, motors for operating blowers, compressors, pumps and certain other necessary equipment, telephone systems for both private and public use, and signal systems. The foot lights, border lights, spot ■ lights and so forth, have been thoroughly studied and installed at the proper places and at the proper angles in order to illuminate the actors and scenery so as to produce the most pleasing effect to the audience. The ventilating and heating systems are combined in one unit, whose function is to heat the interior in winter and cool it in summer. The installation of this system means that the air in the building will be completely changed once in every twelve minutes. Control is automatic, being governed by a series of Johnson Service Company's thermostats. The stage is one of the most complete in the country. It has fifty-three sets of lines so that the most elaborate productions can be staged with all effectiveness. The stage rigging was installed by William Camph, of New York. The curtains are masterpieces made from the best materials. Directly over the stage is a fresco that is a classic of color and composition. On each side of the sfagfe" are' triple tiers of boxes, artistic in arrangement and beautiful in draperies and decorations. Safety ayul Comfort In the construction of the State, public safety and comfort have been given the first consideration by the company, the architect and the contractor. To this end the building itself "from pit to dome" is absolutely fireproof. Added to this, to guard against even the remotest chances of fire, have been installed every modern device designed for the protection of human life. Th entire auditorium balcony, mezzanine, foyer, stage, dressing rooms and rest rooms are protected by a sprinkler system. When any undue heat is generated at any point within the theatre, flood pipes automatically open at the overheated point and a deluge of water follows. This water supply and pressure comes from three huge tanks placed on top the building— one pressure tank ith a capacity of 15,000 gallons, the other a gravity tank of 10,000 gallons capacity, providing a pressure equal to three city fire engines which can flood the entire stage in less than two minutes. Then there is a fire line tank of 7.500 gallons capacity making direct connections with four 200-foot lines of regulations fire hose placed at convenient points within the theatre. The asbestos curtain is automatical controlled so that in the event of fire on the stage no human agency need be depended upon to instantly lower the curtain to prevent smoke or tlames reaching the auditorium. There is also conveniently placed in every part of the theatre a number of fire buckets and chemical extinguishers of four-gallon capacity. Twenty-five Exits Twenty-five fire exits have been added to the many devices, thus completing the plans for public safety, making it absolutely impossible for a disaster of any kind to happen within the theatre. The entire building packed to capacity can be emptied within twenty-two seconds. All goilers for heating are installed in special concrete boiler vaults built outside the theatre. Not only has every requirement of the new city ordinance pertaining to fire prevention and safety in theatre construction been met, but many other safeguards not legally required have been installed, making the State the safest theatre in the world. The architect of the State is Percie A. Vivarttas of Union Hill, who also designed the U. S. Theatre in Hoboken along with a number of other playhouses, including the other million dollar Hall enterprise, the Capitol Theatre, to be built on Monticello Avenue, between Brinkerhoff Street and Harrison Avenue. The builder is James Mitchell, Inc., engineers and contractors of Jersey City, who put into stone and brick and marble and plaster the ideas of the master mind, the architect. They worked with consummate skill as well as speed and it is a question whether so elaborate a playhouse has ever before been erected in so short a time. This concern has erected other large buildings in Jersey City, notably the new Claremont Bank, the Lerner Building and the plants of the Continental Candy Corporation and the Air Reduction Company. All the special and ornamental steel used in the building was supplied by the Fagan Iron Works, of Jersey City. .The directors of the .State Theatre Company are : Eldward B. Morgan, Peter Valla. Amedia Ajello. Charles Armhruster. Jr., F. J. Baumhoer, Bernard M. Dcgheri, James Donohuc. Joseph K. . Bernstein. Charles M. Egan. John J. Fagan. Edward Gately, Edward I. Goldberg, Frank G. Hall, Emil Herz, George Hollcreith, James M Kiernan. Anthony Michel. Benjamin .\. Margulies. Harry Max. Tohn Nuftall, Albert Mann. Tames M'c.\rdle. Joseph B. Payton, Dr. B. S. Pollak, Dr. Harrison V. Scudder. Andrew Valla, George J. Wolf.