Moving Picture World (Nov - Dec 1918)

574 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 2, 1918 vicinity has improved. The soldiers have also been forbidden to go to Seattle or Tacoma, where the theatres were closed during the first of the week. Wires are coming in daily to the Seattle exchanges from exhibitors in all parts of the Pacific Northwest, instructing them to stop all shipment of film until further notice; that their town has been closed on account of the influenza. Several shippers have already been dismissed, and it looks as if the managers would have to let their entire forces go if many more towns are taken from their active list. All Iowa Picture Theatres Shut by Health Authorities BECAUSE of Spanish influenza Iowa is officially closed as regards motion pictures and all other forms of public assembly as the result of a sweeping order that emanated from the office of the State Board of Health, after conference with the military authorities. This means that every picture theatre in the State and, according to the last reports, there were more than 600 of them, has shut its doors and will not be allowed to reopen until the quarantine is lifted. Film exchanges have had their business completely paralyzed. Even with a few houses open a full force was maintained to take care of the shipments that were necessarily hazardous because of the breaking up of circuits, and the sudden refusal of shows in the smaller towns without any notice of closing have been given the exchange. As it is now, the majority of the exchanges are simply paying out money for help, hoping that the payment of salaries will retain their forces against the reopening of business. Manager M. J. Frisch, of Universal, probably had one of the most expensive poster departments in the country the past week He kept his seven road men in and paid them salaries for assorting and rearranging paper. The other local exchanges are not under such heavy expenses as regards their roadmen because they operate with smaller forces. A. H. Blank and other large Iowa operators see light even though the darkness, as it is their belief that statewide quarantine will quickly wipe out the disease and that results will be better for all concerned than to have a third of the State open and the lid on the rest. Military authorities state that conditions at Camp Dodge arc much . although there have been a good many deaths from the scourge. Indianapolis Continues Ban on Picture Theatres Indianapolis, ( )ctober 19. HOPES of motion picture exhibitors. film nun and theatre managers of Indiana for abatement of the wide ban on all public gatherings further shattered this week when Dr. J. N. Hurtv. sei of 'he Slate l:>. aid of Health, issued an order authorizing a continuance of the ban for another week. The order effective now did not expire Saturday night at midnight, as was first intended, hut will continue until midnight of the 26th. "The situation in Indiana is too serious to take any chances by lifting the order too early, the board believes," said Dr. Hurty. He added, however, that to ward the latter part of next week some slight modifications may be made to apply to counties in the north half of the State, where the peak has passed, if conditions warrant. Statistics compiled by the assistant secretary of the board show that while the epidemic is decreasing in the north half of the State, it is continuing to increase in the south half. It is estimated that in the entire State there are approximately 50,000 cases. The consensus of opinion among the exhibitors appears to be that the order may result to the ultimate benefit of the exhibitors in the bigger business than is bound to come when the theatres reopen. They feel that the people will be craving so for their favorite amusement that they will rush wildly to the nearest motion picture theatre the minute it is opened. New Brunswick Is Closed. Closing down of theatres throughout New Brunswick is due to the fact that since the new Government came in at Fredericton a health act was passed, with Dr. Roberts appointed as the Minister of Public Health. Under his administration the epidemic of influenza was promptly dealt with and the order for the closing down of theatres and other places of amusement was general throughout the province. In Nova Scotia the cities where the disease has appeared are quarantined, and this accounts for the fact that some of the theatres in the smaller centres are still operating. Darkened houses are the rule all over New Brunswick. In Nova Scotia Wolfville, Kentville, Joggins Mines, Inverness and Port Morien are still open. Glace Bay in Cape Breton is closed. In St. John theatres are taking this opportunity of making repairs and alterations. It is unfortunate the epidemic has broken out just after an unprecedentedly bad season for the theatrical men and just at the beginning of one of their best seasons. According to F. G. Spencer, in the Maritime Provinces some ninety theatres were forced to close. About twelve hundred employes are idle and .ten film exchanges seriously affected. Portland Precaution Closes Theatres. Things have been very dully in the amusement line in Portland, Oregon, for tin past two weeks owing to the influenza scare, and Thursday, October 10, the State Health Board ordered the closi all theatres, dance halls, churches, and prohibited the holding of meetings of any nature and the congregation of crowds upon the streets. It was not bebecause the disease had a hold on the city, but as a precautionary measure. As the scare had kept the people out of the show houses, the closing was not unexpected. Many towns in this territory had I long before. This has affected the film exchanges, and the rumor is about that a great curtailment of help will he the result, Tt will give the thea>< an opportunity to make improvements. The managers are allowing those laid off enough money for actual expenses so that there will be no very bad effects. California Closes Down. San Francisco, October 18. ' The San Francisco Board of Health todaj closed theatres, churches, schools, and all places of public meeting on account of the influenza, commencing immediately. The state board of health met later and ordered theatres throughout the state closed. Before the action of the State officials about two hundred theatres served by San Francisco exchanges had closed on account of local orders. Three weeks are considered necessary in order *■ obliterate disease. CHURCH. Everything Closed in Spokane. On Wednesday, October 9, every moving picture theatre, other theatres and all other places of amusement and churches of Spokane were closed by an order of the board of health due to an epidemic of influenza, and they will remain closed for at least two weeks. All theatres, as well as moving picture, employes were given a forced vacation as a result of the order, but no complaints appeared to be registered, as all were willing to co-operate with the department as a war measure. The schools were also closed. Dallas Territory Paralyzed. Spanish influenza, which it was hoped the Southwest would escape, became epidemic in the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas during the second week in October. The moving picture industry in these three states is completely paralyzed. By proclamation of the governor every theatre in the state of Arkansas closed its doors during the first week of the month. A few days later a similar proclamation closed all Oklahoma theatres. What little business still remains in the Southwestern territory is from scattered theatres in the smaller Texas towns. Of upward of 900 theatres in the three states served by Dallas film exchanges only about 300 remained open October 14. These are closing one by one, and on the date mentioned no relief seemed to be in sight. State authorities of Texas have taken no action, leaving it to the discretion of municipal authorities whether theatres remained open or closed. On account of the four great cantonments . and the scores of smaller army posts in the state adopting the strictest of quarantine, municipal authorities generally have been quick to act in conjunction with military commanders. Commencing the third week in October, Waco, Fort Worth and .San Antonio were the only three large towns in the district where the picture shows were open. Each of these is a cantonment city, and all of the soldiers are forbidden to attend theatres. Consequently the exhibitors are having a hard time getting by. They were expected to close at any moment. Western New York Shut Tight. Every moving picture theatre^ in Buffalo has been closed on account of the Spanish influenza. All other amusement places are obeying the same ruling, which has been issued by the local health department. The same order has been extended to many cities and towns throughout Western New York. Even before the closing rule was issued the downtown moving picture theatres were losing heavily on account of the citywide street car strike, which checked the flow of thousands of dollars into the box offices. Even if the houses are