The phonoscope (Nov 1896-Dec 1899)

L2 THE PHONOSCOPE Maj-, 1897 " picture projecttna " IDevtces The Vitascope On the night of A.pTil'23'i, 1896, the program at the famous vaudeville theatre of Koster & Bial, New York, contained one number styled the "Vitascope." The great majority of the large audience gathered together at this theatre on that night knew little or nothing as to the character of exhibition about to be given with the new machine. A few in the audience had seen the operation of the " Vitascope" in private, and these, together with the friends of the machine, and the management of the theatre (who had staked their business judgment on the success of the mrchine) were on tip-toe of expectation, and impatiently awaited the time for the "Vitascope" to be shown, which happened to be toward the end of the program. One by one the acts and numbers preceding the "Vitascope" were gone through with and finally the time came for the new candidate for public favor to justify the hopes and expectations of its friends. Suddenly all the lights in the theatre are extinguished and an oblong square of light appears in the centre of a frame outlined upon the drop curtain of the theatre. Then there is a buzzing sound and instantly a dancing figure, life size, appears in the centre of the square of light on the screen. All the colors of co-tuine, and natural lints upon the face, neck and arms of the dancer, are shown vividly, and as the well-known "Annabelle" (for the audience soon recognizes her) goes through the various movements and poses of her celebrated " Butterfly Dance" the enthusiasm of the audience begins to manifest itself. The orchestra is playing a popular dam e in time with the movements of the figure on the screen, aud as the dance goes on there are many beautiful changes of coloring in the costume of the dancer, and every detail of face, figure and dress is so naturally and exactly brought out by the wonderful new machine that the beholders almost forget that it is but a counterpart of nature and here are many among the audience who even express doubt that it is but a figure on a screen, and not the actual dancer in the flesh, shown by some legerdemain or magi cian's trick. Then the dancer disappears from the screen, and after a moment a new subject (lashes in her place. The audience sees an old pier extending into the ocean and the brealaers rolling in and breaking into surf and white caps along the sides of the pier and upon the rock bound coast. The movements of the waves are directly towards the audience, and so true to nature is the work of the wonderful machine, that it would appear that each succeeding wave was bound to break through its canvas limitation and overwhelm the orchestra below the front of the stage. So realistic is the scene that expressions of admiration and wonder are heard all over the house and when the scene disappears from the canvas, the applause is so tremendous and persistent that the management is compelled to repeat the subject, and even after a second repetition the audience is not yet satisfied and continues its applause and demand for continued repetition, even after the third showing. Other scenes are given which we will not now describe. Suffice it to say, that by the time the last scene is shown the audience is in a perfect furore of enthusiasm and there are loud cries of "Bravo, "and calls for speeches from the management and from the inventors of the remarkable machine which has just made its reputation with the public. It was not long before other parties, desiring to gain profit and advantage by constructing similar machines, began to make and exhibit so-called projecting machines throughout the country. It is but fair to the "Vitascope" to say, that the great majority of projecting machines which have appealed since the introduction of the "Vila>cope," are in great part but copies or imitations of the oiiginal "Vitascope," and in some instances the machine has been almost exactly copied by parties who are willing thus to take ;idvun1age of the genius of others. But the fact remains and cannot be controverted that the "Vitascope" is the first successful pro jecting machine shown in America, and that through all the changes which have taken place in the business, and with all the efforts of competitors, the machine stands to-day with a prestige superior to any other machine, when all the facts, conditions and circumstances are taken into consideration. It has proven to be a thoroughly reliable machine for the purpose intended, and even with constant use, and with considerable wear and tear, (we might even say careless handling), it continues to give thoroughly good results and can be relied on at all times. There is no question, perhaps, but that Improvements in the machine will be made from time to time, but it is rather a remarkable fact that a machine which was the first successful one of its kind should have produced such perfect results on its first introduction to the public, and required so few changes in its constructions, to make it acceptable to even the most critical. We will not go into the question of patents in this article because it would require considerable space to do justice to this subject. But patents for the "Vitascope" were applied for long since and there is every reason to believe that in due time the machine will take a still higher place in the business, and that the many infringing machines which have sprung up from time to time will disappear from the field. Should the indications as to the issue of broad patents covering applications upon many features of the "Vitascope" (some of them beiug vital features, without which it would seem almost impossible to construct a successful and thoroughly reliable projecting machine of the kind) prove equal to the expectations of those who control the machine, and result in cleaning out infringing machines from the field, it is evident that territorial rights to the ' 'Vitascope" will acquire a largely increased value, owing to the fact that this form of amusement has taken