The Billboard 1912-08-03: Vol 24 Iss 31 (1912-08-03)

ea % ? The Billboard AUGUST 3, 1912. AMUSEMENT PARK NEWS American Showman Writes Letter to The Billboard, Describing European Parks—Notes From Representative American Summer Resorts—Managers Describing Present Conditions EUROPEAN PARK NOTES. Luna Park, Petersburg, Russia, has been built on Officer Street, one block away from the Ma rine Theatre and is located directly in the middle of Petersburg. It is about the size of Luna Park in Paris; however, more elegant. It cost $1,000,000. It was built with Russian capital and by certain prominent showmen. While there I met Parker J. McConnell, who has been with us only three years, at the same time the young man’s successes have been seen all over Europe. He tells me that since the opening of the Luna Park in St. Petersburg which was the first of May, he has made over $20,000 net profit, The different attractions situated in the park are as follows: The magnificent opera house, built at a cost of half a million dollars and owned by a private company and under the protection of the Grand Duke Sergius, who is a cousin to the Czar. The next is a beautiful restaurant and terrace, in which there is a van deville show. Then comes the Somali Village, with one hundred Somali savages. The scenic railway, which is the finest in Europe, was built by George Lawsha, who was formerly chief engineer for L. A. Thompson Scenic Railway Co. The road is 75 feet high and five miles long and is a wonderful plece of construction. The Old Mill is constructed under the scenic and is owned by the Continental Scenic Railway <0. The joy wheel, which is located in the middie of the park, was built at a cost of $12,000 and has a capacity of 4,000 people. There is a steel water chute of Captain Boynton’s patent. place. Coney Island's big resort gets the cream of the season’s crop of fun devices and the policy now is to keep them unti] the novelty begins to wane when they will be turned over to smaller parks. The tremendous free circus is a big drawing card; acts varying from aerial whirls to animal marvels are given continuously and interspersed among them are vaudeville features. There ig a free entertainment of this nature going on constantly from novn until midnight and it furnishes an entertaining diversity between the individual ghows. The spectacular features attached to the immense open-air pool at Steeplechase Park, Coney Island, N. Y., have been completed and swimmers can enjoy a dip in the water fresh from the sea under conditions and surroundings that are nove] and unequalled. From the bathing pavilion fronting the pvol is a cascade, 40 feet high, down which great volumes of water, pumped from the ocean, come tumbling and swirling down and that produces a picturesque effect. Runways, springboards and swinging rope bars provide means for those who wish to engage in stunts. On the sides of the pool are Standpipes, from which are ejected big sprays v1 water. Music as an accompaniment of swimming is a novelty even for Coney Island, but this is another unique feature of the pool, a band being stationed on a platform overlooking the water. Night bathing has become very popular in this tank, numerous tungsten lamps making the scene as light as day. The pool extends from Surf Avenue to the center of the park and contains 600,000 gallons of water, there being a constant outward flow to keep it fresh. DOLING PARK, SPRINGFIELD, MO. MIDWAY There are numerous small shows such ag Hale’s Tours, etc. The park, although on a small scale, has been built regardless of expense and is patronized by the best people, The Berlin Luna Park is on its third season and is doing fairly good, although the weather is very inclement. Iuna Park in Cairo, is closed during the months of July and August and is under reconstruction. The Paris Luna Park, which is owned by Gaston Akoun as well as Magic City, is doing very well, both parks having a good daily attendance, In London, Earl's Court, Crystal Palace and | White City are doing a moderate business. PARK NOTES. Fraser's Million Dollar Pier Company, Ocean Pier, Cal.. is enjoying the best season in its history. On Sunday, July 20, the transportation companies were utterly unable to handle the <rowds and the reason therefore is presumed to be on account of the exceedingly warm weather and the Bathing Girl Contest uffered as | a special feature. H. B. Auchey'’s great car| eousel, which cost more than $30,000, is taking top money of the three carousels on the beach | at this time. Children’s Day was celebrated on July 25. Every child under sixteen years of | age was admitted free to every concession. Arrangements have been entered into with the | railroad company for four half-fare days this summer. These days will occur in the middle | of the week, at a time when it will be of most benefit to concessionaires. a new and novel device, in which 20 autog and | several thousand square feet of mirrors are | utilized, is about ready for opening. This ride promises to become very popular. Paul D. | Howse, who operated the incubators and the | tombs on this plier, has embarked in the elec tric sign business in Los Angeles. It is rumored | that Mr. Howse has purchased an interest in the Starland Theatre, and will be in activ charge of this enterprise. Luna’s Kiss Waltz has proven one of the greatest attractions in the history of Coney {sland. This new ride, the invention of Harry Thurston, the magician, is the novelty hit vf the season, as is well attested by the throngs of merry-makers that revel on it daily. Dance and be merry, a high sign outside the entrance reads. The gleeful shouts of those waltzing in the odd-shaped tube inside can be heard a block away. This is but one of the new amuse ments that Luna can boast of. There are dozens of this years’ inventions installed there and none of them can be found at any other amusement The auto maze, Highland Park Beautiful, Quincy, Ill., is now passing through one of the most successful seasons it has ever had for years, which is nv doubt due to the fact that some of the most famous attractions now touring the American Continent have been booked during the summer. Among others that have been at this park are the Kilties Band, Ellery’s Band. Perullo’s Band and Madame Garcia, in her sensational forward triple somersault automobile act. On July 22, high-class vaudeville features were introduced in the program and on August 4, Creatore and his band will open an engagement here. The dancing pavilion, as we'] as the musical entertainments staged in the rathskellar under the dancing pavilion, are attracting exceedingly large crowds. Motion picture exhibitions are offered as free attractions and are proving to be very popular. The Made-in-Quincy Exposition, an industrial show to be staged at this grove during the latter part of September, promises to be the attraction of the season, and will be of interest to residents contiguons to and at least 100 miles distant from Quincy. A sudden storm swept over Raltimore, Md., ubout 5 p. m., July 21, and like a Western eyclone played havoc with things that were not properly fastened. The suburban sections suffered the most damage as the property was more exposed to the elements. The summer parks were not overlooked by the Northwesterly winds. Riverview Park was nearly blown off the beach. The shows using tents and filmsy structures disappeared like a quick change performance. A heavy gust of wind blew up while the Royal Artillery Band was rendering a tuneful selection and the sheets of music went | scattering through the air before the musicians had realized what happened. amusing tv the crowd but the musicians revealed scornful looks as they saw the music floating over the waters of the Patapsco River. The people were drenched by the downpour. Danner and RBuckey’s Show and the diving girls were badly wrecked. The fronts of these shows were blown about like paper. However, business was continued at the old stands under temporary conditions. Although the season has been very backward on account of the cool weather Port Stanley Beach, Ont., is now in full swing and doing good business. All the amusements on the boardwalk had one of the best weeks in the history of this resort week of July 15, wher the free attraction was Walter R. Brookins, the famous aviator. He gave a three days’ exhibi tion of flying and every day was a record day, crowds coming in by boat, train and trolley. It is estimated that nearly forty thousand saw the flights. It ig the intentions of the Amusement Company to put on other free attrac The sight was very LABOR DAY Is always the big day at Parks and other Amusement Resorts— the annual celebration of the workingman’s “DAY OFF.” How Are You Fixed For Attractions, Mr. Manager ? Something extra must be offered to interest the multitudes that take advantage of celebrating this one BIG DAY. GET FIRST CALL On the big acts, bands and fireworks display. Now is the time to let them know your wants, and ‘The Billboard is the medium through which to properly and promptly reach them. THE BILLBOARD PUBLISHING CO. 25-27 Opera Place, Cincinnati, Ohio. A MONTH THIS , SUMMER Wilk: This machine built my big business in Springfield. I stand ready to help other men to make 5 men who have busi “I made $1500 first month in Louisiana with this same machine”—H. W. Eakins, A wonderful money maker—moderate investment pee. Almost four cents profit on every nickel. t makes Popcorn Orispettes—a new, tempting, tasty, deicious confection, Nothing like them ever sold before, eople eat and eat and eat them because of the alluri taste. Children buy eagerly, Adults like them just as wall, “ven the old folks want them. New, secret process, known only to purchasers of my machine makes successful competition impossible. If you foilow instructions you should make a month this summer dead easy; more than that if you hustle. Why shouldn't you do as well as Mr. Eakins? Fascinating, easy em. ployment. Anybody can make Crispettes. You can clean up big profitsat . Fairs, Parks, Resorts, Circuses, Carnivals, * Amusement Pavilions; street corners, windows, small stores, etc. Think of the crowds that will pass by. Think of the —oney spent for confections. Think how freely pleasure seekers spend money, It just rolls in like water, Get your share, It’s a great business. Something doing all the time. Cash box jingling all day long. Once a Crispette eater always one—every customer is steady and makos dozens more, Listen to this letter from Penn. “For week, Crispette sales were 6,445 rolls, This week will be better." Then this from Michigan. “Have run machine for about four weeks and have cleared about $500." Can you beat it. Making money isn’t nearly as hard as it seems. Hal. o success is in making the start. Drop me a postal for my complete story and the words oother men who are making money with my machine, You never read anything like it. You see why men make money with this machine, Anyway investigate. k into the pro see what there isin itfor you, A postal brings the whole story. Write it now, W. Z. LONG, ob High Street, Springfield, Ohio. omen WHIPS, BALLOONS, BUTTONS, FLAGS, FESTOONING, HORNS, SQUAWKERS All the Late Novelties, Come Pennants, Everybody's Doing 41 bates. apa Kicking My toe Around he Bands. same sayiugs. in Tinsel and Painted. Catalogue reaciy THE TIP NOVELTY CO.. Tipyrcanor City 0 FOR SALE.---Bargain A SCENIC RAILWAY, complete, with structure, machinery and equipment, ready to operate. feet of track. Removal after September Ist. For particulars address THE L. A. THOMPSON SCENIC RAILWAY CO., 291 Broadway ° HIG STRIKERS WE'VE GOT THE RIGHT DOPE ON SHELL PURSES, BEADS, POODLE DOGS, WHIPS > WRITE FOR SPECIAL PRICES w] 907 N. Broadway, ST. LOUIS, MO. PRIVILEGE MEN, ATTENTION Side shows, etc., wanted for Midway at PERTH’S FAIR, August 30th, 31st and September 2nd. Opening of new Fair Grounds. Easy terms. Write, CHAS. F. STONE, Secretary, Perth, Ont., Canada. FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT MENTION THE BILLBOARD WHEN WRITING ADVERTISERS. Avout 4,500 . New York City. THAT GET THE BUSINESS. 900% he 50" at” mn one day; another traveled 1,900 miles without paying one cent for express. Light, strong and flashy. Price, $45.00. Sent on approval, on receipt of $10.00, M. W. ANSTERBURG, Homer, Michigan. FABRICIUS, eenr-eteae ee ae ae a ee ee ee