The Billboard 1913-03-22: Vol 25 Iss 12 (1913-03-22)

care rstesees . 7 Ls ‘The Bi llboard MARCH 22, 1913. + NEW WAVERLY PARK---Lansing, Mich. } > a 7 : CONCESSIONS WANTED :-> j CONCESSIONS ALREADY GRANTED:—Roller Coaster, Skating Rink, Free Gate, _League Base Ball Grounds in Properly Dance Hall, Boating, Joy Wheel, etc nbcemae { ;—Merry-Go-Round, Theatre (large and espec. ‘ ially equipped for Moving Picture House), Miniature Railway, Hotel---Beautiful Grove---5¢ Car Fare---Good Service ; Refreshments, Jap Bowling, , Shooting Gallery, Photographs, ¢ WANTED TO HEAR from Balloon Ascension Man, steady employment; 3 Bowling Al'eys (constructed), Pool, ete. also Carnival Company and good open air attractions. z ; Address THOMAS M. REID, Mgr.—THE MICHIGAN CATERING CO., nc, Parks and Interurban Stands—JACKSON, MICH. ; PCS OCOOOO > ae 3 NOVEL PARK RIDES AND DEVICES. (Continued from page 30.) ee : INCANDESCENT LAMPS :: just as much newspaper space, as a very ex eee eee pensiv device. One of the most successful things of this character was the ‘‘Helte Skelter’ or “Bamboo Slide.’’ which was bulit in nearly every park over the country, some times operated free, some times at five cents and seme times at one cent, which never failed to create interest and was a big advertising fea ture, altho it only cost a few bundred dollars t» install. The Roulette Wheel or Joy Wheel was also a splendid advertisement for a good many parks smd Sas not expensiv. sll to a good many x: uera) veasons for Circle Swings have been parks where one of their buying it was that it made 1 very attractiv electrical display and would be good advertising for the park. Happily it proved a good money-earner in most cases, as ‘ell a8 a good attraction The best ride in Ivseamland at Coney Island, two years ago, was a smnll tub ride called the ‘*Rigamaroll,”’ which could be built for about $3,500 It did just as much business and created more lafter aml enthusiasm among the park patrons than any oher feature of the park that year, It is net always necessary for a to keep up its earnings for many pecially if it has such a character, get semewhere near its cost the I believe it is up to us who are park ride years, es as would first season. manufacturing auusement devices, to supply the parks with such novelties and on such terms and conditions as will enable the parks to continually get new attractions without tvo much of an investment or risk. For that reason I have workt out a scheme of exchange by which a customer can exchange bis old rides as part payment for new ones, the same as is done with typewriters, avtomDiles and in many other lines of trade In this way, a park can get rid of its old stuff fer a substantial consideration and at the same time have a new ride installed without having to invest the entire cost of it In cash. If a park company purchase a ride at say $5.000 and it earns 200 per cent in the first three vears. they can exchange it for a new ride and receive $2.500 credit for the old ride and in this way they have actually carned 225 per cent upon the investment, whicn is a good money return for three years. It would be fvolish for me to predict what the furure holds in the way of riding devices. bat { believe that there is a rich field in this line on which the surface has only been eratched. To get up a successful park ride. there must be some absolute novelty «i fferent in fysical and psychological effect from the older cides. There must not be too much expense in the installation unless it is sure to be a tremendous money-earner It must be abso lutely safe and free from accidents. either to the machinery or to the passengers, for there is a material loss in case of a breakdown, whether the passengers are injured or not, and machinery of this kind usually breaks down on the big gest day of the season during the busirst hour of the day. It is therefore quite necessary that these rides be built out of the very strongest and safest materials, that they be built with a very high factor of safety and it ought to be ®° rrranged that there is no chance for over leading nor for the passengers to jump vor fall out. My own experience in this line has taught me that the safest material to use in building emnsement devices is steel. I prefer to use steel castings instead of cast iron, and while these cost about five times as much, I believe it is the cheapest policy in the end. for the risk of accident “is always unpleasant when one is vsing cast fron in which there is always a p «sibility of a flaw. I believe that one shenid nse structural steel instead of wood, for with «steel there is practically no deterioration. ami. if the parts are properly painted before ther are put together, it is not necessary to lie awake at night. worrying over the possi bilities of a break down and a heavy accident dne to the giving way of some wooden brace. which is partly decayed. As near as I can learn, there have been ferty million passengers carried on the various rides which I have built ana sco far as I know, there has never been a serious accident of any kind I believe that this record is the best pssible evidence that it pays to use a high grade of material and to avold the use of cast fron and wood when possible In the last few years, I have heard:a number ef park managers ask the question: ‘‘What is the matter with the park business?’’ and sumetimes they ask: “‘What is the matter with the rites?’ T have heard tt explained In var!ona ways, Some eay ‘“‘the h'gh cost of living:’’ others say that ‘last year was a political year;’’ others thet ‘‘the park business is over,’’ but I want to say right here and now, that the amusement park business and the riding de vice bosiness Is just as good as it ever was ard has exactly the same possibilities that ‘t had five years ago or ten years ago. and if the park people are willing to snend the money te get good, clean novel attractions and to take ont more or less of the old stuff, which has heen worked to death, and if they will go after the business the same way as they went after It a few years ago, there will be just as much patronage and just as much profit In parks and ‘n nark rides, as there was a few years ago. In fact, a good many of the parks which are suc Greater Island Park EASTON, PA. WANTED—FIRST-CLASS ATTRACTIONS AND CONCESSIONS. Concessions on flat, rental or percentage. Free admission to Park. Large average daily attendance. Both electric and steam cars run direct to the Park. Address H. R. FEHR, General Manager, Easton, Pa. HERE IS A REAL ONE ISLAND PARK cates DEFIANCE, OHIO OPENS MAY 30th WANTED—Merry-Go-Round, Ferris Wheel, or any good Riding Device. Concessions of all kinds. Musi cal Comedies and Stock write A real wet town, and booming. Come and get the money. Address all communications to MURVHY, Manager. c. M. WE WANT A CARNIVAL COMPANY. Penny Arcade Complete Now running 110 machines; cost $6.000.00; sell for best offer. All machines in good condition. No junk ELECTRIC AMUSE A-1 park proposition. MENT CO., Newburgh, N. Y. PARKS-—-THEATRES—-SHOWS 800 Hours SAFETY ELECTRIC COMPANY, 342 N. Michigan Ave, CHICAGO +——FOR—_— Buy Direct From Manufacturers GUARANTEED ? ? Clear 9c og Clear . Colored. | 10c 600 Hours Colored TC WANTED FOR THE FAMOUS Tolomeo Royal Italian Band and Grand Opera Company ITALIAN MUSICIANS Drummer with traps, tympany bells, ete., Eb Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Oboe bassoon, Solo Bb Clarinet, Solo Bb Cornet, Baritone, String Bass, Eb Bass, Flute and Piccolo, Long engagement to Italian artists. of May. Giovanni Russo, Angelo Chiappa, write. TOLOMEO, P. O. Box V, Leon, Iowa BOOK YOUR ACTS AND GET CONCESSIONS OF ME ELDRIDGE PARK THE LARGEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC RECREATION GROUND IN SOUTHERN NEW YORK OR NORTHERN PENNSYLVANIA, with @ surrounding population of 200,000. It is the great magnet of this region. Beautiful 4-5 miles circular lake in middle. Two Concessions, buildings and ground space. Want Motor Boat on lake. Address G. F. LAWRENCE, Season opens latter part Eldridge Park Manager, Elmira, N. ¥ cessful today are in themselves positive proof of my assertion. A few years ago, I built a circle swing at Harlem [’ark. Rockford, IIL... town of only 31,000 population. This mach'ne earned 100 per cent In the first six weeks, which was due to the fact that the park was well managed, had some good interurban railway feeders and had just enough rides—no more. The management made considerable effort to bring in excursion business and there were only two or three other riding devices in the park. Exactly the same thing can be done today in a city of the same size and character if it does not have too many old rides already — if the same effort is made to get the busness. What ride shall we install? This question comes up every year with each park. In a big park with many rides this is easy to anewer if there is a new device on the market. In general I should say install the ride that has proven the best by experience elsewhere. Every smal park shonld have a coaster and carousel, well bullt and = attract've. Don't bny a cheap carousal as it is money thrown away. Sometimes a good one can be had cheap setond-hand, If you can’t get a good one, let it go a while and put in something else. Rides are best. lack in that make an sttractive appearance Many a ride has dene poorly from this discret‘on. Bright colors. large size, electric display, and lots of life and motion help to get the business, A laughing. enthusiastic crowd on a machine Is a splendid advertisement. A h'gh percentage of repesters or second fares gives proof of lasting qualities, Every medium-sized park should have some kind of an aerial ride, such as the circle sewing. gyroplane, frolic or Ferris wherl They are all built of steel and are therefore removable and fireproof. The Ferris wheel ‘s still doing a good business In some parks where It is of good size, well lighted and well located. A scenic railway or giant coaster will earn the most money in a park, but the first cost is too high for anv but the big parks This k'nd of ride also has big staying analities but the rules hold good with these as with all the rest that any park needs a new ride nearly every year or the interest soon begins to lag. Constant removal of old ones and exchange for new Is the only solution of the problem. THE PARK WHERE EVERYBODY HAS ALWAYS MADE MONEY RIVERVIEW DETROIT, MICH. OPENS APRIL 26th There are two choice buildings left, one 40x60, the other 26x56, suitable for shows, exhibits or rides. Also a few extra fine game booths and sites. NOTE THESE ADVANTAGES: Free gate. Free band concerts. Long season. Average attendance, 75,000 a week. In the heart of the city. The only amusement park in or near Detroit. Over a million to draw from. And the most prosperous community in the world. CONCESSION PEOPLE—If you want the “big money” and “have the goods,’’ write at once to MILFORD STERN, Manager, Riverview Park, Detroit, Mich. GROUND SPACE UND SPACE KINGSTON POINT PARK, “'“SSTO% onx Population to draw from 35,000. Season opens May 25. ing season, every 10 minutes. Fare 5 cts. Music afternoons and evenings. Park fronts the Hudson River. Beautiful pier for landing excursion parties from N. Y. and way stations. Park well lighted by incandescent and arc lights. Beautiful grounds well cared for. Average daily attendance during busy season 1,500 to 2,500. Good place for Japanese Tea House or any other clean Amusement. Park owned and operated by Railroad Company. G. B. TeBOW, Superintendent. Cars dur FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT, MENTION THE BILLBOARD WHEN WRITING ADVERTISERS.