Variety (July 1912)

8 VARIETY FIRE-TRAPS CONDEMNED BY CHI CAGO'S COUNCILMEN Seven "Loft" Theatres in Windytown Ordered to the Toboggan. Thalia Escapes Censures, and La Salle Will Be Made Fireproof. Chicago, July 10. Seven of the eight "loft" theatres In Chicago are slated to take the short and disastrous ride on the toboggan as a result of an investigating trip made by several members of the City Coun- cil, who are now considering the passage of a measure sponsored by Euilding Commissioner Erricson. The exception proved to be the Thalia theatre on the southwest side of the city, operated by Tom Murray and booked through the office of Charles Doutrlck. The Council members autoed their way around the town last Saturday accompanied by the build- ing commissioner and an inspector of the fire department. The houses vis- ited were the Humboldt, Schlndler's, Iola, Ideal, Sittner's, Teddy, Arcade and the La Salle on Madison street, vhich Is the only high-priced house on the list. The committee is said to have been surprised at existing conditions and unanimously decided the majority of Tie amusement palaces to be veritable fire traps. The Thalia, which escaped the measure, is well equipped with Are escapes and fire preventatives, al- though the auditorium of the theatre is over twenty feet from the sidewalk. Paul Sittner, who operates on the North Side, managed to get out an injunction preventing the Council in- terfering with his business, but it is not thought the injunction will be made permanent once the committee tarn in their report. Sittner, during the administration of Mayor Busse, managed to escape investigation several times although complaints were continually coming into the headquarters of the fire and building departments. The daily pa- pers gave the investigation consider- able space, this in itself being suffi- cient to materially cripple the house owners, since the warning will prob- ably be well heeded by the public. The Chicago "Tribune" advocated ;i move of this kind several years ago and it was largely through the In- fluence of this paper that Commis- sioner Erricon succeeded in getting quick action for his bill. The La Salle which houses "Louisi- ana Lou" during the past season, will probably be made fireproof by the lei- sees since the location is one of the best in the loop. The majority of the other houses have been playing picture shows although the Thalin is cne of the best "small time" theatres in the city. Rl'NNINtt UP COMMISSION. Chicago, July 10. When Joe Welch called for his sal- ary at the Majestic last week he was informed by the management it had been attached by the attorneys for Norman Friedenwald to satisfy a judgment of $100, and costs given in favor of the agent by a Detroit judge. The costs had run up to sixty odd dol- lars. Welch bonded the attachment and secured the money, at the same time making a motion to squash the at- tachment. That was refused. The mo- tion tacked on $16 more costs. Welch's next move may be an appeal before the Supreme Court of Michigan, which will boost the costs another trifle. From indications, the cost item will bring the commission bill up around a thousand. STILL MORE IN DETROIT. Detroit, July 10. J. M. Ward, for four years manager of the Gayety (Eastern Wheel) has re- signed, and will become general man ager of the United Theatre? Co., which has been incorporated for $500,000. This company claims it has secured a downtown location and will shortly begin the erection of a large theatre to seat 3,000 people: It w'll also build four other large theatres according to announcement in the outlying districts, all to play vaudeville. They expect to have the downtown theatre in operation by Jan. 1, 1913. No successor to Mr. Ward has been announced. CHICAGO PARKS DOING WELL. Chicago, July 10. Chicago's outdoor amusement parks ere experiencing one of their banner seasons this year, the weather man being extremely kind in his distribu- tion of rain. "White City," which claims to be the originator of Chicago's Cabarets, is doing nicely with this amusement at a twenty-five cent entrance fee. The other parks are doing equally well with various amusements. SCRAP OVER "BILLS" PICTURE*. There Is a battle on between the Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill Film Co. and Col. Cody (Buffalo BUI) and Major Lillie (Pawnee Bill). It is all over the efforts of Col. Cody find Pawnee Bill to suppress the circulat- ing of the film, in three reels, of the life of Buffalo Bill. The originals, through the trade papers tried to in- timidate the dealers from using the film after a decision handed down by Justice Gerard of the 8upreme Court gave the Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill Film Co. sole rights to the pictures. The offer by the United Booking Of- fices to Buffalo Bill of thirty weeks the coming season caused the stir very likely. The agency desired the Col. and just one reel of the pictures. The Varieties Theatre Controlling Co., through Jesse Freeman, of the Harry Burns agency, London, has been in communication with Col. Cody for the past three months. There is hardly a chance for the English time, however, as the offer is only one-half that offered by the United. mai NEW BUILDINGS. The B. ft S. Amusement Co., Sam- uel Bergoffen, president, has accepted plans for a new $7,000 picture thea- tre, on the south side of Fulton street, east of Kingston avenue, Brooklyn. Newark, July 10. The M. ft S. Amusement Co., W. H. Meier, treasurer, is contemplating the erection of a big picture house at Orange and Seventh streets. The Goerke Co. has had plans made for a new $17,000 picture the- atre to be built at 517-519 Central avenue. When tha new picture house, cost- ing $20,000, at Clinton and Seymour avenues, is completed by Julius Koch, it will be leased by the Essex Amuse- ment Co. of this city. Plans have been made by Architect Thos. W. Lamb for a new three-story brick theatre, costing $125,000, at northwest corner Bedford avenue and Lergen street, Brooklyn, for the Bry- ant Improvement Co. "PULLING OUT** IN COURT. Trenton, July 10. The Refined Amusement Co. has filed suit against Irene Riano (4 Rianos) for breach of contract in fail- ing to appear at the State Street the- atre this week. The Rianos played the Baylor Opera House last week. The company |g. asking $600 damages. The State Street is booked by the Prudential Agency. There have been several in- stances equally annoying lately, the management states, so they decided finally to see what protection the courts could give. Miss Riano as- serted that she had no contract with the State Street house. HUGO MORRIS TOUTED. Victor Williams, Hugo Morris and Joe Pincus left Saturday for a fort- night's vacation in the Adirondacks. Before starting it was agreed that the only game of "chance" to be indulged in was to be pinochle—crap shooting being especially eschewed. The betting is 6 to 1 that Hugo re- turns to town with more money than he took with him, HOUDINI TAKES A CHANCE. In his "outside work" as a show- man, Harry Houdinl took a real chance last Sunday, when he allowed himself to be handcuffed inside a weighted packing case, the case tied around with ropes and then thrown into the East River. Mr. Houdinl came up to the surface in fifty-seven seconds. For publicity work the packing- case-ln-the-river is new. A large crowd of newspaper men accompanied the escape expert to Pier 6. Intend- ing to be thrown over from the pier, the police refused permission, on the ground it was an advertised per- formance. Houdinl secured a lighter, and going into mid-stream, was cast over there. All the New York dailies devoted much space and several pictures to the feat Monday morning. LOEW TAKING OUTSIDERS. The Loew Circuit intends taking on outside bookings for next season. It was said at the Loew office this week about eight applications were on file that would be favorably passed upon. Last season Joe Schenck handled a few outside houses in the booking de- partment, but an organized attempt was made to gather in theatres not under the Loew management. With the opening of '12-'13, the Loew Circuit will be composed as U was at the ending of '11-'12, with the Loew Ave. B house added. The new Yorkvllle house supplanting the for- mer Yorkville that the Loew shows played will also 'be in operation by that time. • CREW OF THE BOAT "DAMIFIKNOW." Chas. Cfowl, Edw. Sawyer, "Tlnk" Humphrey, Tom Burchill, Paris Green, Wm. Thomp- son, Tom Carmody. Now summering on I*ake Michigan, but keeping close to the shore. BUYS NASHVILLE PRINCESS. Nashville, July 10. The Princess theatre has been sold 1 y W. P. Ready and associates to Tony Sudekum, manager of the Crescent Amusement Co., this city, for $65,000. The Crescent Co. now operates the Elite, Alhambra, Dixie, Bonita and Fifth Avenue theatres here in addition ♦o houses in other southern cities. The former policy of the Princess will be maintained.