Views and Film Index (1908)

VIEWS AND FILMS INDEX. i re£use to sell any other concern, and , hatever reason they assign for such tion must be accepted. — Ed.] St. Louis, March 30th, 1908. ilm Publishing Company, 36 E., 23d St., New York City, 'ear Editor : — Kindly publish the following reply to Ir. Geo. Overrocker, of Huntsville, .la., in your issue 101 : Gentlemen : — Without a desire of entering into any ontroversy relative to the merits or ^merits of the rental schedule re-, ently adopted by the Edison Manufac¬ turing Co., as a minimum basis for he rental of film by Exchanges using fdison’s licensed film, and in reply to hy old friend George Overrocker, Man¬ ger of the Edisonia at Huntsville, Ala., |o put forth a few facts, as I see and inderstand from his point of view in our issue of March 28th, and in which le mentioned my name, and for which eason I take pleasure in stating a few acts, that exist, which I sincerely trust ny old friend Overrocker, as well as he balance of the film renters, will five serious consideration before judgng hastily. The following figures will be based on the fact that a Film Exchange buys ,111 of their films absolutely new, which loes not apply to junk shops, who pur¬ chase their film at from $5.00 to $20.00 her reel, which many of the so-called ndependents as well as subrenters, have oeen dealing out to the various small :owns, under the guise of good film ser¬ vice, and for which they have made, and are still making a wonderful low | price quotation for film rental. The following facts and figures in as arief a form as possible will soon dem¬ onstrate to the thinker with ordinary common sense, the impossibility of rent¬ ing film at 50c. per hour. Before ad¬ vising any facts and figures along the lines of price schedule, I wish to im¬ press upon the readers’ mind, the fact that in no commercial business, that has ‘ever come under my observation, is there one wherein there are so strong probabilities of great loss. The profits tnust be consequently large, to overcome losses over which the exchange man has absolutely no control. The loss in the business is caused for various rea¬ sons, such as burning, stealing of film, the misuse of same, and the cutting out of great numbers of feet during patch¬ ing processes in the reel of film, etc., 'etc. Some may argue that we are secured by a bond; while it may be true, they must understand the fact remains, that where demand is madeto collect for damage to a reel of film, in every instance we lose that customer, and in many instances have got to re¬ sort to a law suit, which as a general rule, is more expensive than the amount of money that can be recovered. The greatest loss however, is caused through the incompetency of the average oper¬ ator, who has a very slight idea of the value of a reel of film, and cares a great deal less. To the point however, of demonstrat¬ ing the impossibility of renting film on a price basis, as suggested by our friend Overrocker, consider the following 13 facts : Where the film costs $120 for 1,000 ft. which not being an asset to the owner, after having paid his $120, is merely an expense, or as it were, feed for his horse, or coal for his boiler, and under the new regulations of the licensed manufacturers this reel must be returned in seven months to them, and they in turn destroy it. There¬ fore, we would take up the following figures in exchanges that have as many as 100 customers, will be paying ex¬ penses for rent, help, light, insurance, expressage, postage, and advertising, all not less than $600 per week. Divide this six hundred dollars among 100 customers, and it shows that it costs an exchange six dollars per week per customer. In 28 weeks, this makes $168 per customer. Add to these facts, a reel of film that the exchange man is paying $120 for, and the depreciation of its value every month, so that at the end of seven months it is gone. This is true, even though the film lies in the vault and never works a minute. On the other hand, consider the fact, that no film exchange can possibly get over two days work each week from each reel of film, for the follow¬ ing reasons : We will say for instance, that the ex¬ press man returns a reel of film on Monday ; it is repaired during the course of the day, taken into the work shop, sent through the inspection department, and that night along with all films re¬ ceived that day, is checked out to the next customer to use it. It leaves the Exchange Monday night or Tuesday morning. It is in transit all day Tues¬ day and (on the basis of three changes per week) it would then work Wednes¬ day and Thursday, and on Friday morn¬ ing the exhibitor takes the reel to the express office, and it reaches the ex¬ change again probably Saturday morn¬ ing, and sometime during Saturday it is gone through the inspection and re¬ pair department once more and is again ready to be shipped out the following Monday. Consequently it is worked only two days that week, and on the basis of three changes per week at $18.00, the reel has earned $6.00. In seven months or twenty eight weeks, it has earned $168.00. The original cost of this reel is $120, add to that the one-third of $6.00, which it costs each week to handle each customer, which is $2.00, multiply this $2.00 by the life of the film, which is twenty-eight weeks, makes $56.00. This brings the cost of the reel up to $176. All a reel can earn during this twentyeight weeks of life at the rate of six dollars per week is $168; the difference between the cost of the reel, which is $176, and the earnings of the reel, which is $168, the film exchange man loses $8.00 in seven months. In addition to that he has got the cost of the song slides to add to it, his own time, and also losing the $30 or $40 for which he might sell the film as second¬ hand. The above figures are on the basis of film working every week that it is pos¬ sible to work it, supposing that the renter loses no time by customers being dissatisfied with it, and wanting it ex¬ changed for something else, but must TRADE DIRECTORY. Brooklyn Calcium Light Co., lit Front 8t., Brooklyn, N. Y. Carrick Electric Mfg. Co., 218 N. Ashland Are., Chicago, 111. Cin’ti Calcium Light Co., 108 4th St., Cincinnati. Globe Electric Co., *19 W. 42d St., New York. New York Calcium Light Co., 410 Bleecker St., New York. New York Calcium Light Co., 809 S. Slit St., Philadelphia, Pa. New York Calcium Light Co., 102 Utica Ato., Boston, Mass. Philadelphia Calcium Light Co., 621 Commerce St., Philadelphia, Pa. St. Louis Calcium Light Co., S16 Elm St., St. Louis. FILMS, SLIDES AND APPARATUS. Actograph Co., 60 Union Square, New York. American Exchange, 630 Halsey St., Brooklyn, N. Y. American Film Exchange, 606-607-609 Wabash Building, Pittsburg, Pa. A. S. Aloe Co., 613 Olive St., St. Louis, Mo. American Biograph Co., 11 E. 14th St., New York. American Vitagraph Company, 116 Nassau St., New York. American Vitagraph Company, 109 Randolph St., Chicago, Ill. P. Bacigalupi, 1107 Fillimore St., San Fran¬ cisco, Cal. Bailey Film Service, 116 21st St., Birmingham, Ala. Boston Film Exchange, 664 Washington St., Boston, Mass. Boswell Mfg. Co., 122 Randolph St., Chicago. Calcium A Stereopticon Co., 720 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, Minn. Calehuff, Chas., 4th & Green sts., Philadelphia, Pa Central Supply Co., 114 N. Edwards St., Kal¬ amazoo, Mich. Chicago Film Exchange, 120 E. Randolph St., Chicago. Chicago Projecting Co., 226 Dearborn St., Chi¬ cago. Cleveland Film Renting Exchange, 610 Citizens Bank Building, Clevenland, O. dune Film Exchange, 727 South Main St., Los Angeles, Cal. O. T. Crawford Gayety Theatre, St. Louis, Mo. Harry Davis, 847 Fifth Ave., Pittsburg, Pa. Detroit Film Exchange, 24 Newberry Building, Detroit, Mich. Duquesne Amusement Supply Co., 616 Fifth Ave., Pittsburg, Pa. Eugene Cline A Co., 69 Dearborn St., Chicago. Edison Mfg. Co., 81 Union Square, New York. Edison Mfg. Co., 304 Wabash Ave., Chicago. Enterprise Optical Co., 164 Lake St., Chicago. Erker Bros., 608 Olive St., St. Louis. Essanay Film Manufacturing Co., 601 Wells St., Chicago, Ill. German-American Cinematograph A Film Co., 109 E. 12th St., New York. Gaumont A Co., 662 Sixth Ave., New York. N. Y. Gaumont A Co., 62 State St., Chicago, 111. Globe Film Service, 79 Dearborn St., Chicago. Greater New York Film Rental Co., 14 Union Square, New York. M. E. Green, 228 Tremont St., Boston, Mass. Harbach A Co., 809 Filbert St., Philadelphia, Pa. Harstn A Co., 138 E. 14th St., New York. F. J. Howard, 564 Washington st., Boston, Mass Imported Film & Supply Co., 708 Union Street, New Orleans, La. Improved Film Exchange, 104 Attorney St., New' York. Indianapolis Calcium Light Co., 110 South Cap¬ ital Ave., Indianapolis, Ind. Kalem Co., Inc., 131 W. 24th St., New York. Kinetograph Co., 41 E. 21st St., New York. Kleine Optical Co., 62 State St., Chicago. Kleine Optical Co., 662 Sixth Ave., New York. Kohl, Chas. W., 913 Market st., Philadelphia, Pa. Laemmle Film Service, 196 Lake St., Chicago, Ill. 407 Flatiron Building, New York City. 800 Brandeis Building, Omaha, Neb. 78 South Front St., Memphis, Tenn. Main and Sixth Sts., Evansville, Ind. S. Lubin, 19 S. 8th St., Philadelphia, Pa. McAllister, 49 Nassau St., New York. McIntosh Stereopticon Co., 87 Randolph St., Chicago, Ill. Mutual Film Exchange, 95 Washington St., Chi¬ cago, Ill. G. Melies, 204 E. 88th St., New York. Miles Bros., 269, 261 and 263 Sixth Ave., N. Y. Miles Bros., 790 Turk St., San Francisco, Cal. National Film Renting Bureau, 62 N. Clark St., Chicago. N. Power, 117 Nassau St., New York. New England Film Exchange, 682 Washington st., Boston, Mass. Novelty Moving Picture, 418 Turk st., San Fran¬ cisco, Cal. Novelty Slide and Film Co., 871 3d ave., N.Y.City. Ohio Film Exchange, 16 E. Broad St., Columbus, O. Ouimet, L. E., 624 St. Catharine East, Montreal, Canada. Pathe Freres, 41 West 25th St., New York. Pathe Freres, 37 Randolph St., Chicago. Pathe Freres, 2104 First Ave., Birmingham, Ala. Peerless Exchange, 112 E. Randolph St., Chicago. Pittsburg Calcium Light A Film Co., 616 First Ave., Pittsburg, Pa. Power’s Machine A Film Exchange, 12 East Genesee Bt., Buffalo, N. Y. Selig Polyscope Co., 45 E. Randolph St., Chicago. Geo. K. Spoor A Co., 62 N. Clark St., Chicago. Southern Film Exchange, 146 W. 6th St., Cin¬ cinnati, O. Stereopticon Film Exchange, 108 Franklin Bt., Chicago. L. M. Swaab A Co., 338 Spruce St., Philadelphia, Pa. Wm. H. Swanson A Co., 79 S. Clark St., Chicago, Ill. Sempre Film Co., Masonic Temple, Chicago, HI. Stains, H. F., 2220 Federal St., Camden, N. J. Swanson St. Louis Film Co., 813 Chestnut St., St. Louis, Mo. Swanson Dixie Film Co., 620 Commercial Place, New Orleans, La. Talking Machine Co., Rochester, N. Y. Talley’s Film Exchange, Los Angeles, Cal. Vitagraph Co. of America, 116 Nassau St., N. Y. Western Film Exchange, 807 Grand Ave., Mil¬ waukee, Wis. Wonderland Film Exchange, 410 Market St., Pittsburg, Pa. Williams, Brown A Earle, 918 Chestnut Bt., Philadelphia, Pa. E. M. Martine, 29 Patterson St., Orange, N. J. Chas. Beseler Co., 251 Centre St., New York. Elite Lantern Slide, 207 W. 34th St., New York. Ch. Dressier A Co., 143 East 23d St., New York. 20th Century Optiscope, 91 Dearborn St., Chicago. MOVING PICTURES, TRAVELS, TOURS. Chicago Transparency Co., 69 Dearborn St., Chi¬ cago, Ill. Cleveland Film Renting Exchange, 610 Citizens’ Bank Building, Cleveland O. Hale A Gifford, 940 New York Life Building, Kansas City, Mo. Henly A Plummer, 185-187 Dearborn St., Chi¬ cago, Ill. Hennegan & Co., Cincinnati, O. Mark Solomon A Co., Fisher Bldg., Chicago, Ill. Martin A Hewitt, 804 Majestic Bldg., Detroit, Mich. Trip to California Amusement Co., Cincinnati, O. Trolley Car Tours Co., 89 S. Clark St., Chicago, SLOT MACHINES. Arcade Machine A Supply Co., 622 Arch Bt., Philadelphia, Pa. American Mutoscope Co., 11 E. 14th St., New York City. Automatic Novelty Co., 146 E. 23d St., New York City. Caille Bros. Co., 1300 Second Ave., Detroit, Mich. Caille Bros. Co., 32 Union Square, New York. Douglas Post Card A Machine Co., 27 N. 10th St., Philadelphia, Pa. M. S. Kline, 46 N. Division St., Buffalo, N. Y. Jas. McCusker American Supply Co., 227 N. 8th St., Philadelphia, Pa. Manhattan Auto. Merchandising Co., 116 Nassau St., New York. Marvin A Casler, Times Building, New York. Mills Novelty Co., 11 S. Jefferson St., Chicago. National Automatic Weighing Machine Co., 60 Murray St., New York. The National Novelty Co. (Inc.), 100 2d St., 8., Minneapolis, Minn. National Supply Co., 1703 E. 55th st., Cleveland. O Rogers-Montgomery Mfg. Co., 96 Warren St., New York. Roovers Bros., Brooklyn, N. Y. Rosenfleld Mfg. Co., 687 Hudson St., N. T. City. Sloan Novelty A Mfg. Co., 932 N. 9th St., Phila¬ delphia, Pa. Up-to-Date Slot Machine Co., 60 Centre St., New York. Union Vending Machine Co., 133-136 De Kalb Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y. Watling Mfg. Co., 163 W. Jackson, Chicago. F. S. Zimmerman, 6 E. 14th St., New York. TICKET AND POSTER PRINTERS. Ackerman-Quigley Co., Kansas City, Mo. American Ticket Co., Toledo, O. Globe Ticket Co., 112 N. 12th St., Philadelphia. Standard !H11 Ticket Co., 181 Pearl 8L, N. Y. Thrash-Llck Printing Co., Ft. Smith, Ark. Weldom, Williams A Lick, Fort Rmith, Ark. When writing advertiser!, kindly mention Views and Films Index.