The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1886-05-21
IN A. THUNDERSTORM.
MYSTERIES OF THE WEATHER sU-
REAU-THEATRiCAL ILLUSION.

Something Superior to the OId-Fashioned
Sheet-Iron Thunder-The Man with the
Observation-Disclosures Deluge by
Means of the Rain-Box.
In storm effects good thunder, which, by
the way, is much rarer than good acting, is
necessary. The old traditional thunder comes
from long strip of sheet-iron suspended
from above, and with handle at the prompt
box. This is shaken, and if properly manzp-
ulated, gives passable, but not the most salts
factory results. Verdi was always ont of pa
tience with sbeet-iron thunder On one oc-
casion he kept postponing an opera for q
period of several months, and even then
threatened TO withdraw it unless better
thunder was furnished One day in passing
building which was being torn down he heard
the thunder he wanted. It was caused by work.
men emptying baskets of brick down chute.
A similar one was constructed behind the
scenes, and the opera came off.
Stage Manager Sharp, unlike the average
theatrical director, does not leave this end of
the effect for the prima donna and leading
ladies who raise thunder as staple the year
around, but has made an exhaustive study Of
CAc QuSoUlOIl Will ulSuiJ
results. He has had the iron thunder sheet of
olden time cut up in armor and battle axes,
and now does the realistic thing with a con-
trivance exclusively his own.
The first act in the great thunder drama is
accomplished by piling cobble-stones on o
hinged shelf supported at one end by
hinges and at the other by stick.
Sheet-iron is placed under the pile,
ov,I M fha %l,o =. !
out, giving fearful crash While the noise
is still reverberating among the rafters 9
muscular young man trots down a platform
towing cart with wheels the shape of the
honored shamrock. The cart is loaded with
to cause heavy and somewhat even but very
realistic roll. .a-... s.tt...s.. -
q. FOLLOWED BY THE RAIN BOX
As the thunder of nature tapers off into q
distant growl, so does this thunder diminish
in volume This is effected by bowling
alley expert, who rolls a cannon-bal along
the platform. Thus elaborate are the work
ings Of the best thunder machine While the
thunder artists are doing their best work, the
man with fash box is required to have the
lightning somewhere in that vicinity, just in
time to show the heroine in white dress fit
past window without any glass in it, in her
escape from the bad man in q cloak The
most easily worked lightning is magnesia and
rosin, pulverized and placed in box, like the
spout of q watering pot. The powder is blown
or shaken in an alcohol fame, which causes q
very vivid fash. -1 '-'''. 4't--
An instrument, which painfully suggests
the grindstone of our youth is what is known
to the profession as the rain box. It is simi-
lar to cheese box mounted like a grindstone,
though it is sometimes placed above and
worked by rope. Inside are pegs, running
laterally from side to side and placed at ir-
regular intervals. A handful of dried peas
is then introduced and the machine is ready
for the rain ON the roof illusion. A turn of a
crank starts the peas flying which striking
against the pegs and rebounding, create a
very respectable rain patter. This is rather
noisy and harsh, sounding more like hail than
rain unless the machine is placed up in the
dome Of the stage or on the gridiron, the net
work of scaffolding near the roof from which
the drops are suspended.
A more perfect illusion is produced by the
simpler scheme of using box like trunk
tray lined with thick paper A quantity Of
shot is dropped into the tray, at first few
drops and then steady patter. This re-
quires more skill, but the result is much
closer imitation of nature. These effects are
of use only when the scene is laid in a garret
or old mill, ruins, or some place where there
is either a roof in sight or suggested ON which
the rain is supposed to fall. Real wet water
is necessary for the successful presentation of
landscape rain scenes.-Inter Ocean