The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-19
Reproducing Star of Bethlehem.

Reproducing Star of Bethlehem.
suddenly in the air before them. not
further up than allow hilltop. fiared
lambert fame As they looked al il the
spparition contracted into a focus OF
dazzling lustre. Their hearts beat fast;
their souls thrilled, and they shouted as
with one voice: The start the start
God is with u.s.. This is General Lew
wallace's description Of the STAR OF
Bethlehem appearing TO the Wise Men OF
East. in his famous book. "Ben-Hur-
This is the way also that the miraculous
star will be shown on the stage IN New
York when "Ben-Hur'' IS presented for
the first time. on the 18th OF this month.
at the Broadway theater.
1t forms the first scene OF the drama
Flashing upon a darkened stage. with It's
background OF an ORIENTAL desert, It's et-
feet is startling IN the exteme- Then
viii appear the stately forms Of the Wise
Men silently threading their way across
the desert like spectres. following the
star. How that star Will be produced.
first as a soft. lambert frame" near
the horizon OF barren hills. gradually ris-
ing toward the zenith. bursting into an
unearthly billiancy and finally fading
away as IL leads the Wise Men on 20
their goal. is an achievement worth know
ing something about. For Il Is an original
masterpiece of stage invention. Il IS
made possible only by the wonderful de-
velopment Of the electric light and cleo
trical appliances for use on the stage, u
YOU should go behind the scenes at the
broadway theater today. you would see
this magical Star of Bethlehem only as an
electric pole fourteen feet high, with
cross bar and huge metallic disk az the
top. is feet across
It bears about the same resemblance
to the splendid spectacle It IS to produce
as the bare framework in the daylight OF
a "set piece" Of fireworks does 20 the
brilliant pyrotechnic display which IS
made when Il Is set OF at night. But
there is something besides this bare pole
and disk needed TO reproduce this heav-
enlv miracle Fifteen feet back az the
pole IS q large searchlight and reflector
turned toward the big disk. Just aside
from these two pieces Of apparatus is n
table covered with what looks 70 the IN
trained eve like a set of telegraph in
struments Of various sizes. But their
purpose Is far different. They are cleo
trio buttons and switches attached 10 n
bewidering set of wires that lead 20 the
searchlight. to the electric pole and disk
10 the big wires OF the powerful cur
rents that supply the thester with Hight
and power. In all this mechanism one
fails at first 70 discover the star at all
But II is there or rather the thing that
makes Il. In the center OF the big metal
lie disk on the pole two mammoth car
bon tips. almost an inch thick, may ne
seen. These form the arc light, Of ire
l. - forth a :
the Guiding Light" dazzling and blind
ing In its lustre But there are other
effects 10 be produced besides a brilliant
white light. in order 10 present the
miracle star as described IN "Ben-Hur."
II first appears over tho desert hills as
"laubent flame" General Wallace saws
To make a soft glow Of this sort requires
an entirely different arrangement than
for the star proper. This IS what the big
metallic disk IS for. In a succession or
circles around its face are placed lines
IF tinv incandescent lights Of consider
able candle power. over these hundreds
~ little lights and the disk IS sDread a
thin canvas. making Il look from the front
like a great white screen with Just a
tiny hole In the center. There IS but
Ton on the table near by which. when
pressed. will light all those numberless
little electric lights: a switch which VIII
set the disk In rapid motion. When the
stage IS darkened there Will then appear
tbe soft. opalesceut glow. or the lambert
flame" which Is 70 mark the first appear
anca OF the celestial light. Another
switch. turned by the operator AZ the
tahle. will start the arc rght ~ the star
itself The same switch turned another
notch will make the star nash form IN
Increasing brilliancy. Still another switch
IN the table. when turned. Will cause the
star and disk to rise from near the floor
m tho TOP Of the pole. This IS the rising
NJ the sar toward the zenith. One more
arfact remains 10 he produced II IS the
shooting RAYS OF a star as seen IN the
heavens. This. too. Is provided Tor N
this marvellous stage contrivance Al
other kew at the operators table Is turn
ed The searchlight bursts forth and
focuses IFS dazzling beam II light IN me
East revolving disk. passing through the
bars or Sits that radiate from The centre
outward Across the stage are shot thou-
sonds NJ rays Of sciutilating rays. That
q The climax Of the spectacular erect
when the lambent fame has grown INTO
tho force white star. shedding lie rave
broadcast and binding Sc heholcerS AT
thfe stage mechanism IS now ~ Work %
,-oduca an effect which the novelist de-
scrfbas IN these words in another part OF
'Ben-Hur."