The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-12-26
Ressat ImproveInsntto Moving
Picture Apparatus.
GREAT HELP TO REPORTER.
Big Company In Nov York Covers tho City
and An Towns Within a 100.
Mile Radius.

One OF the FIRST things Paul Kruger
faced when he stepped ashore at Mar
seilles was the muzzle OF rapid-hre
Photographic camera blazing away at
him at the rate OF 30 snap shots a sec
ond.
In the first minute OF, his presence on
the soil of France he was photographed
1900 times.
Before he was In Europe five minutes
every slightest motion that he made, ev-
cry shade OF emotion that passed over
his broad, generally impsssive face was
written down in minutest detail and put
on record for the inspection. possibly, of
people yet unborn.
But that is not all. Within "a hours
his every movement and gesture were re-
produced before thousands OF people in
Vienna, Berlin, Paris. London and all the
large cities OF western Europe.
Within ten days thousands OF people in
this country will witness the arrival of
the former president of the South Afri-
can republic TO vastly better advantage
than thousands OF the people who sctu-
ally were on the scene when he came
ashore.
In other words, spectators thousands OF
miles away will be placed right up I'm
the front row among tho officials and
within the very holy of HOLES Of police
reservations.
LIKE GREAT NEWSPAPER.
To such and many other even more mar
velous uses has come the biograph. This
Is the result not merely of the wonderful
ma urhl Lob, 80. H..
possible the taking and reproducing OF
photographs OF motion. but also OF the
remarkable system OF covering and quick
ly disseminating the records of great
news events that has come TO be one OF
the great features OF this latter-day
photography.
The concern that does this work is or
ganized on precisely the same lines as
a great newspaper 30 far as reporting a
certain class OF news events is con-
cerned. -.
As yet the covering OF events beyond
the 100-mile radius is only imperfectly
systematized. Such epoch making nap
penings az, for instance. the wrecking of
Galveston by the hurricane. are, of course.
covered. .
IN fact, biograph man got into Cal.
weston on the first relief train that went
there.
But In and about all the great news
centres of the country such as Chicago,
St Louis. Buffalo. Pittsburs. Cleveland
and Cincinnati, there are constantly oc-
curing things which would make strik-
ing Geographic pictures, and IL is only a
question OF time when these points will
be covered from the New York central
office as thoroughly as Is the metropoli-
tan district.
A long step in this direction is re-
markable Improvement In the geographic
camera which Is now In process OF evo-
luton and soon will be completed
This new camera will not only take the
pictures, but'will reproduce them-project
them upon the screens Of theatre stages
as well.
EASILY HANDLED MACHINE.
The strides In the simplifcation and re-
duction in size and weight OF the bio
graphic mechanism have been very great
and very rapid.
Only a short time ago the operator had
to take with him a large and unwieldy
electric battery and other appliances that
made a total weight OF more than two
tons.
This was gradually improved into
smaller size and less weight until finally
the electric battery. the most awkward
was done away with altogether.
BY system OF cobwheel clockwork
gearing the film was made to spin past the
lens with all the rapidity required by the
simple turning OF a crank. This made
the present compact and easily handled
machine now in use.
The gain, too, was not merely In con-
venience. With the elimination OF many
chances of breakdown and failure at
critical moments. =
But even with this improved camera
there Is stil the necessity or running
the pictures through another machine en-
tirely distinct from the one that takes
them.
When the new camera now receiving
its final touches Is brought out this dis
advantage will be removed.
Then the photographer can 20 out
take his pictures, develop and print
them. and turn them over with his COM
pact reproducing camera to the stage
manager TO be projected upon the screens
for the benefit of audiences, I'm theatres
or public halls. as may be.