The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-11

ashes. Before there was any dShtiug In
the scrap between The TWO nations Amet
was quick 60 see that there would be lit
tho possibility of any real moving pictures
being taken OF fights. So he determines
that he would improVise a naval war In
his back yard He worked from April to
July In building models of all tbs Ameri-
can and Spanish vessels likely to engage
in the expected conflict. These models
in size ranged from eighteen inches to five
feet, the smaller boats being used 10 rep
resent vessels and fleets in the distance
All of them We're perfect models, equipped
with all firing machinery of a sure-enodgh
man-of-war
There was not a projecting muzzle that
was not capable of emitting "A blazing
wicked shot, each boat being operated and
the guns fired by electricity. In some OF
the models there was not less than tx
feet of wire. The miniature shells set In
the breecnes of the guns were set off al
the touch o IA button AND a chemical
combination, now the secret of the Wau-
kegan wizard, furnished by the smoke
and steam which was made to roll out In
the volume Of the forced draught of YES
sci under full head.
Amet his wife. and his assistant, How.
ard were the only operators, and few peo-
pie In the town knew what was going on
the place being located in the residence
district of the town. The trio read the
teICEldpnlc ACCOUNTS Oh tnt DdtiltH as Aity
took place and contrived the backyard
fleet to move about accordingly, the mag.
nigraph being set TO take the pictures ir
every desirable position. The ships wers
made to steam about In the tank and pep
per each other viciousy. It was task
10 keep up with the real fighting, for there
were many accidents; the projectileS from
the little guns fired at the crate of 100
minute would perforate the scenery anc
new supply had to be provided severA
times. Two or three boats had to be re-
built. The Viscaya was blown into
shapeless mass in the tank. II will be re-
membered that in her final engagement
the pride of the Spanish navy exploded
her torpedo tube. This equipment of the
ship had been duplicated In the model
live wire ignited the magazine before II
was intended 1t should do so and the boat
was ruined.
During the progress of the war the We
suvius was turned loose in the tank and
the pictures were made to show the effect
of throwing guncotton shells into the
Notifications. The Iowa in the most real
istc manner sank a torpedo boat. There
was a bombardment of MatanZas showing
the Puritans famous shot. and the New
York was put into action on Cabanas. In
such fights the sand and ash barrels were
brought into requisition. From 1t muz-
zles were sticking and belching away. The
New York in passing the Maria Teresa
and the Iowa in rescung sailors from the
Teresa we're all re-enacted In this Wauke-
gan backyard, and the result has been
shown In thousands of theaters nightly
AS the war was carried on Amet threw
I'm new effects. He got the splashing OF
the water from bursting shells. In the
conflict between the Oregon and the Viz
caya "a great effect was produced, The
Oregon pelted away until the Spanish boat
took fire and then the Oregon majestically
scudded around the tank TO join her fleet.
A. clever device was adopted to show
the action of a shell exploding on the
sides of a vessel. Al several points big
round plaster was made to cover tea
spoonful of powder. A wire ran through
the plaster and a current turned on would
ignite It, causing an explosion. The pro-
jectile striking the plaster and the ex-
plosion woule be nicely timed.
The New York met with serious ac-
cdent in the tank. In some inexplicable
manner a two-ounce shell got under her
hull and exploded. bouncing the tin model
clear out OF the water and upsetting her
over on the opposite side of the tank. The
film showed with minute clearness the
ludicrous position, rendering the picture
useless. ana 1t required five days to repair
the boat.
Many of the films were ruined by the
action of big mastin owned by a neigh
Dor. When the firing in Apet's back yard
would commence the dog would suddenly
appear between two mountains which had
been imp oVised around the tank and boo
hoo hoo Viciously The d'g was larger
th9n any of the vessels engaged In the
conflict, even towering above the noun
tain SO that the otherwIse perfect film
had to be thrown away.
INSANITY DUE TO BROKEN GLASS.