The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-08-29
Queer Stunt Done
To New Enactment
Moving Picture Law "Loos-
ened Up" for Smaller
Towns
Material Change Made Aft
er Agreement Had Been
Reached = New Milford
Gets What It Wanted and
More.

The accident of a moving picture
show in Canonsburg, Pa, Saturday
evening in which twenty-six persons
were killed and over sixty injured
may serve as text for a few re-
Public Acts of 1911, which is entitled
AN act amending an act concerning
the use of moving picture machines"
The act has about as much history
clingfng to it as any measure enact
ed by the present General Assembly
and some of the salient points of it
follow: The General Ass emily #
1909 passed an act putting the super
vision of moving picture shows up to
the state police, who were given pow
er to examine and license operators
of the machines, to see that the ma
chimes are encased in properly con-
structed and ventilated metal booths
and to see that the aisles and seats
of the halls were arranged with a
reasonable regard to public safety.
The act was moderate one Ind
much less drastic than the English
law, which endeavors to secure a
large degree of caution on the part
of the operator by requiring him to
be locked in the booth during the ex-
hibition while the key is in the posses
sion of some one ON the outside. The
act Is much like that of Massachu-
Setts except that operators i'll that
state may receive licenses at the age
of IL years while in Connecticut they
must be 81.
APPARENTLY it did not satisfy the
moving picture men, for two amend
nents were offered at the present SEES
sion. One was introduced in the in
terests of company operating
chain of moving picture houses in
Rhode Island, eastern Connecticut
and Messa chusetts, and was intended
to lover the age of operators to 16
years. AT the hearing it appeared
ttst it was offered mainly in order
that a cheaper grade of operators
might be hired, and the committee
on public health and safety gave it
an adverse report.
The second bill was introduced in
the Senate and provid ed that any OPP
orator licensed in another state might
gi. shows in this stale for not more
than five days in succession in any
one year. subject solely to the super
vision of the selectmen, provided that
the shows were given in the town hall
in any town having population of
10000 Or less. Apparently it was in
tended to rip open a general law for
a specified case and as 1t turned out,
the specific case was in the town of
New Milford, where a moving picture
concern in New York state had been
running SHOWS Tor a matter OF a week
in a year. The company had given
a high grade show and the people of
New Milford were pleased with it, but
when the state police department pre-
scribed regulations the show was bar
red because the seats in the town hall
were of the movable Sort such as are
quickly removed when a dance is to
be given and, further, because no
permanent booth could be put up.
1t was said that the proposed amend
ment was submitted to the state po-
lice authorities before the beginning of
the session with the request that they
would approve it. This they declined
referred to the Judiciary committee
first and later to the committee on
public health and safety. A hearing
was given and member of the state
police department and others opposed
it. while two Or three New Milford
men spoke for it. The opposition was
based on the ground that public safety
would be menaced by the BILL be-
cause, while selectmen are generally
persons of standing and intelligence,
they are not likely to know aught of
the electrical equipment of moving
picture machines, or of the inf1amma-
bility Of the films: that the shows are
dangerous at the best; that the booths
should be stationary and that move
able seats would make trouble if a
panic struck an audience.
After a time the bill received an adj
verse report, but it's acceptance was
held UP and the bill was recommitted.
In due time the committee met those
interested in the bill and a substitute
was agreed to both by the New Mil
ford men and the state police, which
provided that the state police might
exercise their discretion in such cases
as that in New Milford and permit
the shows to be given if they endan-
gered public safety was not endan-
gered The bill was first passed by
the Senate and then by the House,
where Chairman Thompson of Pomfret
in the House who were interested sup
posed it passed in this form:
Section 1-Section 1 of Chapter POS
of the Public Acts of 1909 Is hereby
amended to read as follows: No
moving picture machine involving the
use of a combustible film more than
ten inches in length shall be operated
in any public building or place used
for public assemblages or entertafn-
ments unless the moving picture ma
chine and all of the combustible films
to be used therein are placed in an
Enclosure Or house made of fire. proof
material such enclosure or house to
be constructed according to such re-
quirements as may be prescribed by
the state police; nor shall any NOV
ing picture machine be operated on
the premises of a public building or
place used for public assemblage or
entertainments until such precautions
against loss of or inquiry to life by
fire as the state police may specify
I, toll H.