Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-04-05
PETITION WAS DENIED
Empire Picture Show Will Not
Have Exclusive License
1alHs Also Decided to Charge Monthly
Fee Of $25, Payable In Advance
Hearing Held Monday Night

Fee Of s25, Payable in Advance
Hearing Held Monday Night.
AS a result of the petition presented
to the bailffs some time ago by the
Empire Amusement company, operators
of the moving picture theatre in the
Leonard building on Elliot street. asking
for an exclusive license to operate a
moving picture show in Brattleboro, the
company will have to pay hereafter
license fee of $25 a month and will not
be granted an exclusive license, at least
under present conditions. Heretofore the
company has paid no license fee AS
previously state in The Phoenix, the
petition was presented at the time that
Charles Miner made application for a
permit to erect a building on Elliot
street, in which building. 1t was under
stood, provision would be made for
moving picture theatre.
A hearing of the Empire companys
petition took place before the balliffs
Monday night in the law library of II. G.
Il +. +. Barber in the Crosby block and
the decision of the board was announced
Tuesday morning. The board decided
that the evidence presented was not such
as to justify the granting of an exclus-
i've license, but that it had been shown
that there were sufficient profits in the
moving picture business to justify a
substantial license fee. 1t was voted to
charge, under present conditions, a
monthly license fee of $25, payable in
advance. L. S. Streeter, the owner of a
picture house in Greenfield. spoke in
favor of granting but one license here,
as in the case in Greenfield, and gave
the board facts which led them to come
to the conclusion that the moving picture
shows are a source of good income when
operated without opposition.
The hearing was held in II. G.. and f.
+. BARRIERS office. Those present be-
sides the baliffs when Chairman H. G.
Barber called the meeting to order were
]. A. Wheeler and c. L. Gibbs of the
Empire theatre, Attorney L. j. Water
man, George Cain, L. Il. Holden, E. w.
Gibson II. L. Whitney NJ. ]. Moran, w.
II. Daley, l.. $. Streeter of Greenfield
and two newspapermen. Mr. Waterman
read the section of the acts of 1910 under
which the license was applied for and
| said that he represented the owners OF
| the Empire theatre Clerk w. II. Perry
read the petition signed by los citizens
! asking that license be granted the pc
titioners and that only one license be
granted in town for a moving picture
| show.
| Mr. Waterman said that the present
! owners had conducted the theatre a
number of years and that they were
| giving the public a good, clean show
but If another license was granted II
| might result in a cheaper show with
suggestive pictures which would not be
| good for the public
Attorney II. +. Whitney said he rep
resented no moving picture interests and
was opposed to the idea of granting only
one license as it would tend to create
a monopoly He said that although the
owners of the Empire conducted a fine
| place he did not think it would be wise
for the bailiffs to pre-judge any appli-
cation. Mr.. Waterman said that com
petition in the moving picture line would
| lead to but one result, suggestive pic
| lures.
Attorney E. W. Gibson said that If an
other license was granted in the locality
| in which it was said a picture house was
to be built, and for which the contract
| for seats and wiring already had beer
| awarded, it would be a detriment to rea
| estate and hold back the growth of tn,
town in that particular neighborhood
Two picture houses. he said, would les
sen the receipts from the Auditorium
and the income of the town would b'
interfered with.
L. F. Holden, after being told that thu
granting of but one license would no
interfere with moving picture shows il
the Auditorium, said he favored grantln!
only one license
After stating that moving pictur
houses We're luXuries and not necessitie
and therefore one was enough for thi
town Mr.. Gibson introduced H.
Streeter of Greenfield, who, he said, coul,
tell the bailiffs of conditions in tina
town, where he held the exclusive licens
for a moving picture house. Mr.. Street
er spoke more than 80 minutes and tn
gist of his remarks was that although
there was not any real agreement be
tween himself and the selectmen it wa
understood between them that he wa
to be protected against competition, an
he said he was making money. His plac
seats $50 people while the Empire seat
236 He said he conducted an orderl
place and always tried to be at tn
theatre during business hours but ha
come to Brattleboro in the interests O
Gibbs & Wheeler as he thought the
had about all the competition they coul
meet. In reply to a question by Bailii
Richmond as to whether there was an
agreement to issue but one license |
Greenfield between himself and the sc
lectmen he replied: Yes, If you wan
to put it that way Attorney Waterma
again asked that but one license
granted for the good of the town c
Bra ttleboro and Attorney Whitney sal
that no precedent should be establishe
by granting a single license Chairma
Barber stated that the board would an
nounce its decision later.