Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-11-13
Evolution of the
Motion Picture
Power, Inventor of the Camera
graph, Tells the Story
of It's Progression.
Buffalo Bill to Live His Adventurous Life
Again in Essanay Films Wounded
Knee, Little Big Horn and Other
Famous Indian Fights to BE Pictured
On the Screens.

To many who attend motion pictures
(uud who does nou, there is much curios-
lily as to how they are accomplished. II
is not enough to know that they are pro-
jcctcd from the compartment known as
the operators booth. They want to ''see
the wheels go round"
Mr.. Nicholas Power, the recognized au-
thority OH the subject, and a pioneer in
the industry. believing that an insight
into the details of the business would in
icrest the layman, has this to say;
Motion picture machines We're first
patented in 1857. They consisted of OBJ
jccts which. revolving rapidly, simulated
motion. They were of little worth.
In 1863 there was patented an optical
Instrument comprising a disk or moving
shutter movement. which. on revolving,
projected objects with the appearance OF
motion. There were then no films, and
translucent glass was used. This was
the f%orerunner Of modern machines.
"A bet was made in 1871 by the late
Senator Leland Stanford, of California,
that n running horse at no time had all
four feet off the ground. Edward Muy-
bridge, an Englishman, by way of ex-
pertinent, placed numerous cameras at
intervals about the track, which were
snapped 10y the horse i'll passing. 1t
proved tina the horse always had. when
running, one foot on the ground.
"In 1880 Muybridge produced in San
Francisco. the IoopraXicope, which pro-
duccd pictures IN glass positives on a
screen. Later he sought to combine his
machine with the Edison Photograph,
lien in its infancy.
MIR. Marcy, of the Institute of France,
was the first to utilize the continuous
jlm. which was then in a very crude
state.
In 1898 Lumicre produced the Cine
MItograph.' the first machine to project
throw on sCreen) pictures from Il film.
films then had only one hole on each
>ile of each picture. Edison increased
This 10 four on each side and in 1896
produced his Nitascope. These machines
became the models for the greatly i'm
proved article of to-day.
The improvement since then has been
pronounced. My first machine was
called the 'Peerlescope.' kept %contin-
ually improving it and in 1902 changed
he name to 'Cameragraph,' which is
known throughout the world
This is a very brief review of the evo-
l~utionary stages of the motion picture
machine. eliminating many of the details.
LIT the near future | shall trace its de-
vclopment through other stages.
Buffalo Bill will again figure as scout
and plainsman; again fight in the bat
ties of former days-live his whole nd
venturouS life over again-for the Es-
sanay Film Manufacturing Company, of
Chicago. Arrangements have been made
to this purpose on an extensive scale 10y
George X. Spoor. President of the Com
pany, and one of the biggest feature
productions ever brought out in this
country is promised.
AS buffalo hunter, as pathfinder and
trail blazer, as Indian scout and ms a
fighter in the battles of Wounded Knee,
the Little Big Horn and other historic
engagements in the bloody Indian wars
of former days, William f. Cody will
reenact for the screens. the deeds that
won him fame and the sobriquet of
Buffalo Bill" And as supporting
members in the scenes in which he Will
appear as star will be some 5000 In
dians, 5000 soldiers, and an equipment
of cannons, firearms of all kinds, horses.
mules, and Indian ponies, and all will
he assembled on the exact spots where
the original engagements took place.
The films are designed not only to be
Of interest from the standpoint of the
thriller, but of value as an educator both
To young and old. The Essanay Com
lhiN - t'NNA INV = " ill 10 paw
among the leaders in educational lines.
The pictures will be directed and pro
duced 10y Theodore w. Wharton. one of
Essanay's most capable managers. One
hundred thousand dollars is represented
in the investment.
The pictures will be in six acts, which
will comprise 10000 feet of film. They
will be booked by the Col. VIM. +. Cody
buffalo Bid Historical Pictures Com,
lonr aud u.lH no shnNCp in rho largest
theatres on this and the European con
tinent. They will not be handled as q
State Rights proposition.
President Spoor is taking more per
sonal interest in the proposed Buffalo
Bill views than in any series ever un
dertaken by his company.
Carl Iaommle. President of the Uni
verSal Film Manufacturing Company
has returned to New York enthusiastic
i'm his satisfaction with his first trip t.
his company's plant at Los Angeles
Cal.
We'll, I think that now we have tn,
greatest producing plant in the world
aid Mr., Laemmle when questioned al
20 his trip. Mote that little wore
now 1t wasn't always the best,
know. ! can remember when the reports
that reached me were not so very en-
couraglng. But now it has been put il
shape by j. {. Graham and lsidOr Bern
STEM, The general manager on the Coast
~ found a remarkable esprit de corps
Every one likes Mr.. Bernstein and il
working twice as hard for him as be
fore Ihe plant is clean and nice ant
large and affords remarkable facilitie,
for producing films. It is turning GU
from sixteen TO twenty reels n wcel