The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-11-18


terry TO thousands who see them and
who have no practical idea how the
results are obtained
\ man whose ingenuity has made
possible many of the most spectacular
effects of the stage is Lincoln j. car
ter, who disclosed some of his secrets
ian an interview for the New ork Times
the other day.
Il have been interested in theatrical
effects since early boyhood,' said Mr..
Carter. Few men have given the time
and study TO such matters which |
have. There are plenty of stage car
pentcrs and inventors. but | attribute
what success have had TO ability I'm
those lines combined with the kuack
OF coucci,inE an idea, developing tho
effect ana then writing play around
il,
II wrote my first play The Fast
Mail twenty years ago. 1t was what
drama. Scenic novelties were rare at
that time
The real spcctaculb scene of this
performance was a train of ears which
passed across the stage at the rate of
about thirty miles an hour. The way
this had been accomplished prIor to
that time was a very crude one. Sep
lratc ears We're constructed of light
materials and mounted upon trucks.
The engine was built in the same man
ner. All We're then fastened together
and a rope attached y, given sig
nal the stage carpenters caught hold
of the end Of the rope and ran across
the stage into the side wings, drawing
the ears after them. The train could
20 only as rapidly as these men could
run. There were often tangles and
tie-ups-even wrecks not included in
the price of admission.
The means | employed to show the
train was quito different and has been
used ever since. The people little
dreamed, as they watched TN" rapidly
moving engine with Its accompanying
| line of coaches and listened To il thun-
der into the distance, hat what had
Just caused their breath To come and
80 more rapidly was i'm reality mainly
a strip of canvas nine feet high and
about 300 feet in length. The real
train was cleverly painted upon the
canvas which was then attached To a
wire cable stretched taut across tho
| front OF the stage 10y a pulley and cord
| fastened TO its upper side at intervals
of six or eight feet. The cord was at
tachcd To a large ily-whcel back of the
scenes To which were fastened two
cranks \ couple of stage hands were
ready to turn the cranks at the proper
moment.
Simple When Explained.
| The sparks and smoke were made
! by the use of what is called a smoke
| and spark pot. attached to the chin
ncy of the engine and had about the
same construction as a Roman candle
The headlight was a magnesium light
attached Ia the canvas. The grinding
of the brakes, the clang Of the bell
and the rumble of the wheels which
caused those of a nervous tcmpera
ment 40 start suddenly was any thing
but real train. Large iron drums
were beaten TO produce the sounds de-
sired, and with piece of tubing hit
with a m3llct served nicely for a bell
Up To the present time, no one has
come forward with a better idea.
My next attempt at scenic pruduc-
ton included view of Niagara Fails
from Che suspension bridge. That wa,
the first time che falls had cTer beer
shown on the stage To- my knowledge
The mist which rose from this one oi
the worlds wonders was not caused 10y
thc charming OF angry waters, but tc
the leaking eff steam from pcrruratC,
pipe. The clouds which passed SLOWLY
over the scene were made of a thin
transparent silk, painted to rcpresen
the real thing Tho panoramic effcc
vas magniiied 10y stcrcoptiCou Ian
tern placed AZ the front Cf the thCatcr
The slllcn clouds were Drawn slowly
across the stage 10y the aid of pullcys
The water effect was produced 10y th'
use of shiny green oilcloth, upon
which lights were thrown. This II
the method nf showing water upon thu
stage most used today, and let me tel
YOU that # a man entered the thcatc
after . long journey without water i
would be hard to convince him tina
he was not looking at the genuine
article.
In this performance showed
freight train for the first time. Thu
engine was brought to dead stop rp
IN the stage The engineer climbed
out and oiled il. After he again
mounted To the cab the freight con
tinuad upon is journey Just as the cur
tain fell This train was ~ much NOR
elaborate affair than the Fast Mail
The sounds which accompanied II
motion were produced i'm the Sam
way. 1t was drawn across the track II
the same manner, but was of entirel!
different construction.
\ large frame WAS first built q
wood. then the engine was Formed b!
the use 81 rusJ iron. The ears wer
again painted upon canvas. tn
wheels ut the engine were arranged L
lallow them to revolve 50 as To convc!
he impression that they moved as d.
those uf "A real engine This was ac
complishcd by using pulleys aud sproc
/ u. .r1G In - aH mo-