The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-01-24

his right-hand han and chief en-
gineer, M. R. Hutchinson, gave the
word to start
For the 'irst few seconds it looked
just like regular movies" A large
man in evening dress strobe down a
fight of stairs and to the front OF
lavishly furnished setting. When Il,
reached tic ircrt of the stage th;ngs
began to happen.
First the big man !lrst out one
ann in customary attitude and thc6 -.
and even the spectators who had
known what was to come were SUI
prised-he began to talk.
Ladies and gentlemen" he began,
and there followed an introduction to
the first exhibition of talking moving
pictures, real talking movies that
has ever been seen. The speech was
delivered in carefully modulated tones
with articulation of the clearest, each
action coinciding exactly with each
expression. 1t was 50 lifelikc and
natural that gasps of surprise and
wonderment could be heard from diff
ferent parts of the dlrkened room.
In the course of his talk the speak
ing picture took up plate and cash
ed it to the floor. 1t flew t, pieces
with crash and each fragment made
its individual noise in bouncing up
and back. After that the picture blew
a horn and whistle and then man
came on and played the piano. A
Down Upon the Shawnee River" On
the violin, and another girl sang some
Of the old songs, while the pianist and
the violinist accompanied her.
They went away-you could hear
their footsteps as they walked up the
stairs-and another man appeared
with two collie dogs, whose loud
barks were as natural as life. 1t was
hard to realize that those were not
living beings in flesh and blood until
the lights came on and broke the H.
fusion.
That was one complete reel and it
had taken just six minutes to show,
two minutes longer than the ordina ~
phonograph disk revolves.
-Four additional sketches" were ex-
hibited and in each the illusion was
maintained. Two of these Mr. Edison
hadn't seen himself before and he
laughed heartily as an Irish politician
in one of them delivered an impas.
stoned political grafton which his
daughter, standing behind him, read
to him out OF newspaper. The mos
startling manifestation of the syn.
chrony of sound and action came
when brick was sent crashing
through the window above the speak
er's head. You could plainly hear tn,
tinkle of each piece of glass as il
fell.
Men have been working upon the
| proposition of moving pictures thai
| would talk for a long time. Mr.
| Edison has been at it for four years
He has literally Slept on the job,
as his employees desribe his absorp.
ton in his work, and when he sleep.
On the job" he has the reputation Of
making things go.
The moving talking idea is based
u"on two comparatively old PROPOSE
ton. The talking machine is old ane
the motion picture machine is old
But they have never been harnesse:
up together before successfully
Other inventors have had the actors
talk into records and then go out an:
act the piece separately, but the il
fusion wasn't there, except in spots.
| Mr.. Edison's way is to have tn,
talking and moving picture machine
| getting their impressions at the SAM
time. They are set up side by side, a
any distance up to 40 feet away from
the actors, and as the characters ges
ture is taken by the movie" hi
words are taken by the "talker.
When all that is done the movie" i
placed in its usual place with its ray
Illuminating the screen, back o
which is the "talker."