The Nenana news., 1921-10-04
LATHROP VISITS NENANA;
 LIKES LOOKS OF TOWN

Captain A. E. Lathrop, dean of Alaska theatrical men, was an over night visitor in Nenana this week, having arrived from the coast, by way of Fairbanks, yesterday, and left on the return trip today. The trip to the Interior was made for the purpose of sizing up Fair banks and Nenana and perfecting arrangements for supplying the new Fairbanks theater and the Coliseum with motion pictures from the Lathrop circuit on the Alaska coast.
 Captain Lathrop is an oldtimer of the North, having been resi- dent of Alaska 27 years, but this is his first visit to the Interior. And he admits that he was very agree ably to find so much activity here and at Fairbanks. He was partic- ularly well pleased with the ap- pearance of Nenana, with it's de- lightful climate, splendid location and promise of solid growth. He had not expected to find such a substantial looking town at the In terior end of the Government rail road. -:.:-. .:. .~: ... ...
 Captain Lathrop believes that an era of development is about to set in throughout the Territory and he predicts that the completion of the railroad will be followed by heavy travel over the line, with steadily increasing volume The tourists who now limit their sightseeing to the Alaska coast, will avail themselves of the opportunity to see more of the country by means of the rail road, and there will be in addition, frequent pilgrimages of commercial men to the Interior towns in quest of new business.
 Captain Lathrop says the coast districts are looking forward hope fully to the development of oil. The wells already producing, he points out, are yielding a high grade product and all that is needed is increased production. Very en- couraging indications, he says, have been found in the Anchorage dis trict and determined efforts are be- ing made to develop the oil in- dustry their.
 The linking of Fairbanks and Nenana to his circuit, the theatri- cal man says, enables him to pro vide Alaskans with the very best pictures obtainable and consider able number of the features will be shown in Interior Alaska before patrons of the Lathrop theaters at Cordova and Anchorage see them. The pictures are selected by the Lathrop representative in the States and, as soon as shipments to the Interior can be made with any de- gree of regularity, programs will be so arranged as to give the widest possible range of attractions, and with impartial treatment of stars. The reels will be inspected and programs made up at Anchorage, and shipped direct to the Interior by way of the Government railroad. Captain Lathrop brought an auto load of pictures over the trail with him to Fairbanks, and more are en- route to keep the two Interior theaters in programs until the new service by way of Broad Pass can be established. Captain Lathrop came to the Interior at this time to arrange these details and says he will return later to make certain the service is giving satisfaction. He conducts his theaters on the prin- cipal that his patrons are entitled to the best attractions obtainable and he intends that Nenana and Fairbanks shall fare as weel.
 Captain Lathrop has been in the moving picture business for twelve