New Britain herald., 1926-08-06
BROADWAY SIGNS
 WOULD LIGHT CITY
Enough Lights to Illuminate
 Town of 10000

New York, Aug. s.--Broadway's Great White Way uses enough electric power in its signs to pro- vide for all needs of 8 town of 10000 population.
 These signs, flashing intermittent ly or standing in great banks of light, throw 25,000,000 candle power into the street, with a nightly cur rent consumption of 17,S00 kilowatt hours, it has been determined by the New York Edison company.
 This display, dedicated to adver- Using, has grown from little sigr with 200 lamps placed where the Flatiron building low stands, which, in 1895, heralded: Manhattan Beach Swept by Ocean Freezes"
 Electricity Conserved
 However, economy is exercised even in this prodigality of light. The theater signs are light at dusk, but often turned off before the per- formances are over. Many of the large signs shine only at specified hours when the large crowds are on the street. Supper clubs often do not light their signs until later when they wish to attract after theater groups.
 Theaters Rank Seventh
 There are 1S,000 signs now on Broadway, with a present increase of about 5000 annually, until space in which to hang or set them is at a premium.
 Theaters, which originally made the otherwise drab street what it is, have dropped to seventh in the classification of users of signs, with about 700 displays. Restaurants lead the procession with 2,S85. Tobacco companies are near the top with LIDO.
 In the most desirable spaces, the roofs of the buildings often bring a higher rental than offices. One four story building, only eight feet deep, erected solely for sign dis plans, brings an annual rental of s90,o0o.
 Largest Sign Demolished.
 The largest sign in the world re- gently was demolished when the building holding it was wrecked. It contained twenty-one miles of wiring, was 200 feet long and was as high as five story building.
 Since it's destruction, a sign atop the United States Rubber company building, advertising the company and it's tires, is numbered among the largest. Facing north and south, the double display is set tn a frame eighty-eight feet wide and flfty-three feet high. Its illumina- tion is estimated at 25o,000 candle power.
 A sign advertising "The Big Parade" upholds the theater's visual prestige with 100000 candle-power of illumination, while the Chevro- let automobile sign, covered entire ly with bulbs over an area fifty by sasixty-four, casts 175,00o candle power.
 Challenges Stars
 Two other signs, both of great size, stand high in the sky. one of them being that of the Fisk Tire company, a. double display S54 feet above the street. Nearby is the Gotham bank sign, an eighty ton structure resting on the steel col umns ofThe building 347 feet above the street.
 A color animation" sign con- sidered radical innovation in dis play, made it's appearance in adver- tieing the motion picture Don Juan" This new sign, employing the colors red and blue, makes it possible to create the illusion of fourteen different motions by figures on it.
 The Great White Way is not only for the benefit of visitors to New York, but has a peculiar place in the heart of the city. When the signs were dimmed during the war in the interest of conservation, such a protest was raised that they were turned on again within few days.