1896—Chicago Cinematographe

Lumière No. 336—Défilé de policemen
Lumière No. 337—Michigan Avenue
Lumière No. 337—Grande roue

Inter Ocean, September 20, 1896

Chicago’s police department was massed on the Lake Front, in dark blue lines of sturdy manhood. Like one man the force gazed sternly to the front, and a frown of sturdy determination clouded its brow.

Ten lieutenants dashed hither and thither, now poking an integral element into an upright position, now straightening a wavering line of blue coats by the crude expedient of strapping heavily on feet that projected too far in front of the formation.

Like a thunder cloud the array blackened the Lake Front with threatening portent of wars and riots, and chance passers-by stood with beating hearts and fearful countenances, wondering what great and unknown evil so menaced the city as to call forth these preparations.

“Phwat is ut, in hivin’s name?” asked a cab driver as he pulled his panting steed up short and turned to a messenger boy, who, breathless from haste, bad taken up a position of advantage upon a corner lamp post.

“Dey say dat de anarchles is loose,” tersely responded the youth, “and dat de police is leavin’ de city.”

“May the saints presarve us!” retorted the cabman, in tones that reached the ears of the first three lines of officers. “Annyway, I do not belave ut. They would not be enoug uv thim left to march out.”

And with such irreverent jests and derogatory insinuations the concourse viewed the impressive display of Chicago’s noble defenders. And the worst of it was that the police were absolutely helpless. They dared not raise their eyes and mark out their detractors for future punishment; they dared not even swear, but the cloud of gloom on each manly brow grew blacker and blacker, until it boded no good for the first offender that came into the hands of the law.

Then there might have been heard the mutter of orders passing from rank to rank, and the tramp of 600 of the largest feet in Chicago woke the echoes along Michigan avenue, until even the workers on the distant government breakwater paused in alarm and wondered what sky-scraper had fallen. But the police were not going to war. They were simply going through the motions and having their pletures taken. First they marched a block, that the men might get into rhythmic step. Some of the men did this, and some did not, being probably too anxious about the fit of their new winter clothes.

Then they defiled past the camera four abreast, each officer trying to look as if he were chief of police and had the whole responsibility for the peace of Chicago on his shoulders. The next time they marched up in company front, with Assistant Chief Ross and Inspector Shea bringing up the rear of the column, and the little machine that furnishes the material for the cinematographe at the Schiller took some 5,000 photographs of these at the rate of 1,800 a minute.

Will Be Ready In a Month.
In about a month the necessary developing and reproducing will be finished and in every large city in the world Chicago’s finest will march from the shadow depths of the stage up to the footlights and past the applauding audience as they marched up Michigan avenue today.

The arrangements for taking the exposures were in charge of M. Alexandre Peornio (sic), a celebrated French photographer, who unfortunately has not yet found time to master the English language. At the close of the Lake Front performance today, Assistant Chief Ross stepped up to the camera to make a few inquiries as to the process. M. Peornio caught sight of him first and, recognizing an official high in government circles, doffed his hat in the inimitable French style and bowed almost to the ground, at the same time telling in a flood of French phrases how much he appreciated the courtesy shown him.

Ross was surprised. He was also at a loss to comprehend the compliments that were being showered on him, and before he recovered, Peornio had bowed again and retreated. It was noticed that the French method of saluting bad made a favorable impression on the assistant chief, and later in the day it was extensively practiced by lieutenants and patrolmen in the recesses of the armory. If French politeness is to be inculcated in the Chicago police force, truly M. Peornio’s visit has not been in vain.

Sixteen other scenes of Chicago life were perpetuated for the benefit of foreign audiences. The fire department was caught on the run up Michigan avenue in the morning, and three different sets of views were taken as the engines and carts dashed past. State street, Clark street, and Dearborn street will be thrown on the canvas screen in London, Paris, Vienna, and fifty other of the largest cities of the old world.

The Ferris wheel in motion, Lincoln Park with children playing, and a crowd of shoppers entering one of the largest department stores, all yielded materia! for the cinematographe.

It was hoped that a group of American athletes engaged in mauling each other’s anatomy might also be sent to the effete civilization of the old world that they might see and wonder at our harmless methods of taking recreation, and arrangements had been made for carrying the instrument to the athletle field of the University of Chicago for Captain Roby’s athletes to show the world how they play football, but a hitch occurred and the intention was not carried out.

The views will be ready in about a month and will be displayed at the Schiller Theater at the same time they are shown in London and Paris.

Chicago Tribune, December 20, 1896

The Schiller.
A new feature for the coming week will be the five Cornallas, clever acrobatic balancers and tumblers, who rank at the head of their class. Entirely new pictures will be shown on the cinematographe, including some of the American views, the elevated depot at the Battery in New York and the Chicago police force on parade on Michigan avenue. Biondi will appear in a new play in which he impersonates nineteen different characters, male and female, with his usual lightning rapidity and yet gives to each a distinct voice and costume and general appearance of his own. Ida Grey Scott, the new soprano, whose singing has excited much favorable comment, will offer all new songs, as will the Hengler sisters and Arnim and Wagner. Gilbert and Goldie promise a batch of new jokes and a topical song on events of the day. The remaining acts on the bill are the four Lassrads in their comedy sketch called “Fun” and Colby and Way in an up-to-date specialty.

Leave a Reply