Historic Films Stock Footage Archive: VM-746

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00:00:51 0	LOADING A VESSEL AT CHARLESTON, EDISON (1902). AS THE FILM BEGINS, SEVERAL MEN WITH AXES AND ADZES IN THEIR HANDS ARE WORKING ON LARGE TIMBERS THAT ARE PART OF AN AUXILIARY DOCK FENDERING THE HULL OF A LARGE STEAM CARGO SHIP VISIBLE IN THE FOREGROUND. JUDGING FROM THE SIZE OF THE CARGO SHIP THAT CAN BE SEEN FROM THE SINGLE CAMERA POSITION, SHE WAS IN EXCESS OF 5,000 TONS. ONLY A PORTION OF HER BRIDGE AREA AND THE PORT SIDE TO THE WATER LINE ARE SHOWN. THERE ARE ABOUT FORTY WORKMEN IN THE FILM. A ROWBOAT IS SEEN WENDING ITS WAY THROUGH THE WORKMEN, AND THE PASSENGER IN THE BOAT IS LATER SEEN STANDING AS IF INSPECTING THE WORK. FROM STEAMSHIP.
00:00:51 0.5	MAJOR GENERAL SHAFTER, EDISON (1898). [SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR]. THIS IS A SINGLE-CAMERA POSITION FILM OF A MILITARY BIVOUAC. GENERAL SHAFTER COMES INTO CAMERA VIEW MOUNTED ON HORSEBACK WITH HIS ESCORT WALKING ALONGSIDE. THE EDISON CATALOG DESCRIBES THE COMMANDER OF THE 5TH ARMY CORPS IN THE FOLLOWING WORDS: "HE WEARS A WHITE HELMET, A BROAD EXPANSE OF SHIRT BOSOM AND A GENERAL AIR OF AVOIRDUPOIS." CUBA.
00:04:43 232.5	MARCELINE, THE WORLD-REKNOWNED CLOWN OF THE NEW YORK HIPPODROME, WINTHROP (1907). THE FILM IS OF A MAN WHO, JUDGING FROM HIS FACE AND THE PART OF HIS COSTUME THAT IS VISIBLE, IS MADE UP AS A CLOWN. THE SHORTNESS OF THE FILM PERMITS LITTLE OTHER THAN JUST IDENTIFICATION. THE PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION IS A TIGHT ONE-SHOT (CLOSE-UP), AND JUST THE HEAD AND SHOULDERS OF THE SUBJECT ARE VISIBLE.
00:05:29 278.5	MERRY-GO-ROUND, EDISON (1898). A SINGLE-CAMERA POSITION FILM OF A MERRY-GO-ROUND AT AN UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION. THE CAROUSEL MAKES ABOUT TEN REVOLUTIONS DURING THE FILM.
00:06:40 349.5	MIDWINTER BATHING, L STREET BATH, BOSTON, AM&B (1905). THIS FILM WAS PHOTOGRAPHED IN THE WINTER, MUCH OF IT DURING AN ACTUAL SNOWSTORM, AND SNOW CAN BE SEEN ON THE GROUND IN ALL SCENES. THE SUBJECT IS A GROUP OF MEN, CLOTHED ONLY IN SWIMMING TRUNKS, WHO DEMONSTRATE THEIR PHYSICAL PROWESS BY DOING CALISTHENICS, PLAYING HANDBALL, AND SWIMMING DURING FREEZING WEATHER.
00:14:24 813.5	MISS LILLIAN SHAFFER AND HER DANCING HORSE, EDISON (1904). THIS FILM APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN IN A FAIRGROUNDS OR A SIMILAR CLEARED AREA. A WOMAN MOUNTED ON HER HORSE IS SEEN GUIDING IT THROUGH A NUMBER OF DIFFICULT TRICKS, SUCH AS VARIOUS PACES, CROSSING ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF ANOTHER, SIDE STEPPING, AND "DANCING." THE FILM ENDS WHILE THE HORSE IS EXECUTING A BOW. EDWIN S. PORTER FILMED.
00:17:43 1012.5	MOULIN ROUGE DANCERS, AM&B (1902). FOUR WOMEN DRESSED IN THE COSTUME OF THE ERA PERFORM A CAN-CAN. THEY WERE PHOTOGRAPHED FROM A SINGLE CAMERA POSITION.
00:18:25 1054.5	MOUNT AND DISMOUNT, GATLING GUN, EDISON (1897). THIS SINGLE CAMERA POSITION FILM SHOWS AN OFFICER AND SIX ENLISTED MEN OF THE ARMY AS THEY DEMONSTRATE THE ASSEMBLY DRILL OF A GATLING GUN. SEE ALSO: GATLING GUN-FIRING BY SQUAD, AND GATLING GUN CREW IN ACTION.
00:19:28 1117.5	TITLE CARD READS: "NATIVE WOMAN WASHING A NEGRO BABY IN NASSAU, BAHAMAS, EDISON (1903)." THE CAMERAMAN PLACED HIS CAMERA ON THE SAND AND PHOTOGRAPHED A RATHER LARGE BLACK WOMAN WASHING A RATHER SMALL BLACK BOY IN A CONVENTIONAL GALVANIZED IRON WASHTUB. AS THE JOB OF BATHING PROGRESSES, THE CAMERAMAN PANS HIS CAMERA TO SHOW OTHER NATIVES WHO APPARENTLY RESENT BEING PHOTOGRAPHED AS THEY SCATTER IN ALL DIRECTIONS.
00:22:39 1308.5	NATIVE WOMEN COALING A SHIP AND SCRAMBLING FOR MONEY, EDISON (1903). THE FILM SHOWS A GROUP OF WOMEN EMPLOYED TO REPLENISH THE COAL SUPPLY OF A LARGE STEAM VESSEL. ONLY A PORTION OF THE VESSEL, TIED TO A DOCK, IS SHOWN. SEVERAL WOMEN SCRAMBLE ON THE DOCK FOR MONEY THROWN TO THEM BY THE SHIP'S PASSENGERS. ANOTHER VIEW SHOWS NATIVE WOMEN LINING UP TO TAKE COAL INTO THE BASKETS ON THEIR HEADS AND THEN WALKING UP THE GANGWAY PROVIDED FOR THE DELIVERY OF THE COAL. ST. THOMAS, VIRGIN ISLANDS.
00:25:00 1449.5	NATIVE WOMEN COALING A SHIP AT ST. THOMAS, D.W.I., EDISON (1903). THE CAMERA WAS PLACED ON A DOCK NEAR THE BOTTOM OF A GANGWAY PROVIDED FOR THE WOMEN, AND A FEW MEN, EMPLOYED TO CARRY COAL IN BASKETS ONTO THE SHIP WHICH CAN BE SEEN TIED ALONGSIDE THE DOCK. DURING THE COURSE OF THE FILM, APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED WOMEN AND A FEW MEN, WITH BASKETS ON THEIR HEADS, ARE SEEN WALKING UP THE GANGWAY.
00:26:09 1518.5	NATIVE WOMEN WASHING CLOTHES AT ST. VINCENT, B.W.I., EDISON (1903). SEVERAL NATIVE WOMEN ARE LAUNDERING CLOTHES IN A STREAM. THEY VIGOROUSLY POUND THE CLOTHES ON A ROCK. THE WOMEN WEAR NO GARMENTS FROM THE WAIST UP. ST. VINCENT, VIRGIN ISLANDS.
00:26:39 1548.5	NEW BROOKLYN TO NEW YORK VIA BROOKLYN BRIDGE, NO. 1, EDISON (1899). THE FILM WAS PHOTOGRAPHED FROM A SINGLE CAMERA POSITION FROM THE FRONT OF A RAILROAD TRAIN AS IT CROSSED THE BRIDGE FROM BROOKLYN TO MANHATTAN.
00:28:52 1681.5	A NIGGER IN THE WOODPILE, AM&B (1904) THE FIRST ACTION IS OF A MAN SAWING WOOD AND PILING IT IN CORDS IN A SET FARMYARD. ANOTHER MAN APPEARS WITH A BOX LABELED "DYNAMITE." THEY MANAGE TO DRILL A HOLE IN ONE OF THE STICKS OF WOOD AND THEN INSERT A STICK OF DYNAMITE. THEY PLACE THE LOADED STICK OF WOOD ON THE CORD WITH THE REST AND LEAVE. TWO BLACKS APPEAR, HELP THEMSELVES TO DOUBLE ARMLOADS OF WOOD, AND TAKE THEM TO THE INTERIOR OF THEIR CABIN. THEY PUT SOME WOOD IN THE STOVE, IT BLOWS UP AND TAKES BOTH OF THE MEN WITH IT. THE FILM ENDS AS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE WOOD SEARCHES THE DEBRIS FOR THE TWO BLACK MEN. AFRICAN AMERICAN STEREOTYPES.
00:33:01 1930.5	A NIGHT AT THE HAYMARKET, AM&B (1903). THE FIRST SCENE SHOWS A SET OF THE FRONT OF A MUSIC HALL; THE SECOND SCENE, PHOTOGRAPHED FROM A SINGLE CAMERA POSITION, SHOWS A NUMBER OF PEOPLE DANCING, AND THE THIRD IS OF THE SECTION WHERE BEER AND FOOD ARE SERVED. AS THE FILM PROGRESSES, THERE IS AN ALTERCATION, ENDING WITH TWO COUPLES BEING EVICTED BY A POLICEMAN. THE FINAL SCENES SHOW APACHE-TYPE DANCING, WHICH IS INTERRUPTED BY THE POLICE, WHO HERD THE DANCERS INTO A PATROL WAGON.
00:38:16 2245.5	"OCEANS" FIRE COMPANY, AM&B (1903) APPROXIMATELY TWENTY MEN ARE HARD AT WORK PUMPING WATER. THE FILM SHOWS WHAT APPEARS TO BE EITHER A COMPETITION BETWEEN VOLUNTEER FIRE-FIGHTING UNITS OR A DEMONSTRATION OF A WATER PUMP OR FIRE-FIGHTING APPARATUS. SPECTATORS APPEAR IN THE LAST PART OF THE FILM. SEE ALSO: "EXEMPT" OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.
00:39:08 2297.5	ON TO BROOKLYN, NO. 1, AM&B (1903) THE BACKDROP DEPICTS A RIVER WITH A BRIDGE, SIMILAR TO THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE. A MAN IN A PLAID SUIT WITH A LANTERN HUNG AROUND HIS NECK COMES OUT ON STAGE, FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER MAN WHO ALSO CARRIES A LANTERN. THEY TURN AS IF TO VIEW THE WORK AND THEN TURN TOWARD THE CAMERA. ANOTHER PERSON IN FROCK COAT AND STOVEPIPE HAT APPEARS ON STAGE, CARRYING A SIGN THAT READS, "FUSION, ON TO BROOKLYN." THE THREE MEN MARCH AROUND IN AN ATTEMPT TO CONVEY A POLITICAL IDEA, FOR IN ADDITION TO THE PLACARD, THEY ARE CARRYING BAGS WITH DOLLAR SIGNS ON THEM.
00:41:48 2457.5	ON THE BROOKLYN, NO. 2, AM&B (1903) THERE IS PAINTED BACKDROP WITH A WOODEN FENCE IN FRONT OF IT AND THREE STEPS LEADING TO A PORCH. A MAN SEATED ON THE STEPS IS APPROACHED BY TWO MEN, COSTUMED AS FROCK-COATED, STOVEPIPE-HATTED POLITICIANS WHO ASK FOR AND RECEIVE MONEY. SOON A PERSON DRESSED IN A TIGER SKIN APPEARS AND CHASES THE THREE MEN AWAY AND THEN MOUNTS THE STAIRS AND ACTS AS IF HE WERE MONARCH OF ALL HE SURVEYS.
00:43:50 2579.5	OPENING OF BELMONT PARK RACE COURSE, EDISON (1905). HORSES MOUNTED BY JOCKEYS CAN BE SEEN IN A PADDOCK. THE SECOND CAMERA POSITION IS FROM THE GRANDSTAND. AS THE CAMERA BEGINS TO PAN, HORSES APPROACH THE CAMERA AT A FULL GALLOP, ROUNDING THE TURN COUNTERCLOCKWISE. AS THE HORSES PASS THE CAMERA POSITION, THE CAMERA PANS AGAIN TO SHOW THE PACKED GRANDSTAND. OTHER SCENES OF HORSES IN A PADDOCK, RACING, HORSES BEING RUBBED DOWN AFTER A RACE, HORSES BLANKETED AND LED AWAY WERE PHOTOGRAPHED FROM TWO OTHER CAMERA POSITIONS. REPORTED TO BE "THE ONLY MOTION PICTURE." BELMONT PARK, ELMONT, NEW YORK.
00:51:49 3058.5	ORPHAN CHILDREN ON THE BEACH AT CONEY ISLAND, AM&B (1904). THE CAMERA WAS SITUATED ON AN OCEAN BEACH. THE ONLY ACTION VISIBLE IS A LARGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN BATHING IN THE SURF. FOR THE FULL EXTENT OF THE FILM, THE GROUP CAN BE SEEN SPLASHING ABOUT IN THE SURF.
00:52:52 3121.5	ORPHANS IN THE SURF, EDISON (1903). AN AREA OF A PUBLIC BATHING BEACH IS SHOWN. PASSING THE CAMERA ON BOTH SIDES AND RUNNING TOWARD THE BEACH ARE APPROXIMATELY FIFTY PREADOLESCENT BOYS IN BATHING SUITS. THEY CONTINUE ON INTO THE SURF AND SPLASH ABOUT. THEN, AS IF BY DIRECTION, THEY RETURN, APPROACH THE CAMERA, AND PASS IT BY. CONEY ISLAND.
00:54:23 3212.5	OUTING, MYSTIC SHRINERS, ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY, EDISON (1904). A LARGE NUMBER OF MEN WEARING BATHING SUITS MARCH QUICK STEP BY THE CAMERA. AS THE MEN CONTINUE, THE SEASHORE CAN BE SEEN. BEHIND THE MARCHING MEN IS AN AMUSEMENT PIER OUT OVER THE OCEAN. THE FILM ENDS AS THE MEN CAN BE SEEN IN THE DISTANCE MARCHING INTO THE WATER.
00:57:24 3393.5	PANORAMA FROM GONDOLA, ST. LOUIS EXPOSITION, AM&B (1904). THE FIRST SCENES WERE PHOTOGRAPHED FROM A BOAT THAT WAS EITHER ROWED OR SCULLED ALONG THE WATERWAY OF THE ST. LOUIS EXPOSITION. THE FILM SHOWS THE PRINCIPAL EXHIBIT BUILDINGS LINING THE MALL, AS WELL AS STATUES AND BRIDGES. THE NEXT CAMERA POSITION WAS STATIONARY. THE SCENES SHOW DECORATED ROWBOATS AND MOTORBOATS LADEN WITH COSTUMED PEOPLE AS THOUGH PART OF A PARADE. THE LEAD BOAT IN THE PARADE CONTAINS A SINGLE OCCUPANT IN MILITARY UNIFORM. SEE ALSO: PARADE OF FLOATS.