GREAT BIOGRAPH VIEW
AN ACCIDENT CAUSES NEW PICTURE TO BE UNIQUE.
Horses and Fire Engine Ran Into Camera. Taking Fire Department Scene-Camera Wrocked; Film Saved.
All of the pictures shown by the American, biograph, manufactured by Marvin & Casler, of this village, may be correctly [termed] wonderful, but a view recently added to the list beats all the [rest] so far as being truly startling is concerned. The great feature of this new scene is the outcome of an accident.
About six weeks ago two men, who are engaged by the biograph people in taking views, arranged with the authorities of Atlantic City, N. J , to get a picture of the city's fire department as it would appear in going to a fire. Accordingly one afternoon the biograph camera was set up in the roadway of one of the main streets of the city and a curious crowd gathered along both sides of the thoroughfare to see the picture taken. The fire alarm was song and the entire department came out with a rush, as though the whole of the popular seaside resort was in danger of being destroyed by flames. It so happened that an old hand-engine, drawn by several [...] was in the lead. Close behind came a steam fire engine drawn by horses. As the two engines came down the street and neared the camera, the driver on the steamer attempted to pass the hand-engine. The men drawing the latter failed to get out of the way and the steamer was thus crowded to one side of the street. An accident was inevitable. The driver, rather than to drive his fast running horses into the crowd-which had surged out over the [...]our[...]-and thus endangering many lives, drove straight over the biograph camera. The machine was smashed to bits and the two men who were operating it, painfully, although not dangerously, injured.
When the wreck of the camera was pickup it was found that the box which received the film after the picture was taken was uninjured and that the film could be used. When the scene is reproduced on canvas, an audience sees the fire department coming down the street until the crash occurs. People have been known to [...] when the picture of the Empire State express is produced by the biograph, but the effect of seeing the horses and fire engine, that ran straight into the camera taking the scene, is even more startling and it is said that people almost jump from their seats.
Marvin & Casler value the picture highly and despite the fact that the wrecked camera cost a great deal of money, they are not lamenting over the accident. In other words, the scene obtained is considered perhaps more valuable than the machine destroyed.
Of course the picture of the horses ans engine increases in size as the end is reached. At the conclusion of the scene, when the wreck occurs and all becomes a sudden [blank], the representation of the horses and engine is so large than a 30-foot pied of canvas is required to hold it. The wonderful picture is now being seen in New York and other large cities.

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The Syracuse Bee, Syracuse, samedi 30 octobre 1897, p. 1.

ACCIDENT TO A BIOGRAPH.
The Atlantic City Fire Department gave a drill on August 9, of which the Biograph company prepared to take some views. The entire department, consisting of seven companies, had arranged to pass the stand where the biograph machines were, in the space of one minute. Two of the drivers whipped up their horses too smartly, and the result was that three engines tried to pass by at once. There was not sufficient room, and one of the drivers was obliged to run into the photographic apparatus in order to avoid wrecking one of the other engines. Wallace McCutcheon and William Bitzer, who were operating the machine, were thrown to the ground and badly bruised. The biograph was completely demolished.

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The New York Dramatic Mirror, 21 août 1897, p. 16.

THE FIRE SCENE
The Picture of the Department is a Success.
Thousands viewed the Atlantic City Fire Department scene on the Biograph yesterday and at times last night the crowds were so great that it was almost impossible to get within fifty feet of the entrance.
The pictures are perfect from the time Chief Williamson's team came down the street at a full gallop followed by the States, Neptunes and others all at full speed, with smoke pouring out of the stacks of the engines.
Every detail showed up plainly and the scene is to say the least, exciting. Toward the last when the Beach Pirates come running down the street, followed by the Good Wills' Chemical, book and ladder and patrol, they bunched, and the spectator can readily see that there is going to be a mix-up. The Pirates pass the Biograph machine when the chemical engine horses rush full into the photographing machine, breaking it into fragments. When this happens it appears as if the horses are about to run off the stage into the audience. The picture was witnessed by Chief Williamson, and other officials yesterday, all of whom pronounced it the greatest ever shown here.

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Atlantic City Sunday Press. The Sunday Gazette, Atlantic City, dimanche 15 août 1897, p . 1.