S. Lubin

“One of the principal features at the Pan-American Exposition is the Alaskan or Esquimaux Village. In this most interesting exhibit, scenes are enacted just as they take place in the far away frozen North. In this subject we depict a large number of Esquimaux clothed in their native costumes and seated on their sleds, which are drawn by spans of four Esquimaux dogs. They are engaged in a race and are to be seen running over the ice and snow at a high rate of speed. There is a pond in the foreground of the picture on the shores of which the home stretch of the race takes place. The picture is perfect photographically, and the figures stand out clear and sharp, throwing a most perfect reflection on the pond.” (Edison film company catalog)

Frenchman Count Hardup advertises for a wife. He gets more than he bargained for when women start chasing him. He's caught by an old maid.

The scene opens showing two back yards with a fence between. In one of the yards a woman is seen washing clothes. In the other a young man and a lady are practicing shooting at a target. At first they hang their target on a tree but finally decide to place it on the fence, directly opposite or on a level with that part of the washerwoman on which she sits down. The shooters take aim and fire and the shot, penetrating the fence, strikes the woman amidships and precipitates her into the tub. This is more than she can stand and she goes for the man, throwing him down and beating him about the head with a bucket. He manages to get away and tries to climb a tree but the washerwoman's dog makes a dash for him and fastens his teeth in the bosom of the young man's trousers. The woman then throws the tub at him and strikes him in the back of the neck.

One at a time, we meet eight members of the Dam family.

New Pillow Fight, also titled Daughters' Pillow Fight, is the name of a very early short comedy film, released in 1897. This scene shows four little girls indulging in a pillow fight. Eventually, the feathers are flying all around.

A remake of Edwin S. Porter's film of the same title.

Two hicks take a trip to Atlantic City.

Boys play a rough game of leap frog.

Reenactment of a scene from the Boxer Rebellion.

Silas Hayseed arrives in town and proceeds to put up a hotel noted for its 'tables,' which are all made of hard wood. The country yokel is shown to his room and divests himself of his best Sunday-go-to-meetin' clothes. His little bunch of whiskers that adorn his chin seem to be as proud of him as his Melindy Jane, whom he left in Grassville, back over yonder. He is finally undressed and tumbles into bed, resolving meanwhile to dream of the good prices he will realize in his produce. While pondering over matters, he looks around and discovers a Ghost standing in the middle of the room. Silas becomes scared, begosh, and leaping out on the floor begs the Ghost to do him no harm. The Ghost suddenly vanishes and the Hayseed is about to jump into bed again when Satan appears from under the sheets and scares him to such an extent that he is willing to promise him even a box of fresh rooster eggs if he will only go away.

Despite the lurid title, no one gets shot in this long actuality from Lubin. Instead, it's another panorama, as indicated in the movie's alternative title, of the devastation wrought on San Francisco by the Earthquake and subsequent fire.

The mistress of a country home is going about inspecting the work done by her servant, when she discovers dust on the railing surrounding the porch, and, calling the servant, she orders the rail cleaned, as it should have been done originally. The servant brings a ladder and, mounting same, proceeds to clean it as she is told. A city dude approaches, and, after passing the time of day with the mistress, makes bold to ask for a kiss, and receives a slap for his pains. He is so startled that he bumps into the ladder on which the servant is working, throwing her to the ground, the ladder falling on top of her. She rises in her wrath and, seizing the bucket of water standing close by, she drenches the dude, spoiling his best Sunday clothes. Still smarting from the pain, she takes his walking stick and pounds him until he runs away. This will make you roar with laughter.

A tramp dreams he is welcomed in a high-society parlor for tea, only to wake up and be disappointed.

Dramatization of the real-life shooting of Stanford White by Harry K. Thaw.

A woman offers a reward for her missing dog and a huge number of claimants shows up.

A camera starts on a sloppy scene: people walking around, a building that's seen better days, palm trees, with fronds waving in the breeze. As the camera pans to the left, the busy people continue, but the audience sees the devastation left by the San Francisco Earthquake.

A wife has a vision of her miner husband being killed at the site of his claim. She finds the murderer, now living in luxury, and exacts revenge.

A lovesick youth stations himself under the window of his sweetheart and proceeds to play sweet music with a trombone. His serenade awakens her papa, who orders his daughter to return to her couch while he prepares to entertain the lover. Papa leans out of the window and tries to reach the musician when he loses his balance and falls on top of the player, when a scrimmage follows, much to the discomfort of all concerned. Exceedingly funny.

This picture shows the interior of a well-known theatre. Two hayseeds occupy the front seats and an idea can be gained of the merits of the play by their facial expressions. They indulge in peanuts and apples during the performance, to the amusement of the occupants of the seats surrounding them. Excruciatingly funny.

After the San Francisco Earthquake knocked the city out, and the fires did more damage, many of the refugees from the devastated area settled in a tent city in Jefferson Square. Here are some images from that site.