Abstract: An input festoon is provided in a web supply apparatus for automatically splicing a relatively stiff web of material such a liner board for making corrugated board. The input festoon includes a dancer roll which is movable along a track to allow storage of a ready web as the ready web is pre-accelerated by an accelerator roll to a running speed prior to creation of a splice at a splice head. Tail grab sensors are mounted on the apparatus above the web between the input roll and the splice head adjacent the input roll. The tail grab sensor detects tears or breaks in the web and provides an electrical signal to initiate a splice. A vacuum box including a pivotable vacuum bar is provided for creating a high speed butt splice. A method of creating a high speed butt splice using the vacuum box is also presented.