The phonoscope (Nov 1896-Dec 1899)

Vol. I. No. 9 THE PHONOSCOPE 9 General Ittews Mr. Arthur Gardner, of the American Graphophojie Company, is now installed at the headquarters in New York City. Mr. George J. Gaskin is now in Belfast, Ireland, ( which he calls his native heath ) singing his popular songs with great success. The ten-dollar graphophone has set the wheels of success a-buzzing in the talking-machine business. Many thanks to McDonald and Easton. Russell Hunting's latest effect "Casey Digging in the Klondike Gold Mines" is a big hit and bids fair to rival his famous "Casey Taking the Census." We understand from good authority that the Edison Works are about to place a phonograph on the market that will sell for twenty dollars or thereabouts. Quite a novel idea in the record-making line has been introduced by Roger Harding to amuse the little folks such as "Who Killed Cock Robin," "Little Red Riding Hood," etc. Mr. Geo. A. Mansfield, of the Michigan Electric Co , was in New York last month purchasing diaphragms, appliances, etc., for the record-making department which his company intends establishing in the near future. Mr. Lovejoy, the genial phonograph exhibitor, visited several Eastern companies last month to purchase records. He has changed his headquarters from Manchester, N. H., and is now located in Hartford, Conn. Mr. Fairchild, the popular composer, of Boston, Mass., has written a very catchy march entitled "Casey on Parade," which he has dedicated to Russell Hunting, of "Casey" fame. We predict a great sale for this composition as the theme is entirely original and very cleverly constructed. The American Graphophone Company, which has been enlarging its plant at Bridgeport, Conn., is now working its force three hours every night. This has been made necessary largely on account of the rush of business following the appearance in the market of a ten-dollar graphophone. Mr. R. F. Cromelin, of the Columbia Phonograph Company, who has been in Paris during the summer looking after the interests of the Company there, will probably return home with Mr. Easton, President of the Company, about the middle of October. Mr. E. D. Easton, President of the Columbia Phonograph Company, sails for Paris Saturday, October .2, and will return in about two weeks. The European headquarters of this Company, No. 34 Boulevard des Italiens, Paris, will be formally opened about October 7. A handsome building has been leased by the Company and fitted up in an attractive style, making it similar in general appearance to the offices of the Company in this country. Mr. P. V. DeGraw has been appointed assistant manager of the Columbia Phonograph Company's parlors in Philadelphia. Mr. DeGraw is particularly well equipped for his new field of usefulness, being an expert electrician, as well as an experienced and capable business man. The Columbia Phonograph Company is to be congratulated in securing his services in this important capacity. Travelers in France who carry photographic plates complain that they are destroyed by the X-ray customs examination. The authorities promise to take precautions, when possible, against damage by the new detective agent. Cinematographies seem to be decidedly dangerous. A fire broke out in a Paris theatre from one recently, producing a panic, as the audience remembered that the machine was the cause of the charity bazaar tragedy. Moritz Grunian was released from Ludlow Street Jail, New York City, on his agreement to marry pretty Betsie Gorman. Alderman Schilling performed the ceremony in the City Hall, and while it was taking place several lively airs tinkled forth from a phonograph that some one mischievously set a-going. Mr. Edward N. Burns, who for several years has been at the head of the Washington office of the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company, has entered the service of the Columbia Phonograph Company. He will be manager of the department of traveling salesmen, and make his headquarters in New York. A new use of aluminum has been made in the manufacture of reproducers for graphophones. Heretofore the recorders have been made, as a rule, of hard rubber. For hard rubber aluminum has been substituted, with what is regarded as much success. It is claimed that the blasting, blaring or "chattering" as it is called in the trade, which is often noticeable in the performance of the talking machine, is almost completely absent when an aluminum reproducer is used. -7C ~t. ' A very interesting and novel advertising exhibition is now being given on the roof of the building at 132 1 Broadway, facing Herald Square. Animated films are shown illustrating advertisements. The pictures were all made by the International Film Co., 44 Broad Street, and are attracting the attention nightly of thousands of people. As an instance of the enterprise and hustle of the International Film Co., the Democratic Mayor was nominated on Thursday night and on Friday his picture was on the screen at 34th Street. Peter A. Porter has a phonograph at his home that will be quite a machine after the season is over. All the prominent men who have been at Niagara Falls have been entertained at Mr. Porter's home, and while there they have talked into the phonograph on the center-table. Lord Kelvin was the last man to speak into it. Other electricians have been interviewed by the phonograph at different times. Mr. Porter, on some winter evening before the year closes, will have an entertainment and his friends will be allowed to hear the phonograph tell what the great men said to it. A meeting of the stockholders of the American Graphophone Company, in which a great many local men of Washington are interested, was held at Harper's Ferry, W. Va., recently, and voted to increase the capital stock of the company $100,000. President Easton was not present, but Mr. P. H. Cromelin, Secretary of the company, conveyed the opinion of the President to the stockholders upon the matter. : t was stated at the meeting that the reason for the increase was the desire of the company to make extensions in the territory covered by its branch offices, and especially the ones in European countries. The company has recently established a branch office at Paris, which has been very successful, and they desire to establish such offices in all the European capitals. Another reason advanced for the proposed increase of the capital stock of the company was that the low-priced instruments lately put on the market by the company met with such an encouraging sale that it was necessary to make improvements in the factory at Bridgeport, Conn. Instead of expending the dividends of the present stock of the company for this purpose it was thought best to issue new stock covering the cost of improvements. These propositions appeared to please the majority of stockholders of the company, and it was voted to increase the capital stock of the company $roo,ooo, and such stock will be put on sale in the local stock market in a few days. Hnswers to Correspondence All questions pertaining to Talking Machines, PictureProjecting Inventions, Automatic Coin-in-Slot devices, Amusement Inventions, etc., will be cheerfully and fully answered in this column. Inquiries for this department should be addressed, Information Department, The Phonoscope, 4 East Fourteenth Street, New York, U. S. A. J* J» jt jt [K. C. T. M. Co.— Gentlemen— We received your communication taking excepion to the reply which we made our St. Louis inquirer in our June issue. We cannot withdraw any of our statements as we know what we are talking (or writing) about. The circular which we refetred to was headed, "List of Talking Machine Co's original records, price fifty cents each, five dollars per dozen.'' The list of records which followed this headline included such talent as Len. Spencer, Geo. J. Gaskin, Dan. Ouinn, Gilmore's Band, Sousa's Grand Concert Band, J. W. Myers, Russell Hunting, etc. We know, you know, and the public should know, that original records of such talent cannot be made to sell at fifty cents each. We were particularly careful to mention the talent in our reply to our correspondent. The truth of our statement is endorsed by the fact that you, in later issues of your catalogue, refrained from using the word original when speaking of the talent we mention. Why have you done this? If you are still selling original Sousa's Bands at fifty cents, you should insist on keeping up this good work, because you deserve credit for losing twenty-five or fifty cents on each record, for the good of the cause. Don't be foolish and try to enter into any argument with us in reference to this original matter. We do not print anything but what we know is a fact. We answer all inquirers truthfully and honestly. We are personally acquainted with all the recognized talking machine talent from Mr. Edison to Johnny Jones, and know what we are writing about. Furthermore, if you imagine that you are selling orginal Gilmore or Sousa Ban 1 records at fifty cents each, and advertise same, conscientiously believe they are originals, you have been misled, the same as the public are who read your circular we refer to. — Ed.] [A. I. N. Boston.— Mr. George E. Tewksbury is practically manager of the United States Phonograph Co.]