The phonoscope (Nov 1896-Dec 1899)

10 THE PHONOSCOPE January, 1899 THE PHONOSCOPE Copyrighted 1396 published monthly by THE PHONOSCOPE PUBLISHING CO. 4 EAST 14th STREET , NEW YORK, U. S. A. SUBSCRIPTION: United States and Canada . $i»oo per year Foreigrn Countries i-5° Single Copies ioc each Back numbers can be obtained at regular rates. ADVERTISING RATES FURNISHED ON APPLICATION All communications must be addressed to The Phonoscope Publishing Co., 4 East 14th Street, New York City, to insure prompt attention. THE PHONOSCOPE is the only journal in the world published in the interest of Talking Machines, Picture Projectiug and Animating Devices, and Scientific and Amusement Inventions appertaining to Sound and Sight. Correspondents in London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam. Madrid, Alexandria and Constantinople, Australia, South America. Central America, Canada and ioS cities in the United States. The Publishers solicit contributions from the readers or Thf Phonoscope, and suggest that any notes, news or items appertaining to sound and sight would be acceptable. Last fall the air was blue with forebodings of ill for all connected with the talking-machine industry. Just because business happened to be light for a few weeks a lot of croakers predicted the failure of this or that company and to such an extent was the wail of a few discontents repeated that finally many, not really in touch with the business, began to believe that there was some truth in the gossip. This faint-hearted talk is all bosh. The trade has had the finest run of business it ever had and all past records have been knocked to smithereens bv the volume of business done the last two months. Machines have been vitally improved and new ones offered to the public. Never before could a customer purchase so fine an instrument and never could he procure such an endless variety of exquisite records. The talking-machine business is going up, not down, and there are numerous sensible reasons for it. The dream of the dancing master is about to be realized in the mammoth instrument just put upon the market. It is powerful enough to fill any theatre or church for a concert but its special use as a money-saver for dancing clubs is not as yet fully appreciated. Musicians are no longer necessary. Turn on the machine and the waltz may start — music of absolutely fine quality and perfection itself as regards time being furnished. Every dancing teacher in the world who can afford it will shortly possess this machine and if he doesn't get one he will be behind the times. Some one person or club in every city will have one and his services will be hired for all occasions where orchestras of men are now utilized. A man who will invest S500 for a suitable outfit can make an easy professional living from this machine. But this is only one feature of the novel business. Live men who are hopeful and willing to work can do well in this business, which is still in its infancy, despite the despondent actions of a few weak-minded creatures. * * * The Phonograph Swindle How The English Dupes Were Deluded The Phonograph trade has its peculiar features. Ever) new business embodying the principles of some great invention seems peculiar to the great mass of people. Thomas Alva Edison is looked upon as a wizard by all who have ever heard his name and observed some of his marvelous results. The very name Edison conveys the idea of something wonderful. His inventions have enabled many men to make enormous sums of money honestly and when an opportunity was offered to several people in England to operate Edison machines and realize handsome profits they naturally jumped at the chance. So with Edison's name, illegally used, as a cloak to cover bogus operations it is alleged that a man and a woman have during the last six or seven months carried on the most gigantic swindle ever perpetrated in this trade. A great sensation was created in the fashionable winter resort of St. Augustine, Florida, by the arrest of a stylish couple posing as Baron and Baroness Debara, who were recognized there as social leaders. The postal authorities, who caused the arrest, say that the couple have been conducting a fraudulent business in Chicago under the names of the Edison Phonograph Company and the West Chicago Company. They advertised extensively for agents to handle the penny-in-the-slot machines on payment of £1 to £100 premium, huge profits being guaranteed. The advertisements were chiefly inserted in English and Scotch newspapers, and over £10,000 was obtained from their victims in the United Kingdom. Fully 1,000 letters were received daily from England alone. The alleged baron's real name is said to be Henschel. He is of German extraction and his wife is a half-breed Japanese. The couple first visited St. Augustine a year ago, purchased a valuable property, and fitted it as a handsome villa, emploved liveried servants and entertained lavishly. The baron, in September, started a society paper in Chicago, his wiie acting as editress, and it made great headway socially. One of the British victims has furnished the following narrative of "the baron's modus operandi."' Early last summer advertisements appeared in the London newspapers offering agencies for an American venture, i.e. the sale and hire of pennyin-the-slot automatic Phonograj hs. "Upon answering same, a reply was received to the effect that the company (Mr. George B. Henschel, secretary, of 115 Dearborn Street, Chicago) were going to appoint only one agent for each county in the United Kingdom, but that their agent had power to appoint sub-agents to assist the working of the agency. Intimation was at the same time made to the effect that upon receipt of a certain sum to the value of sample machines the} would be forwarded together with a supply of stationery. Immediate acknowledgments came to hand, together with a "certificate of appointment for the count) of "; also, a few days later a postcard purporting to be sent by a firm of shipping agents in New York, stating that the package was being forwarded consigned to the agent. At this time it came to the know-ledge of some that the Edison Company, having offices at Charingcross, had threatened actions ior infringement of patent rights against any one who offered for sale or hire the machines in question. Thereupon one of the so-called agents wrote to the Chicago cornpan) asking to be protected against the English company's actions. The former cabled in return stating that the threat was ridiculous, and a guarantee to this effect was given. It might be mentioned that the English company had not any machines fitted with the slot system, and remarked that the prices of the Chicago companv were absurd in point of cheapness. Of course, the former news was welcomed, as it would thus give the appointed agents a monopoly. Time went on until November, when, although cheques and cash had been sent no machines arrived nor any news, until a letter came from a firm calling themselves "Amstrees," giving the none too gladsome news that owing to financial misfortunes that the company had been wound up, and that Mr. Henschel had absconded, but as they believed him to be an honorable gentleman of good principles they had faith that as soon as he had recovered from his misfortune he would pay back every penny. The only strange incident which occurred to one of the victims, who is a house agent, was that several persons inquired for shops for the sale of these machines, saying they were the appointed agents for that county ; but as they had not received the certificate of appointment he (the victim ) thought the application had been declined. The victims of this huge fraud are chiefly clerks who had a few pounds to "turn over." Besides being cheated out of the money they sent for machines; they made certain agreements for the hire of show-rooms, thereby making themselves liable for rent for long periods. Mr. F. W. Pratt, general manager of the EdisonBell Consolidated Phonograph Company, Limited, writes from 39, Charing-cross-road : "I have had many communications here concerning the advertisement which these Chicago people inserted in British newspapers, inviting applicants to apply for the agency for their Phonographs. On receipt of these applications circulars and prospectuses were sent forward, which should not have deceived the simplest. "As soon as these facts came to the knowledge of my board they instructed me to communicate an advertisement to the leading London and provincial newspapers warning the public against dealing with any one except ourselves in any 'talkingmachines, and it is extremely regretable that anyone should have been inveigled into despatching their money no such an obvious long-firm swindle." * * Correction In the November number of The Phonoscope there appeared a note which gave a wTong impression in regard to the Compagnie Gtnc'rale de Phonographes et Cinematographes in Paris, formerly known as Pathe Freres. This firm, the most important of its kind in Europe, desire to correct the previous statement in regard to the prices quoted which were not exact. In regard to all talking-machines, the standard American prices are maintained by the Compagnie Generale de Phonographes et Cinematographes whose object is to increase profits and secure dividends for its stock-holders. As to the blanks the retail price is thirty cents or 1 fr. 50. The wholesale price is regulated according to the size of the order. The retail price on the Bettini Micro-attachment is the same as in America. * * * A Visit to the Bettini Phonograph Laboratory The Phonograph Laboratory of Lieutenant Bettini is one of the most interesting places to visit and is the rendezvous of the most prominent artists who take pleasure in calling on him. Lieutenant Bettini is a well-known feature in New York, and by his inventive gift he has acquired a world-famed reputation. His private room is a very artistic one and represents a unique and valuable collection of autographs and photo pictures of the most famous artists and composers. Lieutenant Bettini took our representative through his various rooms and explained to him in his genial way everything pertaining to the Phonograph business. It was most interesting to see the revolution of his Micro-Phonographs, as he calls his diaphragms, from the day he entered the Phonograph field up to date and I can say that alter hearing the reproduction of one of his artistic records through his latest diaphragm that he has given a soul to the Phonograph. His latest model of reproducing attachments for the Edison machine and the Columbia Graphophone are certainly striking. Every Edison machine or Columbia Graphophone can be fitted with one of the types of his micro-diaphragms, and the results are simply wonderful. I specially noticed the new micro-diaphragm for the Columbia Graphophone which is so constructed that by a ve y simple and ingenious device it can be perfectly adjusted to any (old or new style") Graphophone, also the model of the new reproducing attachment l or the Edison Standard Phonograph which will be on the market by the beginning of April. It improves his machine wonderfully, and I am sure there will be the same demand for these attachments that there is for the other Bettini diaphragms, which are certainly wonderful reproducers of sound. This is specially true of the female voice whichLieutenant Bettini has made a special study of and has succeeded where others have failed. Lieutenant Bettini deserves a great deal of credit for his work and perseverance. He is young and full of energy and no doubt we will hear from him often in the field of novelties. His new catalogue contains a number of new records of the same his<h standard which has stamped the "Bettini Record" all over the world as the most artistic. When I left the Laboratory I was convinced that theie was nothing in the market that could surpass his reproducers and his high-class records. Len Spencer's Minstrels have met with great success during their recent trip. The company embraces many of the leading vocalists in the Phonograph profession. One of the most interesting features of the big bill was the introduction of the Graphophone Grand, which \v*s personally conducted by Mr. Len Spencer. At the close of the entertainment a blank cvlinder was placed on the machine and the band started to Dlay a popular air, the audience being inv< ed to join in. The whistling in the gallery was Mainly audible.