The talking machine world (Oct-Dec 1921)

106 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD November 15, 1921 PITTSBURGH IS IN BUOYANT MOOD OVER TRADE OUTLOOK Business Decidedly Better, Thanks to Improved General Conditions — Leading Jobbers Discuss Situation — Talking Machine Men Meet — Brunswick and Vocalion Increase Representation Pittsburgh, Pa., November 7. — The past month proved a pleasant surprise in certain sections of the Steel City, as far as business conditions were concerned, a number of the dealers reporting that the volume of business handled for October in talking machines and records proved decidedly larger than that disposed of the month before. The open weather of the past six weeks has not been a factor to encourage sales of talking machines and records, but with the advent of rainy and chilly weather the past week the "folks at home" were inclined to remain at their firesides, and this, in turn, proved a circumstance which brings to remembrance in a forceful manner the talking machine and the pleasure that is derived therefrom. General Tone of Business Is Much Better The general tone of business in all lines and sales of talking machines in this city is much better than two weeks ago and the outlook for a good holiday season is bright. It is admitted on all sides that the industrial situation in the Pittsburgh district has improved most materially and mills that were operating at 40 per cent and even less a month ago are now producing at 65 to 75 per cent of capacity. This is also, true of the coal and coke operations and, as a result, hundreds of men have gone to work the past ten days. While it is true that the wage scale will not be as high as the wages that prevailed two and three years ago, it is a great relief to the workers as a whole to know that they are sure of steady work for the next fifteen to eighteen months. Orders for iron and steel products have been coming in rather heavily the past three weeks and this all goes to enhance the prosperity of the district. In turn, the wages that will be disbursed every two weeks from now on will be good sized and the circulation of the millions of dollars in this city and vicinity augurs well for all kinds of business, the talking machine trade especially. It is a well-known fact that in the industrial and mill towns of the Pittsburgh district the demand for talking machines and records, when the mills are running full, is very heavy. This is true in a marked degree of the foreign-speaking workers, who are intensely fond of music in all forms. Poles, Russians, Hungarians, Italians, Slavs, Ruthenians, Czechs and other nationalities are keenly interested in songs in their native tongue, as well as in selections by their national artists. When the slump came in the industrial life of the Pittsburgh district, the talking machine dealers who specialized in foreign records, etc., were the first to feel the effect, and now as the upward trend in operations comes they are the first to feel the stimulating current of brisk business. Reasons for Optimism On the whole there is an optimistic tone in the talking machine trade here and dealers are preparing for a brisk holiday trade. S. H. Nichols, manager of the Pittsburgh offices of the Columbia Graphophone Co., said to the Talking Machine World representative: "We are prepared to handle what we expect will be a very excellent holiday trade in the Columbia Grafonolas and records. The turn in trade has come from the industrial marts of the Pittsburgh district and adjacent sections and I feel that it will have a good effect on all other lines of trade. We feel that with the aid of our service department we will be able to give splendid co-operation to all Columbia dealers and aid them in taking care of the business that undoubtedly must come to them. We feel very hopeful as to the immediate future and are convinced that the business is there to be secured by the dealers who go after it in a systematic and persistent manner. The general outlook is good and I see no reason why every Columbia dealer should not be able to do a very nice busi ness from now on until the Christmas holiday trade is over." Thomas T. Evans Reviews Situation Thomas T. Evans, manager of the wholesale Victrola department of the C. C. Mellor Co., said: "We look forward to doing the usual good business that this firm has always handled in the months of November and December. We have service to offer to Victor dealers second to none in the country and in many points superior to many offered. The outlook is good as far as I can see and it is my candid opinion that it will be a larger and better Victor season for our department than we experienced a year ago. The mills and mines are gradually getting back to normal operations and this is bound to have a beneficial effect on the Victor trade all over the Pittsburgh territory." W. C. Hamilton Back at His Desk Wm. C. Hamilton, president of the S. Hamilton Co., Victor dealer, and president of the Piano Merchants' Association of Pittsburgh, is back at his desk again after a stay in a New York hospital following an operation for appendicitis. Mr. Hamilton's many friends in the trade were glad to see him restored to his field of useful endeavor in the talking machine and music circles of the Steel City. Many New Brunswick Dealers J. A. Scanlan, Jr., sales manager of the Brunswick phonograph division of the BrunswickBalke-Collender Co. in the Pittsburgh district, is lined up securely with the optimists in the talking machine trade who are convinced that business is reviving and that the outlook is brighter today than it was six weeks ago. Mr. Scanlan said in referring to business conditions: "We feel that our efforts this Fall and Winter for new business will be rewarded in a very handsome manner. There is no doubt but that the earnest and conscientious retail Brunswick dealer will be able to do better and larger business through the co-operation that our company extends to him." Mr. S.canlan stated that the following new Brunswick dealers will, in the future, be served by the Pittsburgh offices: A. M. Armstrong, Individuality in Your Product Will Mean More Sales for You! The New Empire Universal Ball Bearing Tone Arm and Reproducer Made in Two Lengths : 8" and 9" The Empire Universal Pivot Base Tone Arm and Reproducer Made in Several Lengths. THE EMPIRE PHONO PARTS COMPANY, 1362 East Third Street, Cleveland, 0. Established in 1914 Manufacturers of High Grade Tone Arms and Reproducers W. J. McNAMARA. President