The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1906)

38 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. these palaces of amusement — the crowning feature of this broad and thriving industiy. :h ^: A Messrs. Wells, Dunne and Harlan, well known in the atitomatic world, are opening parlors on a large scale throughout the South, among which the largest and most elaborate are at Richmond, Norfolk and Nashville. The mutoscopes, of which there were ordered 150, were furnished bj' the American Mutoscope & Biograph Co., of this city. The latest feature of these new arcades seems to be outside decorations, on which large sums are expended, the white plastic formations being set off by artistic arrangement of electric lights. The effect at night is beautiful, and proves to be a great crowd drawer. It is rumored that the largest arcade in the world will shortly be opened on Park Row, near the City Hall, New York, by a well-known company. More people pass this spot in one day than any other in greater New York. No more need he said in recognition of the wise move on the part of this company. One of the largest parlors opened in the past year is that of Harry Davis at -'UT Fifth avenue. Pittsburg. Mr. Davis is well known in theatrical circles, being owner of three of the largest theatres in that city, among which is the Grand Opera House. The establishment is fitted up in lavish style, and occupies a floor space of 10,000 square feet. The talking machines were furnished by the Rosenfleld Mfg. Co., 150 in all. Fifty of these were of their new style illustrated song type. Mr. Davis is reported as doing an immense business. it-. ii; ^ An undertaking by no means small is that of collecting the pennies from 4,600 machines which comprise the outfit of one of our modern arcades. So thought Morris Kohn, the treasurer of the Automatic Vaudeville Co., of this city, and being of a mechanical turn of mind he forthwith set out to solve the difficulty. The invention consists of a series of tracks (boxed in) running beneath all machines, each instrument being connected by a steel pipe running from the slot into which the pennies are deposited to the roof of this boxed passage. The base of the pipe is closed with an arrangement of drop doors, which the car in passing beneath automatically opens, re-^ ceiving the coins, and in going on to the next closes. There are eight cars in all. Each is fastened to a motor carriage. The tracks are wired and charged by electric (city) current. After having gone the rounds the car goes down an incline to the office, where It passes over a catch which releases the bottom and allows the pennies to i)our down a chute into the safe. The same operation is then repeated. The benefit of this modern system is not only time saved, but there are numerous other advantages. For instance: having each machine numbered, you place a slug bearing the same corresponding figure in each in the morning. Send your car around: if it fails to collect, say No. 25. then you know without further investigation that the machine is out of gear. It eliminates any loss by dishonest employes, and makes impossible the clogging of the machine by too many pennies. . Talking machines recently played a prominent part in Buffalo, where Samuel L. Robertson in almost a single day cleared up ?5,000 at the expense of R. Wagner. Both men are Buffalonians. Wagner has charge of a brilliantly lighted establishment in Main street, where penny in the slot machines are featured. He succeeded Mark Bros.. ^vho made a fortune there. A few days a,go the lease of the store next door to Wa.gner's place ran out. and Robertson secured it for a long term at a .good price. Then he started to fit the place out with a line of talking machines and other devices that catch' pennies. He also started to promote a company. First thing he did was to hire an electrician to put in three times as many ,5ncandescent lights as Wagner's place boasts. When Robertson's talking machine emporium was about half finished Wagner wanted it. He dis liked opposition, and bought out Robertson. It is said Robertson realized $5,000 on the transaction. "Robertson made money on the deal," said Wagner to-day, "but I thought it a profitable venture to buy the place." sj: # * * The following taken from the current issue of Munsey's Magazine is an interesting contribution to this department: If chance ever finds you alone on Broadway — Within a few blocks of the Opera House, say — Defile, if you can, from the endle.ss parade And linger awhile in the Penny Arcade. Sulnirban and Urban, 'tis here that they meet — The lad from the country, the man from the street. The pretty young girl, the timid old maid. They hear the same airs in the Penny Arcade. In London aforetime a penny would bring A broadside of ballads, which you'd have to sing ; But here, drop your cent, and the song will be played. And sKng. in a way, in the Penny Arcade. Here's a gay tune or sad tune to answer your whim — A dance or a dirge, an old-fashioned hymn, .\n Irish ■Come-all-ye," a "coon" serenade. Ui a spellbinder's speech in the Penny Arcade. Let's see, here's a new song by Miss Edna May : And what's that — '.llm BIudso,".a poem by Hay'.' Yes, listen : 'Tis .strange, but your heart-strings are •frayed. And your eyelids grow moist in the I'ennyArcade. How the mass was intoned by the late Pope at Rome. How Jeff as young Hip went away from his home. When Teddy went West, how the cowboys hurrayed — You'll find them all here in the Penny Arcade. So. if chance ever finds you alone on Broadway. Just step in and hear what the records may say ; For life in epitome, sunshine and shade. You'll find it set forth in the Penny Arcade I RiiriKitT Cii.iiEHT Wki.sh, iu Munsey's Mn,a;azine. If praise from pleased customers can cause an increase of sales, then, judging from the many testimonials received at the offices of Roth & Engelhardt, the manufacturers of the Peerless and Harmonist players, they should be continually rushed with business, which, in fact, they are. One of the many in their possession concerns a Peerless that they sold through their New Orleans representatives, L. Grunewald Co., to the Nelson Bros.' Cafe, of the same city, in June, 1904. It reads as follows: Jan. 31, 1906. Messrs. L. Grunewald Co., Ltd.: Gentlemen: — We have one of your Peerleiss electric pianos in operation in our picture arcade and also in our saloon. The one in the arcade has been in operation for eight months. We kept 11 playing constantly from 8 a. m. to 10 p. m. every day during this period without once getting out of order, and we firmly believe that the Peerless piano has no equal. The one we have in our saloon is a moneygetter and a great drawing card for the bar. Very respectfully yours, (Signed) Jno. J. and Jas. B. Nelson. * * * * The Regina Music Box Co., of 11 East 22d street and Rahway, N. J., has found the coinoperated Reginaphone, described in The World a short time ago, to be a splendid seller, and at the present time they are not able to keep pace with the orders they are daily receiving. It has proved to be just the thing for all places -where a coin-operated phonograph is needed, and its advantage over the one in common use is that it plays six records, and will give a different selection for every coin dropped in. They say that dealers will find it one of the most profitable propositions that has been offered in that line. TRAVELING SHOWMAN HANDLING Twentieth Century Graphophone in His Business With Great Success. The introduction of the "Twentieth Century" graphophone has doubled the sale of cylinder records out on the Pacific Coast, says the Columbia Record. In the village of Cornelius, Oregon, recently a traveling showman reported that he was making $15 to $20 per day, and said his business was being very materially assisted by having a "Twentieth Century" graphophone as a part of his outfit. He has the machine at the end of his wagon, and whenever he plays it, a crowd quickly gathers. Sometimes he plays the graphophone in passing through small villages, and this is the signal for people to gather from far and near and follow behind the -wagon as if it were a real brass band that -was dispensing the music. The Rudolph Wurlitzer Co.. Cincinnati, O., are building up an immense trade in their extensive line of automatic musical instruments. Euerybq^ wsLiits them! SOFTERTONB Needles ^ SLitsLehmcnts |\ FOR VICTOR EXHIBITION AND CONCERT, COLUMBIA, AND ZONOPHONE SOUND BOXES SOFTERTOXE Needles reduce the volume and bring out every detail and shade of tone in the Record Pl!0r Sixr 'R&cords SOFTERTONE NEEDLES may be played on the same or different Records at least six times without injury to the Record — in fact, a Record will last three times as long when a Softertone Needle is used. IMPORTANT: When ordering mention Name and Style of your Sound Box The attachment for the Victor Exhibition Sound -Box also fits the Columbia and Zonophone Sound-Boxes. Price, Softertone Needles, in packages of 200, 25 cents. Price, Softertone Attachments, each 25 cents. Dealers' discount same as they are receiving on Victor machines. LYON A HEALY ch.cago FOR SALE BY