The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1906)

TiEIE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 23 PHILADELPHIA'S BUDQET OF NEWS. Trade Conditions Favorable — Fascination of t son's Enterprise — IVIagnetic Club's Experi graph in IVlelodrama — Metropolitan Amuse Detail — Strawbridge & Clothiers' Clever T (Special to the Talking Mactiine Woi-ld.) Philadelphia, March 12, 1906. Trade conditions are reported favorable by local dealers, there being no question that trade this spring is far better than a year ago; again there are more people in the business and more talking machines in use, thus stimulating the. demand for records and other accessories. Tiie Musical Echo Co., with well furnished parlors at 1339 Chestnut street, are carrying a full stock of Victor machines and records. Manager Bentley and his assistants are successfully reaching out for high grade business. "I think much of the success attending the talking machine business can be attributed to the fascination it exerts over almost everyone having to do with the business," said a Chestnut street jobbers, to The World's representative. "Music we know is pleasing to all and downright fascinating to many: and, outside of its musical feature the talking machine is interesting and instructive as well as useful and valuable, because of the many uses to which it can be put. As an invention it seems to me that it is entirely in its infancy, wonderful as it is how far it has already advanced as a scientific, commercial and mere toy instrument, and what the future of it will be time alone can tell. As a jobber I have the greatest faith in the machine as a commercial commodity. Ihe business of selling them is a clean, pleasant one — quite in a class by itself so far as respectability and agreeableness is concerned and it does not surprise me to see so many going into it and meeting with excellent success." Leon T. Carpenter, R. B. M. Mclntyre and Geo. W. Booth, Philadelphians, together with Wm. L. Casselman, Jr., of Camden, N. J.,have organized the Metropolitan Amusement Co., and secured incorporation papers ths past month. The main object of the company is to open amuse he "Talker" — Additions to Victor Plant — Johnment — Lewis Talking Machine Co. — The Phonoment Co. Organized — The News of the Month in alking Point — It Sells Machines. ment parlors, where phonograph, moving picture, etc., machines will be the attraction. It is said the company wiil ultimately invest $20,000 in the business. Its office is at 111 Market street, Camden. John A. Smith, one of Camden, N. J.'s, leading phonograph and musical instrument dealers, journeyed to Albany the past month, where, as a Hearst lieutenant he looked after several political matters. Incidentally he looked over the talking machine field in New York and laid in a number of up-to-date purchases. Mr. Smith is enjoying a very good run of trade, and reports large Victor sales. The "always busy factory" would be a descriptive "title for the large plant of the Victor Talking Machine Co., of Camden, N. J. In all departments work is being vigorously pushed and efforts to "catch up" with orders are being made. Construction work on the large new addition to the Victor plant is being prosecuted. The addition to be erected will form a portion of a future six-story building extending eastward on Cooper street — and will harmonize with the present handsome main structure. The addition will be 40 by 89 feet, one story in height and absolutely fireproof. As soon as completed there will be installed in the new addition a 300 h. p. Corliss engine, of most approved type; one 1-50 and one 100 k. w. generator, directly connected to engine; a large air compressor, pump and minor equipment — all oi which machinery has been ordered. It is stated that when completed this power plant will be one of the most efficient of its kind in the State. Eldridge R. Johnson, of the Victor Co., is among the organizers of the new West Jersey Trust Co., of Camden, which will have a capital stock of $100,000 and do a general trust and banking business — probably at Third and Market streets. Under General Manager L. F. Geis THE WHITE BLACKMAN WILL GIVE YOU THE GOODS AN Edison Jobber Give me a ctance to show you the prompt and careful attention I give Edison and Victoe orders. You lose the PROFIT and perhaps the customee if you can't get goods quickly. I keep getting new customers and hold the old cusTOMEES. l"ou will know the reason if you send a few trial orders. Victor Distributor ' IF BLACKMAN GETS THE ORDER. YOU GET THE GOODS.' Write for prices on the Improved BLACKMAN FLOWER HORNS and note the Points of Strength. We can now deliver the New Style Place Automatic Record Brushes for New Style Edison Machines. Made in Six Styles. Our new Pointed Bell Flower Horns combine Beauty and Strength and our Prices are Low. Send for Circular and Dealers' Prices. No. 10 Black and Gold stripe. No. 20 Maroon and Gold stripe. No. 30 Blue and Gold stripe. No. 40 Black Morning Glory. No. 50 Maroon Morning Glory. No. 60 Blue Morning Glory. New Style Place Record Brushes. NOW READY. PATENT ALLOWED. No. 2 fits Standard or Home. No. 3 fits Gem or Triumpli. on Old or New Style Models. List Peice^ .Ioc. each. We give DEALERS ana JOBBERS a good profit. Write for Discounts and Samples. The Place Brush clamps ucder the speaker arm and automatically removes all dirt or dust from the Record, so the sapphire runs in a CLEAN TRACK and insures a GOOD REPRODTJCTION. WB OWN THIS INVENTION and WILL PROSECUTE INFRINGERS. Get One of Our New Dealers* Price Lists. VVe are quoting very iow prices and every dealer in the U. S can save money on Supplies by buying from our Price List. Retail. Wholesale and Special Quantity Prices are quoted. Write now. Blackmail Talking Machine Co., ^ ''^ The'^Zue b™^^^^^^ 97 Chambers St., New York GET THE BLACKMAN HABIT AND YOU WILL KEEP IT sler's care business at the Victor works is running smoothly and well, while George Ornstein, manager of the salesmen's department, has the happy faculty of inducing tue "travelers" to send in large orders right a.ong. The Magnetic Club, of Philadelphia, a semisocial scientific organization, at its recent banquet, placed an instrument cailed a telegraphoiie in operation between the banquet room and another part of the hotel. The instrument, with megaphone attachment, transm.tted speeches made to the distant part of the hotel and did a number of interesting things. A talking machine dealer here said of the telegraphone: "It is an instrument which phonograph dealers could handle to advantage, it seems to me. For instance, a No. 1 phonograph when playing could, via the new instrument, send its sound waves all over a house, or, say in the country, to many farmhouses when not a few but really hundreds of people could enjoy the latest songs, music, speeches, etc." C. J. Heppe & Son, who operate three large music, etc., stores in advantageous sections of the city, have for some time been selling talking machines on the weekly instalment plan and find that it is highly successful. The Lewis Talking Machine Co., whose headquarters are at 15 South Ninth street, this city, may be counted among the progressive concerns in the talking machine business. Mr. Lewis is an enthusiastic worker and nas built up a fine jobbing trade. He carries at all times a large stock of the Columbia disc and cylinder graphophones, which are growing in popularity in this section. The 20th Century is certainly a wonder. "Our machines are adjusted by experts" is a telling point Strawbridge & Clothier make in asking buyers to look into the merits of Edison and Victor talking machines. Notwithstanding the fact that talking machines have been on the market a comparatively long time, there are many, many people, especially those from small towns and villages, who know absolutely nothing of the mechanism, etc., of talking machines, and Strawbridge & Clothier's policy of "educating" them is a wise one as increased sales prove. The firm's talking machine department on the third floor is in charge of expert managers, and a stock of everything " 'phony" is carried. "The phonograph will yet play a most important part in a melodrama," commented a South Eighth street dealer. "You remember in the play of 'The Octoroon' that just as the heavy villian, Simon Scudder, gives sweet little Paul his death blow with the Indian's club, a camera snapshots the villian s act and finally the Indian, from the photo tracks down and makes mince meat of the villain. Note the connection between camera and phonograph. In the coming phonograph-drama an instrument, set for recording, overhears two villains plotting the death of Reginald Goodheart. affianced husband of beautiful heroine. Ere the weighty scoundrels can accomplish their wicked design records are put on another machine — owned by the heroine, of course — and burr — buzz — great heavens! she hears the machine tell of the plot between the villains to kill Reginald. She flies to him! Warns him! The villains skedaddle and all ends happily. Innocent phonograph is put in glass case and is chief ornament of happy married couple's home. Oh! I tell you, the phonograph has hardly been heard from." The Santa Fe Watch Co., Topeka. Kan., are building up quite a business in talking machines in their territory. An attractive feature of their publicity was the public concerts which they have been giving, in which the Twentieth Century graphophone has proven a great feature of attraction. The Columbia Phonograph Co.'s new store at 636 Penn avenue. Pittsburg, Pa., was formally opened to the public on Feb. 24. In this connection some very excellent advertisements were carried in the local papers in which a number of attractive efforts were made that mtist have interested the thousands of visitors.