The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1906)

6 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. HOW THE TRADE IN CLEVELAND IS MOVING. Optimistic Feeling Prevails Over Trade Conditions — Notable Columbia Sales — Attractive Window Display — Smith & Nixon Add Talking Maciiines — W. J. Roberts Admires the VictorVictrola — Arcades Are Doing Well — Looking for Novelties — Traveler Neff's Good Report — Dockstader and the Columbia — Odd Experiences Over Needles — Talkers May Kill Trust. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Cleveland, O., September 9, 1906. The optimistic feeling generally indicates a good, healthy condition in the talking machine trade in Cleveland. With the cooler weather the volume of business is increasing to an extent that shows the interest taken by the mass of people in talking machines is growing. The demand for the best also indicates they are educating themselves to a higher appreciation of the better record productions, and sales of these are increasing. Cleo. S. Bourgeois, assistant manager of the Columbia Co., reports that business has greatly increased over the month of July, and is improving daily. He said there had been a big demand for the new Twentieth Century half-foot dance music records, and also for twelve-inch. "Within the last week," said Mr. Bourgeois, "we closed the sale of a four-machine commercial outfit to the Lawrence Publishing Co., publishers of the Ohio Farmer, and one to the WardStilson Co., of New London. In addition to sales mentioned we now have active trials in the Chamber of Commerce, Cleveland Worsted Mills Co.. Cleveland Grain Co., National Electric Lamp Co., Upson Nut Co., and n^iany promising prospects in sight." Mr. Bourgeois, who, by the way, is the originator and designer of the many attractive show window displays which the Columbia Co. have had recently, made up a very neat window card, advertising the half-foot cylinder records. It consists of a long, narrow card, attached to which 'is an ordinary yardstick. Just below the yardstick are fastened six half-foot cylinder records, and beneath them the legend: "Columbia Cylinder Records, $3 per yard, 2 yards for ?5." The Smith & Nixon Piano Co., in connection with their piano business, have installed a full line of Victor and Edison talking machines and records, and the patronage from the start has been very encouraging. They have fitted up an elegant display and salesroom, with all the modern furniture and fixtures pertaining to the trade. H. T. Rayner is manager of the company and personally supervises the business. Several calls at the store of W. J. Roberts, Jr.. found him and his clerks so busy with customers coming and going that it was impossible to secure an interview. Mr. Roberts is a young, flnelooking fellow, and judging from the number of sweet-looking ladies constantly calling at his store he is unusually popular with the gentle sex. Any way, he has so engaging a way that it is rarely a lady departs without having made a purchase. He, however, is so in love with his machines and records that he does not ascribe the numerous sales to other than their merits, but there's a good deal in a good-looking salesman. Mr. Roberts has got in a Victor Victrola, which he asserts is a "big thing," pleasing everybody who hears it, and which will attract the better class of trade. Collister & Sayle report business opening up in fine shape as the vacation season is closing. They are having a steady call for machines and selling a good many September records. Prom present indications they anticipate a lively fall trade. Arthur Caille, of the Caille Bros. Co., Detroit, Mich., was in the city this week calling on his old customers and numerous friends. He placed quite a few orders for his company. The Caille Bros. Co. are the largest slot machine manufacturers in the world and do a very extensive business. Mr. Gulley, manager of The Victor, No. 254 Prospect street, stated that business was fairly good during August, and since the 1st had perceptibly been improving. The Baily Co.'s department of the Columbia Phonograph Co. had an excellent trade during August, and the lady manager said business was considerably improved since the 1st. She stated the September lists of records were exceptionally fine and selling rapidly. The various arcades, and slot machine amusement places are all well patronized. H. S. Lavine, president of the Columbia Amusement Co., said: "Business In general has been rather quiet in the recent extremely hot weather, but has noticeably improved in the last week. This has been the case with the penny arcades and moving picture shows. The outlook for a busy fall is good, as all the shops are working to their capacity. Our company are about to open a new place on Superior street, near the Square, and will present a lot of new automatic features." Several new parlors are opening in the city. One on Ontario and one on Pearl street, near Clark avenue. The parks are doing unusually good business this season, and expect to keep open later than usual this fall. The slot machine parlors are anxiously waiting for the new fall novelties to appear. The managers say there are not sufficient new ones produced at present to supply the demand. E. A. Neif, traveling representative of the BallFintze Co., of Newark, O., was in the city a few days last week. He was just in from a trip through Pennsylvania and is now extending it through Ohio. Of trade conditions he said: "All the dealers with whom I came in contact anticipate a big business. I had an exceptionally nice business in my trip through Pennsylvania. Dealers are all stocking up heavily for the fall trade. The Ball-Fintze Co. are the largest jobbers of Victor and Edison goods in the Central States. We have sold a number of the new Victor Victrolas at $200 each." The Ward-Stilson Co.. of New London, O., have added another graphophone to their commercial equipment, which now numbers nine machines, all purchased from the Columbia Co., of this city. The Columbia Phonograph Co., taking advantage of Lew Dockstader's minstrel show at the Opera House this week, have decorated their windows with large Dockstader posters and cards inviting everybody to come into the store and hear Lew Dockstader sing "Everybody Works But Father" and "Uncle's Quit Work, Too." It is a well-known fact that the sale of records in the talking machine business is greatly influenced by the theaters, and the Columbia folks are certainly alive to the situation. A rural gentleman walked into a talking machine store recently and said he wanted some "graphophone tacks." A lady called at the store of the Columbia Co. a few days ago and asked for some needles. In reply to the quei-y she said she would take a ten-cent package. The next day she returned with the package, saying there were "no holes in them," and she couldn't use them. She wanted sewing machine needles. As there was no explanation the saleslady supposed, of course, she wanted machine needles. The purchaser simply got into the wrong store. Pew of the old-time organ-grinders are seen about the thickly populated sections of the city nowadays. The spirit of the trust has not only impregnated the big enterprises, but has spread to channels of enterprise so small, or seemingly so, that the hand-organ with its frisky monkey, has fallen under its gigantic shadow. The aged cripple or decrepit old foreigner who stands by the curb and sleepily grinds out what were originally intended to be bewitching waltzes or martial airs, is being driven to the wall by a combination of "barrel organ" promoters. The mon key and the harsh grating notes of the old organ-grinder lend amusement to the unattuned ears of children, but woefully rack the nerve of elders. Now, wherever he goes he is most certain to be followed by the big organ, oftentimes pulled by a horse. And its great swell of somewhat better music and its mandolin attachment, so metallically jarring to the sensitive ear, are sure to win more pennies from the children than the old machine can ever again hope to get. Of the scores of big organs tolerated by suffering elders for the sake of the children, all are under the control of two or three men. What few remaining small organs there are in the city are usually trailed about by the big machines. The trust follows them relentlessly. When the little piping box has finished its repertory of halting, jerky, squeaks and discordant rasping it Is soon followed by a broadside of "Waiting at the Church," "Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie," "It's a Grand Old Rag," etc. And the poor old organ-grinder, with his antique, crumbling machine — how can he compete? Even the children recognize the old fellow as quite passe. It is possible the talking machine may reach out after this barrel organ trust in time and drive it from the field, and there is the possibility of our preaching our own funeral sermon, an example of which is afforded by an old preacher who has requested that the concluding ceremony of his funeral shall be the rendering on a talking machine of a benediction composed by himself. WILL STIMULATE TRADE. Cater to Your Independent Customers by Allowing Them to Hear Your Latest List of Records in Their Own Homes. A retail dealer always has a certain number of independent customers. By independent I mean the people who do not care to come to a dealer's store and wait their turn in a crowded hearing room to have records played for them. As these are generally the class of customers who are of the most value to a dealer, because of their ability to purchase anything they like regardless of price, it will pay him to look after their interests. Why not send a boy with a record case filled with your latest stock around to such a customer's house on a rainy evening, when all thoughts of park or lawn have been dissipated by the weather? You will find that he will welcome the opportunity of partaking of a concert with delight, and it will be all the more enjoyable to him because unexpected. The boy will return to you with a very materially lightened burden, and a countenance aglow with satisfaction, for he will "get his," you know. You can always trust Young America for that. Aside from the additional profit accruing from this branch of your business, and the instinct for money making instilled into the heart of the small boy, it will pay you by bringing to your door the good will of the moneyed class — a fine thing to have in the talking machine business. Howard Taylor Middleton. NEWARK AS^ CENTER. The Location of Many Eminent Concerns. It is very likely that if a center of the talking machine industry were to be located it would be found to be in Newark, N. J., and vicinity for the factories making both machines and sundries in that section are almost innumerable. Besides the enormous plant of the National Phonograph Co. at Orange, there is the Universal Talking Machine Co. in Newark proper, as well as the Tea Tray Co. and New Jersey Sheet Metal Co., makers of horns and other manufacturers too numerous to mention, all devoted to making some part of the talking machine's equipment. The Valiquet Novelty Co., who make a number of coin-operated machines for arcades, including the picture-phone, are also located in Newark, and more are coming.