The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1906)

G2 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. long-distance experiments. But I think I can assure you that if I telegrapli from London a portrait for Tlie World your men in New Yorlc could use it as an illustration within thirty minutes after it had left my hands. "But the chief matter I had in view was the use to which my invention could be put in police and criminal affairs. A writ and a photograph could be telegraphed in a few minutes to all parts of the world. "I am in communication wiih a company to exploit the invention, but whether it will come to anything I don't know yet. The company must establish international stations for tele-photography. The tariffs must be regulated by the different states. In addition the cable companies would make arrangements with the. press, I suppose. I am quite sure that something of the kind will be arranged in the immediate future. It is <! necessity of our modern life." SOME ARCADE POINTERS. Side Lines Largely Ignored That Would Prove Money Makers and Trade Getters. Like everything else the arcade business has grown until the modern emporium bears but little semblance to the early ventures outside the mere name. This growth has been manifest not only in the number of machines utilized, hut in a broadening out of the arcade, and then by the addition of a large number of side issues, that have increased the intake enormously. Therefore a few suggestions along these lines will be timely, especially to the uninitiated. ATJTOISIATIC PHOTOGRAPHY. Wherever a crowd gathers at a park or pavilion the "tintype" man has always been known to gather in the coin, and yet comparatively few even among the largest arcades have taken this into consideration and devoted the small amount of space necessary for such an equipment. It is something worth looking into. It is not necessary to have an expert photographer. Twentieth century progress has done away with all this. All the visitor has to do is to give the man in charge a nickel or a dime. He tells him to watch the birdie — drops the coin in a slot — • the machine does the rest. It takes the picture, develops and frames it. Simple — yes; hut a big winner. THE CIGAK SALESMAN AND CANDY. Another machine on the market which is never seen in an arcade, though they appear in a few ferry and railroad stations, is what might be called the cigar salesman. This device is in the form of a cabient standing about S^i feet high, and in appearance very similar to a regular cigar show case. Looking down through the plate glass top you can see a dozen or so boxes of well-known brands, the cigars ranging from five cents each to, say. a quarter. You take your pick, set the indicator, insert your coin and receive your purchase. Candy has been found to be a good jiaying side line. Why, therefore, wouldn't such a machine be a valuable addition? By placing it near the front, with an attractive sign, it would be sure to attract the lovers of sweets. SHEET MUSIC AS A SH)E LINE. The sale of sheet music has now grown to be one of the biggest side ventures connected with the arcade business. A number of ways for booming it have been adopted which deserve mention. Of course in the larger places a piano player is hired, also one or two singers, which generally attract a big crowd and make things cheery throughout the place. Watching the programmes of shows playing in the town and featuring the popular songs on the talking machine, with a sign, "Hear this song at the music counter," placed on each, has proven a great trade inducer. Those arcades having a Nickleodian adjoining where illustrated songs are sung between the moving pictures, will find the same announcement works well. RECORDS THAT WOLLD SELL. Since the talking machine has leaped into universal popularity it seems strange that no arcade manager has thought of laying in a stock of the records being played on the slot phonographs. There is good profit to be derived from their sale, and if handled rightly should make a first-class investment. THE REAL FORTl'NE TELLER PATS. Fortune-telling machines have always proved great money makers, but after all they are but a poor imitation of the real article, especially if a pretty woman plays the part of Madame Mysterious. There is a lot of magnetic force in one of those cosy corner affairs, draped up in Egyptian fashion, and arcades that have tried it have found it a gold mine. TO HELP THE BLIND. John T. Timmons Is Working on a Device Which Will be an Effective Aid to the Blind. John T. Timmons, who has always new ideas on tap, said recently: "I am now working on a device which, if I am successful in perfecting, will be a great blessing to the thousands of unfortunate blind persons in the world. I have no hopes' of being able to bring back the lost eyesight to most of them, but I have hopes along that line for a few. There is a great variety of kinds of blindness and I firmly believe many of the cases could be permanently benefited that are now looked upon as hopeless. "The device I am experimenting with and wish others would join me in developing is an electric and magnetic device, which I expect to temporarily give them sight. The apparatus is too large to cari-y about, and will have to be permanent, and the blind person who is benefited will have to go to the machine and there, after properly connected, I expect to transmit to their brains certain scenes, such as are shown to those with perfect vision now by means of the moving picture machine This would be a useful contrivance in schools where the unfortunate blind pupils are educated, and it would also afford them much amusement. It would give them a glimpse of the world, and the gloom in which they must live on this earth would be removed to a certain extent." WIEELESS TELEPHONY AGAIN. It is reported from Paris that M. Maiche, the well-known electrician, has removed many, if not all, the obstacles in the path of practical wireless telephony — hitherto a laboratory' pastime. According to M. Maiche's own account, published in Le Journal, five years ago he was able to telephone two miles wit'nout the aid of wires, using the earth as a conductor. A year later, he says, he communicated with Ajaccio, across the water from Toulon. Recently he spoke with a person standing thirty-five yards away, separated from him by four or five walls and many shrubs and trees. It is still doubted by M. Maiche's colleagues, however, whether wireless telephony will soon be placed on the same footing as wireless teleg Do yoM want more Profit? Get THE NICKLIN Coirv Opera-ted Pia.no in the World This is a First-class Upright Piano— Can also be played by hand in the usual way Manufactured by The best Neola. PiaLi\o ^ Player Company Genera^l Offices. 201-203 Ea.st 49th Street. New York Coin Operated Talking Machines Coin Operated Illustrated Song Machines Coin Operated Machines of all other types THE ROSENFIELD MFG. CO. 591 HUDSON STREET, N. Y. CITY American Mutoscopc & Biograph Co. 11 E. FOURTEENTH ST., NEW YORK The Mutoscopc sttllac^tae"''* "^""^ " The Backbone ol the Automatic Parlor Business" Showing Moving Pictures in their Most Attractive Form THE F»IAI\JOVA CO]VIF»AI\IY, Manufacturers ol 44 AND 65 NOTE ELECTRIC PLAYERS with or without nickel in the slot attachment SECURE THE AGENCY NOW. Every Manufacturer in this country should be represented in this department. The cost is slight and the advantage is great. Be sure and have your firm in the November list. 117-125 Cypress Avenue, New York.