The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1906)

70 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. HERE AND THERE IN THE TRADE. Some of the Latest Novelties and Improvements Which Are Destined to Win More Than Ordinary Notice This Fall. The counting of coin by hand is one of the most brain-racliing, annoying and expensive items of the entire financial system. Men for ages who have been in the habit of handling large amounts, such as bankers, merchants, etc., have had this worry them every day of their life. The arcade man has now placed himself in their ranks, and is up against a stiff proposition when he comes to count his day"s receipts. The habit in vogue has generally been that of weighing the coin in bulk. But this, even with the most accurate scales, has proved far from satisfactory. It remained for a man by the name of Johnson to perfect a coin counter whose accurate results have made him famous. The Johnson coin counter counts automatically any denomination of coins, or counts and wraps as rapidly as five experts could do by hand; mistakes are impossible. There is a separate head or counter for each denomination of coin, and the change from one size to another can be made instantly. Arcade men will find it a great help to them in their business. The "multiphone" is one of the musical marvels of the age. In construction it is remarkably simple. A large magazine wheel carries twenty-four cylinder records, any one of which may be reproduced at the will of the operator. A nickel starts it. It has an accurate register for recording the number of nickels taken. The power is from a spring motor. One winding is sufHcient to reproduce eighteen records. The public does the winding, so there is no expense for power. In appearance the "multiphone" is striking and unique. It is a massive cabinet, standing six feet high and three feet wide, and in general design is like an old-fashioned harpsichord, finished in antique bronze or built of San Domingo mahogany. The front and sides are French beveled plate glass, exposing the mechanism to full view. Wherever people gather or pass in numbers is the natural location for the "multiphone." In railroad stations, in ferry houses, in hotels or restaurants, in theatre lobbies, it serves the double purpose of pleasing the eye and delighting the ear. Is it therefore any wonder that the call for these instruments, whose average yearly intake passes the $500 mark, promises to make a new record in the business world? The machine is controlled by the Multiphone Operating Co., a New York corporation having a capital stock of $100,000. Another new machine which has made a remarkable record for itself since its appearance a short while ago is an automatic penny or nickel drink machine. One of its beauties is that any drink can be sold. The large five-gallon bottles which hold the liquid can be easily changed and refilled. During the summer months cider has proved the most popular beverage. This can be bought wholesale at 35 cents or less for five gallons. There are 112 glasses to that amount. One of these machines, which was placed in an arcade in Syracuse, averaged a sale of thirty gallons a day during the hot weather. This was sold at one cent a glass, so that the big profit made is apparent. The company manufacturing these machines are not selling them, but are placing them in various locations on a percentage basis. They can be used anywhere — in arcades, cafes, talking machine stores, etc. A new and very interesting invention has just been perfected by Chas. H. Kayser, of West Orange, N. J. It consists of a motion picture machine outfit for home entertainment. The machine is very small, about the size of a cigar box, and so simple in construction that a child can operate it and show as perfect moving pictures as are shown with the' regular machines used in theatres; of course, on a smaller scale, about five feet square, large enough for the home. The inventor claims he can by his system sell pictures for about three cents per foot, and in this way bring moving pictures within the reach of anybody with moderate means. The pictures are made on a fireproof paper, instead of the inflammable celluloid, now the only available material for moving pictures. Mr. Kayser has constructed another machine on the coin-in-slot principle, enabling from one to five persons at the same time to view the moving pictures, provided a coin is deposited. This machine works automatically and will be a mint for dealers. can possibly do to fill the orders that have piled in on them from their advertising campaign carried on in this paper, and if their advertisement does not appear in this issue it is not because they are not satsfied, but because they are behind in filling orders. There has been a general call for this company to turn out a higher class machine to retail at between $25 and $35, and from what we hear this company are bending their energies to fill this demand. Watch for something interesting to appear in their December announcement. A NEW ELEMENT REVEALED. The Combination of the Talking Machine and Vitascope Is Destined to Become a Force in Political Campaigning. The New York Vitak Co. are having all they In the fact that the manager of a London music hall is planning to amuse his patrons by letting them hear and see Mr. Hearst in the very act of delivering one of his speeches, that aspiring statesman's political servitors will probably find conclusive proof of their own wisdom in making this marvel possible by calling the talking machine and the vitascope into play as campaign auxiliaries. The idea was, indeed, an ingenious one, though so simple, now it has been done, the wonder is that it hasn't been done before, but there ought to be a warning in its ready acceptance as a means of filling out the programme of an evening's entertainment in a place so far away from the scene of battle. If London takes interest in a speech so scientifically preserved and illustrated, the chances are that those whom it interests here will also have more attention for the method of presentation than for the matter presented, says the New York Times. Such a "number" would be watched attentively by anybody while it remained a novelty, but it is hardly possible that it would inspire thought on any political question, and not even imaginable that it would change a vote or strengthen a determination. The old confidence in oratory as the best way to "reach the public" is waning fast. It would not yet be safe to abandon the plan, but the real work of every campaign is probably done now through the newspapers, which have voices that carry vastly further than those of any candidate or waged spellbinder. Some Progressive Mstkers of A\itom8Ltic SpecidLlties Do you want more Profit? Get THE NICKLIN Coin OperoLted Pia-rvo irv the World This is a First-class Upright Piano— Can also be played by hand in the usual way Manufactured by The best NeolaL PiaLi\o ®. PlsLyer Company Genera^l Offices. 201-203 Etist 49th Street. New York THE PIANOVA C01VIF»AI\JY, Manulacturers ot 44 AND 65 NOTE ELECTRIC PLAYERS with or without nickel In the slot attachment SECURE THE AGENCY NOW. Coin Operated Talking Machines Coin Operated Illustrated Song Macliines Coin Operated Machines of all other types THE ROSENFIELD MFG. CO. 591 HUDSON STREET, N. Y. CITY American Mutoscope & Biograph Co. 11 E. FOURTEENTH ST., NEW YORK The Mutoscope SKa^f' """"" " The Backbone ol the Automatic Parlor Busmess" Showing Moving Pictures in their Most Attractive Form Every Manufacturer In Ibis country should be represented in tbls department. Tbe cost is sllgbt and tbe advantage is great. Be sure and bave your firm In the December list. 117-125 Cypress Avenue, New York.