The talking machine world (July-Dec 1922)

142c/ THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD August 15, 1922 AKRON, 0. Battle of Rail Workers Affects Trade — Plan Industrial Exhibition— Starr Store Changes Hands EXPLOITING THE TALKING MACHINE IN COMMUNITY WORK Clever Stunt Staged by the Community Service of Texarkana Brings the Talking Machine to the Fore — Local Artists Appear on Same Program With Artists on Records Akron, O., August 8. — The rail and coal strikes the past two weeks are being reflected in retail business locally and several dealers interviewed declared that people are showing a tendency to hold off buying because of the future uncertainty of employment and conditions generally over the country. Plans are being made by the exposition committee of the South Akron Board of Trade for a South Akron Industrial Exposition. Piano and. talking machine houses in the South Akron district will be represented at the exhibition. M. M. Mell, president of the M. M. Mell Co., is the new president of the East Akron Board of Trade, and practically all retail music stores in this section of the city are affiliated. The Superior Music Parlors has acquired the Starr Piano Co.'s store at 87 South Howard street. It will be operated under the same firm name, continuing to feature the Starr phonograph and the Starr piano lines as heretofore. "Since moving our record section from the second floor to the main street level, record sales have been doubled," said George S. Dales, head of the well-known music house of this name. Talking machine sales in the music section of the M. O. Neil Co. department store were better last month than during July of a year ago. The Victor and Cheney machines both moved well during the month. The Windsor Poling Co. kept after records last month and succeeded in closing one of the biggest volumes of trade in a long time. Mr. Poling is now busy arranging details for the opening of the music season when the company will promote the local appearances of a number of noted artists. Local artists in Texarkana were given the unique opportunity of appearing on the same program as the world-renowned musicians when Community Service arranged a concert there recently. And not only did they appear on the same program, but they rendered the same selections as did such luminaries of the opera and concert stage as Galli-Curci, Rachmaninoff, Heifetz and others. The Texarkanans had the best of it,' however, being there in person to receive the applause of an enthusiastic audience, while the others were represented by talking machine records. The affair was managed in this way: First, a record was run on the phonograph, and then a local singer, violinist or pianist gave the same composition. Those who attended found it interesting to note the similarities and differences between the resident talent and the more famous singers and instrumentalists. Through a bulletin which national headquarters of Community Service has issued telling of the concert, other communities have become interested and are planning similar affairs. This same bulletin contains another suggestion tor a new music feature which has appealed particularly to music clubs and teachers. It tells in detail how the work of local musicians, vocal or instrumental, may be reproduced with a recording machine. For instance, the directions call for the use of a dictating machine, a blank record and an improvised horn. Two artists may sing the same song, one after the other, on one record, so that comparisons of tone, technique and expression may be made, or the experiment may show the progress of one person from week to week or from month to month. Music teachers find this method of recording improvement very satisfactory. Miss Marie Daschbach, of Teachers' College, Columbia University, New York, keeps track of the development of her pupils in this way. The talking machine section of the A. B. Smith Piano Co. will be remodeled and placed in readiness for a big Fall business, according to an announcement this week by A. B. Smith, Jr., manager of the local store. More sales space will be available and the store in general will be redecorated and renovated. Miss Elsie Baer, manager of the talking machine section of the M. O. Neil Co., is spending a several weeks' vacation in Michigan and nearby States. ANENT LOWER EXPRESS RATES Interstate Commerce Commission Expected to Let Matters Rest Pend ng Settlement of Strikes Washington, D. C, August 9. — It is not likely that the Interstate Commerce Commission will make an extended investigation into express rates until the coal and railroad strikes are settled. Some days ago the investigation was about to be undertaken at the request of numerous shippers in various industries who had pointed out to the Commission that while freight rates were reduced 10 per cent last month express charges were still as high as they had been at any time during and after the war. It was intended to make a very full investigation of the matter similar to the investigation of freight rates made last Winter. The rates for coal and the wages which must be paid the railroad men now on strike will have considerable to do with the question of the rates at which the railroads will be able to handle freight in the future, and the Interstate Commerce Commission is desirous of awaiting a settlement of those questions before taking up the question of express rates. Greatest Talking Machine Value in the World! 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