The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1908)

26 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. TRADE NEWS FROM BOSTON. Improvement Over Previous Month — More Floor Space for Columbia Co. — Manager Chamberlain on Vacation — Royer & O'Neil Change Victor Territory — Victor Victrola for Boston Theatre — Boston Cycle Co.'s Good Report— Indestructible Records in Demand. ( Special to The Talking Machine World.) Boston, Mass., August 10, 1908. Fiercely hot weather, thunder storms and crushed pocketbooks have left their impression on the talking machine trade of this city for the past two weeks, but not to such an eflect that anybody is discouraged. The month of July, in most stores, was better than June, and the last two weeks of August are expected to do much to make good the record of the month, despite the temporary dulness being experienced just now. The changes made on the street floor at the Columbia Phonograph Co. have resulted in an increase of business. It gives more floor space to customers, and enables them to get back further from the noise of the street. Manager Oscar Junge is optimistic and has injected a great deal of his enthusiasm iuto his sales force. Mr. Junge entertained General Manager George W. Lyle, of the Columbia Co., recently. In the Columbia's windows this week was a very attractive series of signal flags, which, to the initiated, read, "Come In." There was also a miniature ^railroad crossing-post, with the words "Stop, look, listen" on it. This attracted much attention, especially from the many Knights of Pythias who have been holding their national encampment here. Quite a number of the Kjiights of Pythias are members of the talking machine trade, and they inspected the various stores here. Wholesale Manager A. W. Chamberlain, of the Eastern Talking Machine Co., goes to New Hampshire on Aug. 15 for a vacation. Business here on the Edison goods, is reported as holding up well, especially on the medium-priced instruments. Among the visitors here this week was Mr. Nadeau, of Somersworth. N. H., and M. A. Carpell, of the Herzog Art Furniture Co., Saginaw, Mich. Herbert L. Royer, formerly manager of the Osgood Co.'s talking machine department here, has exchanged territories with D. J. O'Neill, for the Victor Co. Mr. Royer has been covering the territory through Pennsylvania, while Mr. O'Neill was here in New England. As Mr. O'Neill lives in Pennsylvania, and Mr. Royer lives here, the change gives them an opportunity to sleep at home occasionally and get acquainted with their families. Manager Sylvester, at the Osgood Co., had a very flue window display of Victor records and machines this week, and his department is showing a good profit to the house. Manager Henry Winkelman, of the Oliver Ditson Co.'s talking machine department, has returned from his vacation at Webster, Mass. The Ditson Co. have done some unusually good advertising of the Victor machines recently, taking advantage of the grand opera deluge that has come to Boston. In the lobby of the Boston Theater this summer a Victor Victrola is being used, and it attracts a lot of attention, drawing people into the lobby and getting them interested in the vaudeville attractions inside. Wholesale business with the Boston Cycle & Sundry Co. for July shows a big improvement over June, and so far this month is up to the same period last year. Manager Andrews says that the demand for medium-priced goods holds stronger than he has seen it hold for some time. At the Pike Talking Machine Co. quite a business has been worked up in Indestructible records. Mr. Pike is one of the most extensive advertisers in the local trade, and he says that he finds it pays. THE TALKER IN BASEBALL How the Slagtown Beauts Almost Lost the Game Through the Work of Several Well Placed Machines With Prepared Records. "Never let the unexpected catch you with your hands down," said the veteran manager to a cluster of select proselytes. "In baseball the weather is never so fair to preclude the possibility of being hit by a streak of lightning. "Long ago I forgot how to feel surprised, but I'll confers that last summer I had a speaking part in a baseball comedy that almost had my curiosity climbing out of the tank. The team I was bossing, the Slagtown Beauts, had held a job near the roof end of the league through a rough season, but as we neared the get through date the finishing niches of all the teams were practically settled and affairs had quieted somewhat. "The heavy strain was over, and when I led my Beauts into a fray with the Milktown Pansies I rather expected the game would be disfigured with characteristics of the listless life. But I always take off my hat to the percentage column, and I gave the Beauts a strong urge. "No developments worth writing about oc Get Ready for Tall Now is the time to get your business house in order so that you can be in shape to take care of the early Fall trade. We can help you in many ways. Our business is so systematized that we can have orders filled and on their way to destination shortly after they are received. Promptness has been one of the corner-stones upon which this business has been built. We manufacture and job exclusively, do no retailing, therefore when you deal with us, you get the advantage of our many years' experience in catering to the needs and requirements of the retail dealers. We have a number of specialties which we control and everything in the talking machine line, whether machines or accessories, we can supply you with in the shortest possible time. THe Boston Cycle and Sundry (6. 48 Hanover Street A Boston, Mass. curred until the third inning. Our side was handling the wand and our first man hit a terrific ground ball to third base. The official at the almost home corner let the pellet plunk his shins, and when he hurled it over to first it was some yards behind the runner. But I had a neurotic spasm when the batter turned the wrong way and meandered off toward the stands. " 'I never accused you of thinking with more than one cylinder,' I yelled to hinr, 'but Goldstein's West End Sluggers know when they're safe.' " 'The umpire called me out!'" he said. " 'You're a liar,' yelled the decision merchant. "For the next few moments I was doing heroic work as a peace promoter, but I got things cooled down. "Our next man went to first on four balls, and I switched on the signal to steal second. He ran down on high speed and finished with a slide that looked as if he had rollers fastened on his front. It was a fancy snatch, and I was about to tell him so when he arose and stood aimlessly on the base line spanking the dust out of his garments. Of course he was tagged. "'You lump of animated vacuum!' I yelled at him. 'Are you playing ball or do you think you're posing at a beauty show?' "'He called me out!' retorted the runner, waving his hand. "'I didn't, you squid!' shouted the exasperated umpire. 'What's the matter with you leather juggling dubs? If there's any language you understand ' "Again I had to coax the dove to fly, though my own thoughts would have made Dante drop his pen and run. The next Beaut to waggle over the rubber was our headline performer, and I had hopes of better things. "Sure enough he cracked out a beautiful three bagger. He cantered around like a colt to third. But instead of staying there he walked down toward the plate at a funeral pace and got slapped. "I bit a pencil into three pieces before I let myself speak, but before I got to my player the umpire was on the job. "'I presume I called you out, didn't I?' he yelled. "'You certainly did!' said the runner. "The umpire let go and hit him in the eye, and it was three, minutes before I could wade into the mixup. There was so much excitement in the atmosphere all hands were choking, and restoring order was harder than taming a Russian. "I finally got the floodgates up and the Pansies went in to bat. But the Beauts were playing on their nerve now, and though we all were guessing till we couldn't think straight the Pansies went out in one, two, three order. "Our opening batter was the third baseman, a Frenchman, and as he walked to the plate you could see Charlemagne climbing out his eyes. The flrst ball pitched he slammed on its center of gravity. It was really a home run, and as the runner neared the plate I was there to watch developments. "Just as he flapped his foot on the rubber I heard a curious whirring noise, and then a voice began to croak: Honey boy, I hate to see you leaving, Honey boy. for you I shall be grieving — "I grabbed a bat and pried that plate from its moorings. I uprooted a squawking, yowling phonograph. The Beauts rushed for the three sand bags and tore them loose. Clinging to the nether side of each base was a talking machine, and when we shook them up they bellowed 'Out' with distinctness and regularity. "If somebody hadn't slipped a wrong record into the can of talk at the tally cushion those phonographs might have had us still asking ourselves the answer." The Ancient Order of Gobblers. Lodge No. 2, of which C. V. Henkel. president of the Douglas Phonograph Co., New York, is the Most Exhausted Ruler, enjoyed a dinner last week on Chambers street, gotten up in Herr Schmidt's I'ost style. Several new members were put Ihrongh their paces and formally admitted into ilio exclusive order.