The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1908)

THB TALKING MACHINE WORLD. SOME VICTOR POINTERS On Developing Trade in Victor Bryan and Taft Records Wliich Will Also Enliven Local Politics Materially. The Victor Talking Machine Co. recently sent out to their dealers and distributers handsome posters advertising the records made by Bryan and Taft. All the posters have red, white and blue borders, those listing Taft records bearing his portrait, while those referring to Bryan records bear a likeness of that popular candidate. In addition to the posters, the Victor Co. furnished several suggestions for advertising the records, which should greatly aid the dealer in his publicity. A sample program for" a political rally of either party was also furnished with the following excellent pointers regarding the best method of introducing the records: "As soon as you receive the Bryan and Taft records, call personally on the editor of your local paper and ask him to visit your store, and hear the Bryan records if he is a Democrat, or the Taft records if he is a Republican. Then suggest that he co-operate with you in making political capital out of these records, by giving a public rally, to which everyone is invited. Tell him (and truly, too) that Mr. Bryan or Mr. Taft will be pleased to learn from his paper his enterprise in bringing these records before his local constituents. Make him feel that all the glory is his, and at the same time see that you get your name and the Victor just as conspicuously displayed. "With the assistance of the editor you would have little difficulty in getting the mayor to act as chairman of a Republican or a Democratic rally, where Mr. Taft or Mr. Bryan would address them on the important topics of the day. If your mayor is a Republican, then ask all the Republican leaders to act as vice-presidents at the Taft meeting, and a week later repeat with a Bryan rally under the auspices of the Democratic editor and leaders, or vice versa, as the case may be. "To run the entire list of Taft or Bryan records by themselves would be too monotonous, and to add interest and variety, records appropriate to the occasion should he wedged in between each speech. Don't try to give a grand opera concert to a political gathering — one of a patriotic and snappy character will be best." SUPPLY AND PRICE OF MICA. Some Interesting Figures for Manufacturers Supplied by the United States Authorities. Makers of sound boxes for talking machines will no doubt be interested in the following information regarding the supply and price of mica compiled from the forthcoming annual report of the United States Geological Survey upon the production of mica in 1907, which shows an output valued at $392,111. This product came from eleven states — North Carolina, South Dakota, Alabama, South Carolina, Colorado, New Hampshire, Idaho, Georgia, Virginia, New Mexico and Maine — named in order of value of output. Of these states, Alabama, South Caroline, Georgia and Maine reported no production in 1906, while Connecticut is credited with no production in 1907, as against a small one in 1906. The production of sheet mica amounted to 1,060,182 lbs., valued at $349,311, a decrease in quantity of 412,918 lbs., and an increase in value of $82,063 as compared with 1906. The decrease in quantity and the increase in value are due to the fact that, as reported to the Survey, in 1907 a larger proportion of the mica was manufactured than in 1906. The average price of sheet mica for the United States during 1907, as deduced from the total production, was 33 cents per pound, as compared with 17.7 cents in 1906. The average prices per pound of sheet mica as reported in the production from several states were as fol lows: Idaho, $1.50; Alabama, 72 cents; South Dakota, 33.4 cents; North Carolina, 32. .5 cents; 11 South Carolina, 30 cents; New Hampshire, 206 cents; Virginia, 17.7 cents; Colorado 9 cents. With the exception of Colorado, the average price of sheet mica in all of these states was considerably higher in 1907 than in 1906, and the figures bring out well the fact that a much larger proportion of manufactured mica was included in these reports. THE "TALKER" IN MINING CAMPS Has Brought Pleasure and Contentment to the Men Says a Superintendent Who Enthuses Over This Creation. "We consider the talking machine a great necessity in our mining camp. In fact, I know of nothing that could take its place." This is the story told by a mine superintendent who is connected with a large company in the state of Sonora, Mexico, to The World: "We employ at our mine a great many men, from two to five hundred, and are some distance from the railroad town where the men might find amusement. Our past experience has been full of trouble, as we could not keep our men at home after pay-day. On this occasion they would leave camp for town, and to reach town they would have to travel two days by team. After they once left we seldom saw them back again, for they would get on a "spree" and spend all they had for liquor. In this way we were compelled to "break in" new hands, which was not an easy task. One Christmas a friend of mine sent me a present of a fine talking machine and a good supply of records, and many thanks to the friend who eventually put an end to a great lot of my troubles. I used to sit in my office and listen to the machine by the hour, as I was famished for music myself. Every day the men going to and from shifts would stop and ask me to play for them. This I did, and finally found myself playing for them most of the time. They would come in the evening in crowds and sit all about my house and seem to be more contented with such amusement than anything else. The result was that they got so interested I decided to buy one for them. It proved such a success that I later purchased two more for them and now when the day's work is done, instead of gambling and drinking and creating disorder among themselves they gather around these machines and amuse themselves ,with whatever is the favorite. Strange to say their taste runs to the best class of music, while once in a while they have some comics. We have been obliged to build a dance floor where they hold weekly dances, for which a talking machine furnishes music. They have established among themselves a record-buying fund, of which I am treasurer, and now after every payday they make donations, and with them buy most all the new records made. I have seen the talking machine used for lots of things, but it never proved so practical to me before." BELFAST'S ENTERPRISING JOBBER. T. Bdens Osborne, the prominent talking machine jobber of Belfast, Ireland, who displays a liberal streak of Yankee push and ingenuity in exploiting his business, has taken advantage of numerous opportunities to give public exhibitions and demonstrations of the various machines and records handled by him but chiefly the Auxeto-Gramaphone. The last concert reported was given in the Botanic Gardens Park, Belfast, on August 5, under Mr. Osborne's direction and twenty-seven selections were on the programme, while special arrangements were made for encores. The selections covered a wide range from operatic and popular airs, including records by Melba, Patti, Tetrazzini, Caruso, Hariy Lauder and the Coldstream Guards' band. Is what you sell worth more after it leaves your hands than when you flrst came in touch with it? This is a good test to apply to your own efforts at salesmanship of which advertising is but a form. It's So Easy Yes, it is not only easy to learn a foreign language by the I. C. S. system — the easiest and most perfect way in the world — but it is also easy to sell I. C. S. language outfits. It is easy to sell them to people who are tired of their machines as an amusement device and wiU be glad to turn them into a source of profit. It is easy to sell them to persons going abroad and who otherwise desire to learn a language for the sake of the knowledge of it alone. It is easy to sell it to men and women who desire to qualify for positions as translators and foreign correspondents. It is easy to sell it to foreigners, in order that they may learn to speak English. In fact there are a great many sound reasons why it is easy to sell the LC.S. LANGUAGE SYSTEM PHONOGRAPH Do you sell I. C. S. Language outfits? If not, why are you thus neglecting such an important and profitable field of your work? Why are you thus absolutely throwing away at least one-third of your business? The Phonograph system of language instruction is now recognized as an educational factor of great importance and the demand for this sort of language instruction is growing by leaps and bounds. The I. C. S. system is undoubtedly the one of the greatest merit obtainable today. Write us a .postal now for further particulars. International Correspondence Schools Box QIS, SCRANTON, PA..