The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1908)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 11 TRADE ON THE PACIFIC COAST. Dealers Make Gratifying Reports Anent Business— New Stores Being Started — Announcements of Double-Disc Records Create Sensation— Trade Welcome the Innovation — Byron Mauzy Busy — Wiley B. Allen Co.'s New Department Now Ready — Columbia Co. News — Sherman, Clay & Co.'s Good Victor Trade. (Special to The Talking Macliine World.) San Francisco, Oct. 3, 1908. Business in ths various lines of talking machines on the Coast is good, and the whole month of September showed a very gratifying record. The fall season is now on in good earnest, and the wholesalers are having a rush which will go a long way toward making up for the dulness ot the summer months. The leading dealers here consider the outlook for the remainder of the season decidedly favorable. There is hardly a trace of the "hard times" feeling, which was noticeable earlier in the year, even in the larger cities, and the financial condition is about normal in most parts of the Coast. In San Francisco, building is hardly as active as it was last year, as the business section is now fairly well built up, but other lines of industry show increased activity, giving steady employment to most of the working population. Business is very active in the other cities, both north and south. Los Angeles, after a very quiet summer, is coming ahead rapidly. Dealers in the fruit-growing country have shown some conservatism, as the low prices received for the California crops have been discouraging, but they now find that the talking machine business is not likely to suffer, and are sending in orders for larger quantities of stock. In fact, preparations are going on everywhere for a busy time from now till Christmas. Several new talking machine departments are being started in various places, and new stores, as well as the older ones, are getting plenty of business. The announcement of the new double-sided records, at a sligiitly higher cost than the old ones, made by three large companies almost simultaneously, has caused a decided sensation on the Coast, among both dealers and the public. The larger agencies and wholesale houses have been flooded with inquiries from the retailers, who, in turn, have been busy answering the questions of their customers, and setting forth the advantages of their particular lines of goods. A lively competition between the different makes is assured, especially if the double records from all three manufacturers come out about the same time. This style of record is an entirely new idea here, and veiy few outside the trade have heard of the device before. If the new records are up to present expectations, they will undoubtedly have an enormous sale, and will also help materially to increase the popularity of the machines. Since the announcements Have been made, many large orders have been taken, and quite a number of dealers all over the Coast have become interested in talking machines. By the wholesalers, the device is welcomed as a good business-getter, and some of them believe that it will almost replace the present style, though others think that after a brief run, the volume of trade will settle back into former lines. Byron Mauzy says that his talking machine department is looking up, in both wholesale and retail departments. He is now working on another publicity campaign, doing considerable advertising and making prize offers. Mr. Mauzy expects to get the new Zonophone record samples by the end of the week, and expects considerable new business as soon as he is able to supply the demand for the new style. He expects to get into his down-town store by the end of the month, and the talking machine department there will be finely equipped. The Wiley B. Allen Co.'s Los Angeles house has been more or less upset for the last month, getting the new talking machine department into working order. The department was fully installed last week, and had a very successful opening Saturday night. While no formal announcement was made, a large crowd was attracted to the store. The stock and equipment are now practically complete, and from the way things have started off, the company anticipates great popularity for the new department. Plans are gradually being developed for the talking machine side of the new store in San Francisco, but the only announcement so far made is that it will be given a prominent position. This is an entirely new departure for the Wiley B. Allen Co., in San Francisco, but from the great future which apparently belongs to the talking machine trade, it should prove highly profitable. As tne new building has hardly progressed beyond the foundations, there is no especial rush about the final plans for this department. The Columbia Phonograph Co.'s San Francisco branch now have samples of the new records, and expect to receive the first shipment of stock about Oct. 8. The outlook is for a great demand, heavy initial orders having been already received. Exclusive contracts have been made with many retailers, and a number who have handled only small lots in the past have ordered full stocks of Columbia goods. Mr. Beck, the wholesale manager, is making a visit to all the outside dealers in California, and gives a glowing account of the prospects for future business. He believes the new record is just the thing that is needed to give new life to the trade. W. S. Gray, the Coast manager, returned last week, after a visit to the branch stores in the cities of Oregon and Washington. He believes the business in the northwest this season will surpass all previous records. » Mr. McCarthy, treasurer of Sherman, Clay & Co., is anxiously waiting for the first samples of the new double Victor records. The company expect to make no change in the character of its stock on account of the new line, but will carry a full supply of the new goods in addition to the lines now carried. Mr. McCarthy says that the retail business in Victor machines is picking up in all parts of the State, and Victrola sales during the last month have been especially gratifying. The Victrola is widely advertised by this house, being featured in connection with the Steinway piano, which is found highly successful in bringing in a high class of trade. All the retailers of any importance now carry Victrolas, and business on the wholesale side has been picking up right along. Peter Bacigalupi, of Peter Bacigalupi & Sons, the Edison dealers, is now in the east. Chas. E. Brown, manager of Kohler & Chase's talking machine department, went north last week, and will be gone for some time. The Southern California Music Co., of Los Angeles, have started their series of Victor concerts for the season. McNeil & Co., of Stockton, Cal., are making a lively campaign for the Edison business of the smaller communities in that neighborhood. IMPORTANT VICTOR OFFER. The Victor Talking Machine Co. recently sent the following letter to all their distributers, which speaks for itself: "We are just informed that one of our enterprising distributers has offered in a few instances to furnish gratis with each Auxetophone sold to hotels, roof gardens, etc., a set of orchestrations to be used by the orchestra accompanying vocal selections on the Auxetophone. "This distributer, of course, has been stopped from offering this inducement to promote the sale of a Victor product. However, we realize the value of such an offer, and have arranged to publish, within a week or so, a set of such orchestrations, arranged by the leader of Victor Orchestra, Walter Rogers. These orchestrations will be distributed by us gratis to our distributers and dealers in connection with Auxetophone sales. "By the use of these, the managei-s of every hotel of any consequence in the United States should be induced to purchase an Auxetophone for use in connection with his house orchestra. The Waldorf-Astoria, Cafe Martin and Cafe Beaux Arts in New York, and the Bellevue-Stratford in Philadelphia have set the example, and these can be profitably cited as precedents." 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. langtiage outfits. It is easy to sell them to people who are tired of their machines as an amusement device and will 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 I.C.S. LANGUAGEjYSTEM PHONOGRAPH Do you sell I. C. S. Language outfits? If not, why are yott 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 OlS, SCRANTON, PA.