The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1908)

30 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. sfecial-fabrik: CARL SCHROETER BERLIN S 42. PRINZESSINNENSTR. 21 pointed to the position of sale director, following the retirement of Director Rodkinson. The Excelsiorwerke have recently issued a handsome new catalog in which they call especial attention to the fact that their disc-machines may be fitted with tone-arms to use the Pathg sound-bos, and at a small cost. The sound-boxes and motors made by the company are also treated of at length. The latter may be rewound while running, a clever device preventing overwinding. The house of Fritz Puppel have also issued a very interesting catalog finely printed on heavy art paper and devoted chiefly to a description of their improved disc machines and details regarding the motors, sound-boxes, etc. This concern make the Puck, Sirena Puck, Lohengrin, Nixe, Arion and other styles of machines, each adopted to different requirements. Count Zeppelin, of airship fame, expects to attain absolute perfection in conquering the air within the next two years. He has made this announcement through the medium of a gramophone record, in which he spoke recently, in order that his voice may be preserved for posterity. The text of the record is as follows: "Expert scientific observation of every event in the lives of my various airships until the tragic end of No. 4 has vindicated the soundness of my theories in all important particulars. My airships will soon rank among the most safely operated of craft with which long trips may be made with the least danger to the occupants. With joyful confidence the German nation may, then, be assured that its magnificent generosity has paved the way for the actual conquest of the air, and that it will soon be in possession of airships which will increase our military power, thereby contributing to the maintenance of peace and facilitating trafiBc, exploration, and other human progress. If I am vouchsafed another two years of creative power I shall have the rare good fortune to witness the complete success of the important invention whereof I was chosen to be the tool." The International Copyright Conference, which opens here on the 14th inst., is attracting considerable attention, and I may say that the FREE SAMPLES Of Needles That Prove NEEDLES "THE NAME TEiLLS WHAT THEY DO" Best for VOLUME, TONE and LASTING QUALITY. PLAY RIGHT from START to FINISH. PRESERVE RECORDS and can be used on ANY DISK MACHINE OR RECORD. Packed in RUST PROOF packages of 100. RETAIL, 10c. per 100; 25c. 300; 75c. 1,000. ^"■^ TRADE MARK "GIVE A MELLOW TONE" REDUCE VOLUME and DON'T SCRATCH. Nfi snecial attachments needed. Packed in RUST PROOF packaRcs of 200. Price, 25c. Package. NOTE— Wc furnish Jobbers and Dealers with ADVERTISING MATTER FREE. Big profit. Wc will send I'RF.E Siimplc packaffes to Jobbers or Deali-rs. Write now. BLACKMANlrALKilNG MACHINE CO. I NKWCOMIl I'.LACKMAN, I'r<~ia,nt. «>7 Chomhur.-H Street. rN»»w Yoric opinions that I have been able to glean thus far support the belief that the conference will recommend the granting of certain rights to composers. This to be either a stated sum or in the form of a royalty. To begin with, the talking machine men have not as strong support as the music publishers, and they are not as well known, therefore are lacking in a certain influence which the publishers have. The memorial presented to the Secretary of State for the Interior is a remarkable document, but whether this will be supported by able argument is a question. I am rather inclined to think that the conference will recommend the passage of new laws which will affect the record industry. I believe that the record manufacturers will no longer be privileged to use the works of composers without entering into a special agreement with them. Whether the arrangement will be fixed by the government or not is a question, but I do not believe this will affect in the slightest, compositions which are already on the market. The claim will be made that the record manufacturers have put large sums of money into their plants and that they have put forth certain records at a considerable expense, and it would, therefore, be unjust to deprive them of property rights which they have won under the present law. However, in the future the composer can make his special arrangement with the record manufacturer before the latter will have the right to use his production. Different countries in Europe, however, will demand a free use of compositions. In Austria, they figure that the records are great educators, and that this is one means to raise the people. In Russia, the same condition exists and nothing which will add to the cost of the records will be considered by the Russian government — that is the way the matter is viewed here by the people with whom I have talked. THE NEW BRITISH PATENT LAW. Many Foreign Manufacturing Firms Locate in Great Britain. Consul Frank W. Mahin, of Nottingham, sends the following report on the effects of the new British patent law on foreign patentees: "The representative of a British firm making a specialty of securing factories and factory sites for applicants is quoted to the effect that many applications have been received from foreigners, induced thereto by the provision of the new law requiring articles patented in the (United Kingdom to be manufactured here. An important feature of the applications already made is that the manufacturers demand works much larger than are necessary to make the patented article, giving as the reason that they can not run works in England on the patents alone, and therefore intend to make other goods which have hitherto been imported ready-made. Consequently, the volume of new manufacturing business brought to this country is expected vastly to exceed what is directly attributable to the influence of the new law. "It is stated that nearly 2,000 patents are now within the scope of the law, and if these were all manufactured in this country, 30,000 to 40,000 people would be given employment. "The law became operative August 2S, 1908. Thirty foreign firms had then completed arrangements to open factories in Great Britain. Among them are a number of American firms. Many firms In the United States and in Germany have negotiations for factories or sites under way. The principle articles made by the American firms are wire cloths, telephone implements, shoes, typewriters, and talking machine records." * * * * As a matter of fact the new British patent law has had but little influence in getting American manufacturers of talking machine records to locate in England. They had operated plants long before the new law was considered, largely as a convenience. They desired to supply direct the demands and requirements of the purchasing public of Great Britain. [Ed. T. M. W.] IMPORTANT EDISON MOVE. New System for Establishing Dealers to be Inaugurated Dec. 1st — No New Dealer to be Established Where the Edison Goods Are"" Satisfactorily Represented. Another important step has been taken by the National Phonograph Co., Orange, N. J., relative to the establishment of dealers in the future. The circular letter, dated September 21, over the signature of President Dyer, is appended: "To all Edison Jobbers and Dealers: — In response to what appears to be a general sentiment in the trade, we beg to announce that commencing December 1, 1908, and before that date, if possible, we propose to institute a new system for establishing dealers' in the future, and on the details of which we have been working for the past year. When the new arrangement goes into effect no new dealer will be established in anj' locality where our goods may already be satisfactorily represented. Before a new dealer is established at any point, a formal application must be presented, giving complete information from which, in connection with our own records, we may decide whether the applicant's territory is or is not properly represented; and, if not, whether the application should be granted. "In this way we will be able to prevent the indiscriminate appointment of dealers in localities that may already be well represented, and in some instances over-represented. At the same time the arrangement will in no way interfere with the appointment of new dealers in localities where a satisfactory field exists for the exploitation of the Edison phonograph. Pending the final announcement of the proposed plan we hope that our jobbers will co-operate with us to the extent of not establishing new dealers in localities where our present dealers may now be handling our goods in a thoroughly satisfactory manner; but, in any event, we shall not hesitate to decline to recognize new dealers, who, in our opinion, may be unnecessary for the good of the trade." MORE TROUBLE FOR MULTIPHONE CO. Fresh Petition in Bankruptcy Filed Against the Company Only Two Days After a Previous Petition Had Been Dismissed. A petition in bankruptcy was filed on October 7 against the Multiphone Co., manufacturers of slot machines, phonographs, etc., of No. 141 Broadway and No. 94 Vandam street, by H. & J. J. Lesser, attorneys for these creditors; George R. Cooper, $500; Press Clipping Bureau, $10, and Joseph Timble, $3. on an assigned claim of the New York Stencil Works. It was alleged that the company is insolvent, made preferential payments $2,000 and transferred merchandise and accounts $2,000. Another petition in bankruptcy filed against the company on May 11 was dismissed only two days before by Judge Holt. i\Ir. Lesser said that the company had paid the creditors in that petition, but had not paid other creditors whom he represented. Application was made for the appointment of a receiver, but was not acted upon until the company had an opportunity to be heard in the matter. Mr. Lesser said he understood that the unsecured liabilities are $40,000 over a mortgage of $70,000 to the Carnegie Trust Co. and unencumbered assets $10,000 to $15,000. The company was incorporated May 4, 1906, with capital stock of $1,000, which was increased in February, 190S, to $200,000. It is said the machinery and plant cost $200,000. Charles L. Cohn was appointed receiver for the company with a bond of $2,500.