The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1908)

44 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. time. The best of men do — but it doesn't count as long as you do not stay out. Get up again take a fresh hold, and go at it harder than ever, with renewed energy and determination. Remember, disappointments and discouragements are necessary to the highest development of our powers. It often requires some great disaster, some overwhelming opposition to discover our real strength and resource. Such obstacles are a test of our worth. If we go down under them we are lost, if we surmount them we are conquerors. Mistakes you may make, but to failure you must never succumb. CINCINNATI'S BUDGET OF NEWS. Noticeable Improvement Noted in Trade — Extensive Wurlitzer Advertising — Passing of the llsen Co. — Sale Held Nov. 11 — Trouble With National Co. — Columbia Horns Save Lives at Fire — Wurlitzer Co.'s "Square Deal" for Dealers — Other News Worth Noting. ( special to The Talking Machine Woria. i Cincinnati, O., Nov. 9, 1908. Talking machine trade during the past month showed noticeable improvement over the month preceding. This is the report from the dealers in this city, and in the face of the election which arrived this week it is very good indeed. The reason for the pick-up in trade is attributed to the new records received for the month and to the energetic advertising of the dealers urging prospective buyers to get busy. The "Wurlitzer Co. were leaders in the advertising field, making their ads. up-to-date with the political verbiage of the hour. The outlook for this month seems very good. The dealers say that the fall trade is picking up and will make a good account of itself from now on until the holidays. The llsen Co. closed their doors during the past month. The passing of this well-known firm is a matter of regret to the trade and to the many friends of the llsen brothers, both of whom are well-known business men. As stated in last month's issue, Geo. llsen has left the city for a six months' rest at Bat Cave, North Carolina, stopping at the Esmeralda Inn. The firm have been in the hands of a receiver for the past three months. The sale will take place on "Wednesday, November 11, at the storeroom, 615 Vine street. The receiver's notice of sale states that $25,000 worth of sheet music, music books, copyrights, plates and titles, photographs, machines, records, musical instruments, store fixtures, etc., are up for sale. An incident of the receiver's proposed sale arose this week, when Scott Bonham. the receiver, received a telegram from the Edison Phonograph Co. ordering him to stop the sale of the 15,000 cylinder phonographic records, claiming that this would be a violation of the jobbers' agreement, threatening to sue out an injunction if necessary. The Edison Co.'s telegram is as follows: "Proposed auction of Edison goods made you personally liable under jobber's agreement. Stop. "Wire decision." Mr. Bonham, when seen as to the action he would take, said that unless something more drastic than telegrams were received he proposed to go ahead and sell the stock of goods. He consulted with Judge Caldwell, who appointed him, and has his advice in the matter. The sale will take place under the auctioneer's hammer, "Wednesday, November 11. It is thought that many rare bargains will be had at the sale. S. H. Nichols, manager of the Columbia Phonograph Co., had a very optimistic report to make regarding October trade. Speaking of the wholesale business, he said: "I have been making short trips each week throughout the territory, and the number of orders received has more than pleased me. I find the dealers very enthusiastic over the Columbia disc and Indestructible records. These are proving excellent sellers and very naturally the dealers think well of them. I would say that October business was booming, that the double disc records have taken the market by storm. The trade realizes the rossibllltles of the 10-inch, double-disc records, which sell at 65 cents each, or 32V^ cents per selection, bring ing the price within reach of the masses of people. This makes each selection 2% cents less than a 35-cent cylinder record. The Indestructible record played with the Columbia high-tension roproducer is being received enthusiastically by the trade, for they recognize the superiority of it over any other cylinder record." Mr. Nichols went on to say that the retail trade is looking up — is getting a fall move on, and will soon be up to normal proportions. He looks for a decided improvement all along the line from now on. He thinks that the pre-election period retarded local trade to some extent, and with this out of the way, sees more business ahead. The Columbia Phonograph Co. are situated just across the street from the Neave skyscraper building, which suffered from a disastrous fire, on the fourth floor, last week. The hundreds of tenants of this building above the fourth floor found themselves cut off from a safe exit by the fire and fiames, which raged furiously, sending great volumes of heat and smoke up the stairways and elevator shafts. The clamor and excitement of the fire terrified the tenants, many of whom were women. They were forced to lean far out of the windows for fresh air, and were led to believe that the only escape was by jumping from these windows. The surging crowd below on the street yelled for them to be patient, but above the clamor of it all the Columbia Phonograph Co. did some good work by using the megaphones of their machines. These proved very effective and are known to have restrained a number of women from hurling themselves to the street below. The local company deserve the commendation and praise received from the local fire chief and the local papers. Manager J. H. Dietrich, of the "Wurlitzer talking machine department, had this to say of local trade during October: "The talking machine trade in Cincinnati during the month of October was extremely satisfactory, largely owing to the efforts of the Rudolph "Wurlitzer Co. The old and tested system of advertising the "Victor, namely, by recitals at various clubs and social gatherings, has been used by the Rudolph "Wurlitzer Co. to good advantage, and a correspondingly large increase in the sale of Victrolas resulted. Mr. Taft, the Cincinnatian, furnished splendid material for publicity, as the Taft family are great admirers of the Victor and the Red Seal artists. "The greatest incident of the month was the installation of an Auxetophone in the $1,000,000 Sinton Hotel. The Auxetophone was so placed that it could be heard throughout the immense dining room and lobby, and created quite a sensation. w. URLITZER UP-TO-DATE AUTOMATIC MUSICAL >V1TH ^S10T yUMCHMENT Caruso sings there nightly and is applauded to the echo. The hotel orchestra accompanies the Auxetophone. "There has been one big grievance, and that has been the shortage of Amberol attachments and records. Some hundreds of the machines and attachments have already found their way into Cincinnati, but these seem to have no material effect on the demand. The future business in the new style Amberol machines and records will undoubtedly prove immense, and the dealers only hope that the Edison Co. may be able to get a quantity of these goods to them before Christmas." The salesman in charge of the retail Edison department of the Rudolph "\\''urlitzer Co. is the sorest man in this section, the Rudolph "Wurlitzer Co. allowing him no more or less of the new Edison goods than they allowed any of their dealers. This gives him but a small stock of attachments only, and he is now busy booking orders for future delivery. "When these goods will be delivered, however, is questionable, as the company will supply their dealers before allowing their retail department any further supplies. The Edison salesmen seem to regret very much that the Rudolph 'W'urlitzer Co. were not exclusive wholesalers with retail stores established under fictitious names. In this event they could have supplied them with any amount of Amberol records and attachments and at the same time posed to the dealers as exclusive wholesalers who do not retail. The Rudolph "Wurlitzer Co., however, have been giving the retailer a square deal. The trade is rapidly gaining more and more confidence in the firm of Rudolph "Wurlitzer Co., and their wholesale manager has acquired a reputation for square dealings among the dealers of the Central States and has gained the confidence and personal friendship of every Edison and Victor dealer located in this territory. Money is a good thing, but Its goodness is in its moving, its circulating. Thought is its propelling power; remove the thought and the circulation stops. A people who do no thinking would have no use for money. Money can exist ' only where thought exists. An advertisement calls for money. It costs money to begin with, it brings money to end with, but since money is moved by thought the advertisement will move it in proportion to the thought it contains. "^'ork your field thoroughly. Keep your tools bright by using them. World ^lJBUIZER|VlLUTARYBANaf)RGAN SUITylBlE FOI^ AIL PUBLIC PLACES