The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1909)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. TRADE NEWS FROM LOS ANGELES. Record Holiday Business Helps Year's Average of Business — Big Victrola Sales — Jobbers Have Hard Work to Fill Orders — Bad Fire in Wiley B. Allen Co. Store — How Various Houses Find Business — T. B. Tessier Returns from Mexican Trip — Other Interesting Items of the Month. (Special tc The Talking Machine World.) Los Angeles, Cal., Jan. 2, 1909. The old year has ended to the satisfaction of every dealer in the trade. The great volume of holiday business has placed 1908 far in advance of all previous years. Victor Victrolas seemed to be most demanded by the trade of the large houses. Another noticeable feature was that mostly all was cash business, while a small amount was installments. A leading retail firm made a record by selling 55 Victrolas in sixty days, while others made proportionate new records. Jobbers in all lines had all they could do to fill the hundreds of orders which came in by mail, telegraph, long distance telephone and special messenger. Most every dealer had to order time and time again only to find he had not ordered as much as he should have at first. The wholesalers and jabbers are to be congratulated for their splendid service. The only unfortunate happening among the dealers was that of a fire which damaged the Wiley B. Allen Co.'s store to the extent of $25,000. A fortunate point was that the fire started" about 10 o'clock Christmas evening, just after the big trade was over, and while some customers were just completing their purchases. The building was flooded with water, which did the most damage. The insurance company has purchased the damaged stock and claims on the same have been adjusted. The management has rented a large store a few doors south of the old location where they are temporarily located, and business has continued almost as though nothing had happened. Sherman, Clay & Co., Victor jobbers, made the highest mark in the history of the Los Angeles branch. Manager Chas. Ruggles said: "I knew we would do a larger business than last season, but I hardly expected we would witness as great an increase as we did; had we received any more orders we would have had to put up a sign, 'Sold Out.' " The Southern California Music Co., Edison and Zonophone jobbers, were in about the same position, having received orders from most every county in three States. Dealers from the northern part of the State telegraphed and telephoned for goods to be shipped by express up to the last minute. The branch houses of the same firm at San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Oxnard did splendid retail business. E. H. Philbrook. manager of the Edison Business Phonograph department of the Southern California Music Co., since receiving a large shipment of machines has installed several business outfits and is introducing the system to every large concern which employs an office force. The Business phonograph is comparatively a new venture in the trade here, but it has thus far met with great success and undoubtedly has a great future. Arthur E. Burson, patentee of the Burson stopping device for all types of machines, has been in this city in company of Anton Gloetzner. Together they are making preparations for supplying the trade with the new product. After a short stay in the southern parts they will return to Santa Barbara. After traveling through different parts of Mexico in the interests of the Southern California Music Co., T. B. Tessier has returned, bringing most favorable reports of trade conditions in the sister republic. Geo. L. Snider, of Kern, Cal., is among the many visiting dealers. Francisco Moreno has been appointed manager of the talking machine department of the Santa Barbara branch of the Southern California Music Co., while Edw. Borgum has taken a simi lar position in the San Diego branch of the same concern. Geo. T. Exton, partner in the Exton Music Co., and one of the most prominent music dealers on the Pacific coast shot and killed himself December 29 in the basement of his store at 216 West Third street, in this city. No reason is understood for such an act, as he was in good circumstances and had an excellent standing, having been engaged in the music business in this city for the past 18 years. THE GOSPEL OF FRESH AIR Being Preached by the Talking Machine in the Anti-Tuberculosis Campaign. In aiding the fight being waged against tuberculosis the streets of New York, Boston, Chicago and other great human hives ring with the music of the talking machines which are being used to spread the anti-tuberculosis propaganda. This method is simple and effective. The machines are brought from place to place on vehicles; the program opens with the rendition of "The Battle Cry of Freedom" or of some similar martial air. This collects the crowd. When the operator is satisfied with the size of his audience, he removes the musical record from the machine and substitutes a record that tells of the proper mode of living. This is what the eminent German specialist, Dr. Koch, calls "preaching the gospel of fresh air and sanitation." GEORGE W. LYLE TO EUROPE. The General Manager of the Columbia Co. Will Look Over the European Field — Conditions in the United States Most Satisfactory. January 6 George W. Lyle. general manager of the Columbia Phonograph Co.. General, sailed from New York for Europe on the swift turbiner "Lusitania," landing in Liverpool, England. He was accompanied by his daughter, Gertrude Lyle. The trip was decided upon after Mr. Lyle became satisfied that the new selling policy of the company regarding the establishment of Columbia jobbers and dealers in exclusive territory was permanently successful and working admirably. Also that the sale of indestructible cylinder and double-disc records was increasing beyond their most sanguine expectations, hence this pleasant state of affairs permitted him to go abroad on a tour of inspection. Mr. Lyle will be in consultation with Frank Dorian, the Columbia's capable representative in London, England, the greater part of his time, and will also visit a few of the principal offices on the Continent. He will be away about a month. PERSUASIVE. A rural manufacturer duns his subscribers in the following novel manner, says Harper's Weekly: "All persons knowing themselves indebted to this concern are requested to call and settle. All those indebted to this concern, and not knowing it, are requested to call and find out. "Those knowing themselves to be indebted, and not wishing to call, are requested to stay at one place long enough for us to reach them." HEATH OF OLD EDISON EMPLOYE. Peter Brady, one of the oldest employes at the Edison plant in Orange, N. J., died suddenly at his home in West Orange on December 24. For many years he had had charge of the men who took care of the buildings, and was popular with thousands inside and outside of the Edison works. He was born in Ireland sixty-four years ago. Robert R. Smallfield, proprietor of the Smallfield Music House, 313-315 West Second street, Davenport, la., recently purchased the entire stock of the Columbia Phonograph Co., in that city, whose line he will handle. This is the fifth store that this enterprising dealer has purchased in Davenport since starting jn business. Don't keep your customers waiting Maybe it is the fault of your jobber, but if you have the right kind of a jobber there won't be the least delay in filling your orders. You can't afford to dillydally with a jobber and keep your customers on edge for their goods. Not every customer will stand that kind of treatment, and those who do won't put up with it any longer than they can help. There's an easy way to get over these troublesome delays. Send us your orders for Victors, Victor Records, record cabinets, horns, fibre cases. English needles, and Victor accessories of every sort. You won't need to tell us to hurry — we always do that ; send out goods the same day the orders are received. That is the kind of service you always get here, and it puts you in position to take the best care of your customers and saves you a lot of needless worry. Try us on your next rush order and see how we handle it. In the meantime you'd better get our catalogue, and booklet, "The Cabinet That Matches," which tells about our record cabinets that match perfectly each style Victor in design and finish. Write for them to-day. The Victor Distributing and Export Company 83 Chambers St., New York