The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1910)

4 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. WITH THE TRADE ON THE PACIFIC COAST. Talking Machine Business Picking Up Steadily and Dealers Well Pleased — High-Grade Goods Have the Call — Wiley B. Allen Co. Department Forging Ahead — Sherman, Clay & Co. Activities— Heine Piano Co. Want to Sell Out — Columbia Co. News. (Special to The Talking Muuhlue World.) San Francisco, Cal., March 4, 1910. Business in talking machine goods remained rather quiet all over the Coast up to the middle of last month, and has only begun to pick up noticeably during the last week or two. After the record of sales set last year, dealers feel greatly encouraged for the future of the business in this territory, and confidence is everywhere expressed that there will be a greater expansion during the next few years than ever before. The most remarkable change last year was the way in which the demand turned to high-class goods, sales of the cheaper class of goods being on the wane, while high-class articles, both machines and records, gained steadily in favor, bringing an enormous increase in the amount of money involved in the business. This feature promises to be even more marked this year, the best of the new records meeting with a large sale. The wholesale business has increased greatly, as retailers are now getting their stocks in shape for the spring business, and their orders include a larger proportion of high-priced goods than ever before. James Black, manager of the talking machine department of the Wiley B. Allen Co., reports a marked improvement in the local business this month. This department, though it was only started a few months ago, is now becoming familiar to the company's customers, and with the exception of a dull period after Christmas has had a steady growth. A large increase has been made in the stock in preparation for the spring rush, and Mr. Black is enthusiastic over the prospects for the next few months. Mr. Black states that the talking machine departments in all the branch stores are giving an excellent account of themselves, especially those in Oakland and San Jose. F. P. Corcoran, a well-known talking machine man of the North, who has for some time been with the D. S. Johnston Co., at Seattle, is now in the department of the "Wiley B. Allen Co. His work has been mostly with the high-class trade, specializing on Victrola machines and red seal records, and his work with the Wiley B. Allen Co. is expected to show good resulis along these lines. Andrew G. McCarthy, treasurer and manager of the talking machine department of Sherman, Clay & Co., has been for the past week calling on the company's Northern connections, in company with Philip T. Clay. Mr. McCarthy is making a thorough inspection of the Northern trade, and outlining plans for the conduct of the year's business in that district. He will be back in the city early this month. Sherman, Clay & Co. recently placed their branch in Tacoma, Wash., in a new store. Special attention has been given to the talking machine department, which has quarters on the ground floor, and carries a very complete stock of Victor goods. Their store in Oakland, Cal., is enjoying its usual success in this department, the demonstration rooms being kept occupied practically all the time. Mr. Wales, who opened the talking machine department of the Heine Piano Co. when the new store was occupied last fall, is now with the Hauschildt Music Co., under Mr. Hansen. The company have greatly increased their stock at the local store, in preparation for the spring trade, and now have one of the largest stocks of records in the city. The general offices of the company were moved from Oakland, which was formerly the main store, to San Francisco this week. Some of the piano dealers who have been more or less in the talking machine business are coming to believe that it is rather a difficult matter to give personal attention to both lines at once, and also that it is not always easy to find a competent man to take charge of a talking machine department for a firm engaged in the piano business. The Heine Piano Co., which started a department on moving downtown, have not been entirely satisfied with the results, and Mr. Heine announces that he would like to sell this part of the business in order to give more attention to his other interests. Mr. Heine, however, is still giving some attention to the automobile business, in addition to the piano store, and is kept very busy with these two lines. He has not yet found anyone to take up the proposition, but expects to do so within a short time. Peter Bacigalupi & Sons have added considerably to their stock of Edison goods by taking over what was left of the Kohler & Chase retail stock, as well as that of the Falkenstein Music Co., at Fresno, Cal., which sold their piano department to Kohler & Chase. Mr. Bacigalupi reports trade rather quiet since the rush on Harry Lauder records in January, but the wholesale department now presents a fairly busy appearance, as orders from the outside trade are beginning to arrive in good shape. The local store had a fine window display in honor of Washington's Birthday this week, which attracted many visitors to the store. A visitor this month has been W. A. Voltz, representing the National Phonograph Co., of Orange, N. J. Willis S. Storms, outside man for the Columbia Phonograph Co. in California, has been calling on the trade In the southern coast district for the last month. W. S. Gray, the Coast manager for the company, has been spending the week in Los Angeles, but is due here in a few days. Mr. Gray has found a downtown location for the wholesale department, and if present negotiations reach a satisfactory conclusion, will be located there before the end of March. While the present retail arrangements are quite satisfactory, it has been realized for the last few months that the Van Ness avenue quarters were too far from the business center for convenience, even in the wholesale line. The Columbia business in this State is steadily expanding. Two more piano dealers in Los Angeles have taken up this line since last month, and the arrangements in northern California are extremely satisfactory. Kohler & Chase, in addition to carrying Columbia goods exclusively in the local store, have placed the line in their Sacramento branch, and will make a similar change in Oakland next month. This gives the Columbia practically a new chain of stores, and the high standing which Kohler & Chase have always enjoyed in this district will be of material assistance in handling the line. The Bruce-Brown Co., who bought out the talking machine department of Kohler & Chase's store In that city several months ago, have sold out to the Eilers Piano Co. As the Eilers house has for some time handled the jobbing business in Columbia goods in that territory, the addition of this business, in which Edison goods formed most of the stock, will place it in a leading position in the talking machine trade. EVIDENCE ON A PHONOGRAPH. What Witness in Will Case Said Preserved for Use in Other Courts. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Boston, Mass., March 5, 1910. Attorneys for the Glover brothers, who are seeking to break the will of their brother, Clarence L. Glover, who was shot and killed in his laundry at Waltham several months ago, have preserved the testimony of one of the witnesses on a phonograph record for future use in case the latter dies and it becomes necessary to repeat what he said. The witness is Thomas Coffey, a salesman in a local sporting goods store. On February 17, the day following his appearance as a witness in the will case, he went to a hospital and underwent a severe surgical operation. He is still at the institution. Should he die and It become necessary to introduce his evidence again in any court proceedings then the phonograph record will be produced and an effort made to secure its introduction. Coffey testified that a woman answering the description of the murdered man's widow purchased the revolver with which Glover was shot. Considerable latitude was allowed by the Probate Court in the trial of the will case in the character of the evidence introduced, much of it implicating Mrs. Glover. The person accused by the State of the murder is Hattie Leblanco, a sixteen-year-old girl employed in the Glover household as a maid. She is awaiting trial on a murder indictment. Glover made an antemortem statement accusing the child of shooting him. What a Successful Jobber Means Our success of 1909 has spurred us to greater activity to increase our facilities to better care for dealers' orders. Every practical device known to the Modern Talking Machine House is in use here to assist in despatching orders quickly, completely and in factory condition. LEST YOU FORGET.— The promptness with which your jobber fills your orders and the quality of the goods sent is a great factor in deciding whether your customer will come back to you or go somewhere else for his next purchase. We point with pleasure to our hundreds of successful dealers who buy from us year in and year out, because they can depend on our service and quality. Send us your orders and share in our success. EASTERN TALKING MACHINE COMPANY Victor Distributers 177 TREMONT ST., BOSTON, MASS. Edison Jobbers