The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1910)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 39 From our Chicago headquarters ROOM 806, NO. 156 WABASH AVENUE, E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, MANAGER. Volume of Business During February Proves Highly Satisfactory to the Talking Machine Trade — January Record Surpassed — Higher Grade Goods Have the Call — Hard to Get Victor Goods — Popularity of the Edison Amberola — Columbia Co. Line Selling Well — E. E. Wiswell Suffers Bad Accident — Talking Machine Co. News — Personal Items of Trade Interest — Advance of the Fibre Needle — M. M. Blackman's Condition Much Improved — Other News from the Windy City ( Special to The Talking Machine World.) Chicago, 111., March 10, 1910. If January, was a surprise as regards volume of business February was a double surprise. Although suffering" the loss of several business days, as compared with the first month of the year, it made a much better showing and all the important jobbing houses, and, in fact, the leading high grade retail stores and departments, report a big gain over February of last year. Some say it was the best February for years. It is necessary, however, to qualify these statements by saying that the gain is in dollars and cents, not in the number of machines and records sold. As repeatedly pointed out in this correspondence the tendency is overwhelmingly in favor of the medium and higher-priced machines, and the big musical thing in the record proposition. This fact is very significant. It means that the artistic idea has come to stay in the talking machine field. It means that not only the wealthy people but the musical people are buying high priced talking machines and records of the great artists. If this were not so the trade would be in a bad fix. A large proportion of the population is practically out of the running as far as talking machine and record buying is concerned. That is, they are out of the game for the present. They are disgusted with the very cheap machine and they are either not in a financial condition or are not educated up to the point of buying the better grade. That the time is coming when this condition will change is a moral certainty to anyone who tries to get "under" the situation. In the meantime there is absolutely no excuse for any dealer to rest on his oars because of existing conditions regarding low-priced machines. No matter how small the community there are a number of people in it who can be reached by a persistent, dignified sales campaign, and whose purchases will amount to a figure equal to that which would be represented by a much larger number of sales of cheap machines. Victor Goods Hard to Get. Reports from the East indicate that the Victor factory is a pretty busy institution. Notwithstanding this dealers say that they simply cannot get Victor machines fast enough to supply their demands. This in itself furnishes good evidence that business, at least in the good sized centers throughout the country, is O. K. Edison Amberola Now a Permanent Feature. The Edison Amberola has passed the sensational stage, and from the Chicago viewpoint, at least, it is a permanent winner. The demand is excellent and it is only fair to say that people who have been in the past prejudiced regarding the cylinder proposition, are coming in line as a result of the influence of this latest and very notable development by the National Co. Record Month for Columbia Co. February was one of the very largest months in the history of the Columbia Phonograph Co., according to headquarters correspondence. The Chicago branch came up with an increase of 58 per cent, as compared with February of last year, and the majority of branches and large dealers in the immense territory, covered by District Manager W. C. Fuhri. also made re markable increases. The Columbia concealedhorn machine, especially the Regent or library table type, are having a remarkable sale, and this type is also out of the sensational stage. Nearly fifty of them were shipped to one California city within two weeks. Although the "library tables that talk" are coming through the factory much more rapidly than formerly, it's all that the Chicago branch can do to get enough to supply their trade. The same conditions prevail in other cities. Accident to L. C. Wiswell's Father. L. C. Wiswell, manager of the talking machine department of Lyon & Healy, deserves and is receiving the sincere sympathy of the trade because of the terrible accident that befell his father, Edward E. Wiswell, recently. Mr. Wiswell, senior, is an expert structural iron work man. He superintended the erection of the great Ferris wheel, which was the crowning engineering glory of the Chicago Columbian Exposition in 1893, and has been employed in some of the biggest structural jobs in Chicago. Three weeks ago he was directing the operation of a large company of iron workers employed in the erection of a building at the Inland Steel Company's plant at Indiana Harbor. A rope, running on the drum of a hoisting engine, became fouled. Mr. Wiswell attempted to adjust it and his hand was caught between the rapidly moving rope and the drum. He called to the engineer to throw off the power, but the man became dazed and unable to move, and Mr. Wiswell's hand was literally twisted off his arm. In the attempt to save himself he stretched forth the other hand and it, too, was so badly mangled that it had to be amputated. He was taken to St. Margaret's Hospital at Hammond, Ind., and is still there. He is a man of magnificent physique, but his condition is regarded as precarious. His faithful son visits him every day. Geissler Home and Happy. Arthur D. Geissler, general manager of the Talking Machine Co., has returned from a trip to various Florida resorts and Havana in company with his father, L. F. Geissler, general manager of the Victor Talking Machine Co. Together they inhaled the southern balmy air, caught many voracious sea monsters and enjoyed themselves thoroughly. The Chicago Geissler returned home bereft of the last vestige of the rheumatic attack which laid him low for some weeks. Upon going over the records of the Talking Machine Co. he was delighted to find that last month was the largest February in the history of the house with the exception of that of 1907. Various Personals. John Otto, of the talking machine department of Lyon & Healy, is a confirmed and inveterate Victor recitalist. "Friend" Otto gave a talk on "voice engraving" before Everett Council, National Union, last month, and was ably assisted, of course by a Victor machine. By the way, while the automobile show was in progress at the Coliseum last month, Otto showed a Victrola at Lyon & Healy's and sold it. H. L. Wilson, one time manager of the Chicago office of the Columbia Phonograph Co., and later assistant to General Manager Lyle at headquarters, was a visitor to Chicago during the month in the interests of the firm of A. J. Wilson, investments, Philadelphia, of which he is now a member. W. C. Fuhri, district manager of the Columbia Co., has just returned from a trip which included the widely separated point of Kansas City and Detroit. Well Known Iowa House Discontinues. John A. Dean, of the W. A. Dean Music Co.. Sioux City, Iowa, was in the city last week and announced to his friends that the W. A. Dean Music Co. would retire from business and that the members would go to Los Angeles, Cal., to join W. A. Dean, who was compelled to go to the California city some time since on' account of his health. While Mr. Dean made no positive statement to that effect, it is assumed that he and his father may become factors in the piano trade of that city. The company is one of the old and well-known music concerns, and were established in 1883. They have been exclusive distributors in their territory for the Columbia Phonograph Co., besides handling a fine line of pianos. They are now closing out their stock. Fibre Facts. Some decidedly convincing talk is indulged in by the B. & H. Fibre Manufacturing Co. in their page advertisement in this issue. Over at the factory on Kinzie street there is a record of Stanley's rendition of "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep," which is being played by the fiber needle over five thousand times but which hits the sub-basementnotes, and, in fact, all the notes, with the same trueuess and absence of scratchiness which characterized its premiere appearance. More fiber needles were sold in February than in any month since their appearance. Blackman Convalescent. M. M. Blackman, manager of the retail record department of Lyon & Healy, is at Mobile, Ala., for a fortnight's finish on his convalescence from an illness which confined him to his home for nearly three months. Before the next issue of The World is out he will be back on the job with his melting smile and polyglotal command of Victor titles unimpaired. AN IMPORTANT DECISION Handed Down in Ohio Whereby Edison Dealers Are Enjoined from Selling Below the Agreement Price — Also Prohibited from Selling Cylinder Records of Any Other Make — Wm. Pelzer's Views. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Springfield, 111., Feb. 28, 1910. A decision of importance to the entire talking machine industry is that handed down on February 11 by Judge Humphreys, Circuit Court of the United States, Eastern District of Illinois, sitting in this city. Rather no opinion was written, but a decree of great fulness was signed, in which John F. Brenner, an Edison dealer of Quincy, 111., and a Mrs. Clara B. Oakford, were perpetually enjoined from selling the product of the National Phonograph Co., Orange, N. J., below the agreement prices. Incidentally the court ruled that both of these parties were prohibited from selling in their store cylinder records of any other manufacturer than those of the National Co., namely, Edison goods. The defendants settled out of court all claims for damages for past violations charged. The suit was brought in the name of the New Jersey Patents Co., controlling the patents under which the National Phonograph Co. is licensed, and the inventions at issue were again declared valid. » * « * When the foregoing matter was brought to the attention of the National Phonograph Co. by The World, William Pelzer, vice-president, said: "The case is of no special importance. Brenner refused to sign our amended agreement, relative to handling the Edison line exclusively, and, of course, he was dropped from the list. Then he obtained goods through this Mrs. Oakford, and then he commenced slashing prices. We brought an ordinary 'price-cutting' suit such as The Review is familiar with, and, as in every other case of this kind, the restraining order was made perpetual. The enjoining of the parties from handling any other than Edison cylinder records, set up as a defense, was merely inci,