The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1910)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 47 Exclusive selling rights are an exclusive Columbia policy, and it enables a good dealer to build a business and keep it. MILWAUKEE'S BUDGET OF NEWS. Spirit of Optimism Pervades Talking Machine Trade — Dealers Confident of Big Year — Jobbers Getting Liberal Orders — Gimbel Bros.' Fine New Department — Interesting Personalities— March Victor Records in Demand — Hoeffler Mfg. Co. Give Concerts — Many Visiting Dealers — A Poem by P. E. Conroy — Boost Edison Business Phonographs — Other News. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Milwaukee, Wis., March 10, 1910. A spirit of genuine optimism pervades the local talking machine trade just at the present time. Business is exceptionally good for this season of the year in both the wholesale and retail lines and predictions are being made that one of the most prosperous springs in the history of the trade will be experienced. In fact, dealers are confident that 1910 will be a "big year" in every sense of the word. Judging from the manner in which retailers about the state are restocking at this time, stocks in machines, records or supplies are far from being large. Prosperity has been decidedly in evidence with the farmers of the state during the past year and dea'.ers outside of Milwaukee say that this is reacting with favor upon the talking machine business. "The wholesale business is keeping up remarkably well," said Lawrence McGreal, the well known jobber. "Dealers about the state have been buying much better than we had anticipated and the indications all point to a big spring trade. The Edison Amberola is selling remarkably well and the only trouble we are experiencing is to keep enough machines on hand to satisfy the trade. The Victrola trade is daily on the increase also." One of the finest retail talking machine establishments in this city will soon be opened when Gimbel Bros., leading department store proprietors of the city, have completed their new quarters to house the complete line of Victor machines, records and supplies now handled by the big store. The piano department has been moved to new and larger quarters on the sixth floor of the store and the former piano quarters on the second floor are now being remodeled for the talking machine department. Everything rill be strictly modern and the best that money can provide. Five sound-proof parlors are being prepared, to say nothing of an elaborate Victrola auditorium, something entirely new in this city. The new department is under the supervision of E. S. Bridge, manager of the piano department, but is in direct charge of L. C. Parker, an enthusiastic talking machine man. Miss Gertrude Gannon, sister-in-law of Lawrence McGreal and the new owner of the McGreal retail store, has just returned to Milwaukee from two weeks' recreation at West Baden. Miss Gannon reports that the retail trade is exceptionally good for this season. E. P. Plume, western wholesale manager of the Columbia Phonograph Co., Chicago, was the guest of A. G. Kunde, the local Columbia dealer, recently. There are several big features in the new Victor records for March that are proving to be good sellers with the Milwaukee trade. One of them is a record by Commander Robert E. Peary, on "The Discovery of the North Pole," in which the discoverer gives an absorbing description of his journey to the apex of the earth. The three new records by Harry Lauder are also making a decided hit. Several successful concerts have been conducted by the Hoeffler Manufacturing Co., of this city, during the past month under the direction of Manager J. H. Becker, Jr. A concert on the auxetophone at the recent Milwaukee automobile show at the Auditorium was one of the features of the week and proved a strong counter attraction to the large array of automobiles on display. Another auxetophone concert, held at the Grand Avenue Congregational Church, one of the fashionable churches of the city, was greatly appreciated by a very responsive audience. After a fine offering of sacred and classical music, Mr. Becker let loose with a little popular music that made a great hit. These concerts have been doing much to interest a class of trade that hitherto has not been over enthusiastic over the talking machine proposition. Roy J. Keith, of the Talking Machine Co., of Chicago, called upon the Milwaukee trade recently. E. H. Phillips, manager of the credit department of the National Phonograph Co., and William P. Hope were also visitors. William A. Schmidt, traveling wholesale representative of Lawrence McGreal, is meeting with a ready business in northern Wisconsin. A large number of out-of-town Wisconsin talking machine dealers were in Milwaukee recently purchasing their spring stocks, including: William J. Voss, Appleton; Mr. Laun, of Laun & Erbe. New Holstein; E. O. Chase, Oshkosh; H. C. Smith, Whitewater: Otto Goldner and A. J. Buroff, Watertown; C. Hecker, Cambria; Mr. Iverson, of Reton Bros., Stevens Point, and C. H. Krause, of Port Washington. A. G. Kunde, new owner of the downtown Columbia store, is now completely settled in his new quarters at 51G Grand avenue. A good business in both machines and records is reported by Mr. Kunde. P. E. Conroy, the well known piano dealer of St. Louis, in a recent letter of condolence to Lawrence McGreal, Milwaukee's well known talking machine jobber, enclosed the following poem touching upon Mr. McGreal's recent bereavement in the loss of his little son, Jack McGreal. Mr. Conroy is a life long friend of the Milwaukee talking machine jobber. LINES TO MY OLD FRIEND, LAWRENCE McGKEAL. While sitting all alone to-night. My thoughts revert to thee ; My dear old friend in days gone by, When we could happy be. Life, then to us had many charms, Youth conquered all our woes; Real grief was then unknown to us, Nor numbered with our foes. • Time brings to all both joy and grief. She wounds and heals by turns ; Each one must take his place In line. And bear her scalds and burns. Each thinks he bears the greatest load, Its weight appears so great; But all alike must bear his share, 'Twas so ordained by Fate. Life is not composed of sunshine, To form an endless chain ; Its many links too oft consist Of darkness and of rain. When memory's book unfolds the past, Each page recalls anew The trials, which we fought through life, Now brought again to view. The brave, true heart will surely say, It must be selfish love. To want his child to bear earth's woes, When God chose heaven above. The sacrifice you've had to make Will one day be repaid, When all our earthly toils are o'er And cares aside are laid God, in His justice, then will say, "Your cross you nobly bore, Come join our heavenly kingdom Where partings arc no more." — P..-E. Conroy, The Edison business phonograph received a big boost in Milwaukee recently when it was installed in the offices of R. G. Dunn & Co. Several fine sales in this line are reported by J. H. Becker, Jr., manager of the talking machine department of the Hoeffler Manufacturing Co. "The Edison business phonograph should be in every up-to-date office and the time is coming when I hope to see this brought about in Milwaukee," said Mr. Becker. WHAT HAPPENEDJTHE BORROWER. Bunch of Woe That Struck a Too Economical Dealer Who Wanted a Trade Paper Free. Once upon a time a dealer who was too economical to take a trade paper sent his little boy to borrow the copy taken by his neighbor. In his haste, the boy ran over a four-dollar stand of bees, and in ten minutes looked like a watery summer squash. His cries reached his father, who ran to his assistance, and failing to see a barbwire fence, ran into it, breaking it down, cutting a handful of flesh from his anatomy and ruining a fivedollar pair of trousers. The old cow took advantage of the gap in the fence, got into the cornfield and killed herself eating green corn. Hearing the racket, his wife ran. upsetting a four-gallon churn full of rich cream into a basket of kittens, drowning the whole "flock." In her hurry she dropped a sevendollar set of teeth. The baby, left alone, crawled through the spilled milk into the parlor and ruined a twenty-dollar carpet. During the excitement the oldest daughter ran away with the hired man, the calves got out and the dog broke up eleven sitting hens. The L. W. Thompson Co. have opened a talking machine store on Fourth avenue, Louisville, Ky., with S. W. Blankenbaker as manager, and handle a complete line of Edison and Victor machines and records.