The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1910)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. THE VICTROLA IN THE WHITE HOUSE. A Favorite with the President and His Family — Used to Entertain Guests — Grand Opera Records Favored. Phdto Copyright l>y Waldon One of the prominent objects in the music room of the White House — the famous Blue room — during the administration of President Taft is a Victor Victrola, which is supplied with a large and choice library of records. The President and his family are enthusiastic admirers of the talking machine and entertain the guests at the White House with concerts on the Victrola on frequent occasions. Both Mr. and Mrs. Taft are musical, the latter being principal patron and supporter of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for many years. Then, too, when presidential responsibili Pawectt, Washington, D. C. ties weigh heavily upon Mr. Taft he often finds solace in the music of the Victrola. While grand opera records are his favorites, he is not above listening to popular selections occasionally and has a number of records of the latter nature. We take pleasure in presenting herewith a photograph of the Victrola as it appears in the White House, specially taken for The Talking Machine World. Enshrined in a bower of azaleas, it presents a most attractive picture. It is worthy of its environment in the home of the nation's chief executive. FILE PETITION IN BANKRUPTCY. Creditors of Maurice J. Harrison Take Action to Recover on Notes — Claim That He Made General Assignment. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Boston, Mass., April 6, 1910. An involuntary bankruptcy petition was filed in the United States District Court last week against Maurice J. Harrison, doing business as the Bowdoin Square Phonograph Co. The petition was brought by Aaron Schwartz, Louis R. Hunter and Samuel Linsky, who hold claims on notes. They allege that Harrison made a general assignment for the benefit of his creditors on March 25. HOW MR. DIPPEL HEARS THE OPERA. Andreas Dlppel, the retiring administrative manager of the Metropolitan Opera House, has an apparatus in his office which brings the music of the opera to him while he is sitting at his desk. In a corner of the room up near the ceiling is a horn like the transmitter of a talking machine. If Mr. Dippel wants to know how far an opera has proceeded he goes to the wall, throws on a switch as though he were lighting an electric lamp and out of the horn comes the music of the opera. At the end of an act or an aria comes the sound of the handclapping. "I can tell how successful a new artist is," said Mr. Dippel, "from that horn. I can judge from the applause the number of curtain calls as faithfully as though I were in the body of the house." C. ALFRED WAGNER MARRIED. C. Alfred Wagner, manager of the talking machine department of the Henry F. Miller & Sons' Co., Boston, was recently married to Mrs. C. L Haines. The wedding took place at Arlington, Mass., at the home of the relatives of the bride. Mr. and Mrs. Wagner left immediately upon a wedding tour occupying several weeks. GAUMONT CO.'S STATEMENT. Explain That the Gaumont Chronophone Co., of Cleveland, Who Are Now in Financial Difficulties Have No Relation Directly or Indirectly with the Gaumont Co. of New York. We are in receipt of the following communication from the Gaumont Co., 124 Bast 25th street, New York, which speaks for itself: "Dear Sir — Our attention is called to an article in your issue No. 2, Vol. VI., of February 15, 1910, which article, dated Cleveland, O., February 8, 1910, contains a reference to the difficulties of the Gaumont Chronophone Co. of that city. The company to which you refer, which, by the way, has no relation direct or indirect with this company, was organized in Cleveland with a view to selling Gaumont machines manufactured in France. It has never had authority to manufacture or in any way exploit Gaumont inventions, and has forfeited its selling privilege by failure to take and pay for, during the first year of its existence, the stipulated number of machines. "There is no outstanding subscription for stock of that company by Mr. Gaumont or any of the companies in which the latter is interested. In exchange for the selling privilege the Cleveland company did issue stock of the par value of $100, 000, the value of which disappeared with the privilege against which it was issued. Our company was organized under the laws of the State of New York and should not be mistaken for the company to which you refer. "The above particulars are given you at the request of Leon Gaumont, who is president of this company, but the writer has personal knowledge of the facts given above. "It is hoped that you will publish this letter with a view to preventing a confusion in the minds of people in the trade with respect to the identity of the insolvent Cleveland company and our company. "It may be added that neither Mr. Gaumont nor any officer of the Societe des Etablksenients Gaumont has had any connection with the Cleveland company, which was launched and controlled by Messrs. R. E. McKisson and Max Falkenauer. Yours respectfully, Gaumont Co., "H. Blad, Secretary and Treasurer." VICTOR CO.'S CORRECTION. In correction of a mis-statement recently made and frankly acknowledged by the Victor Talking Machine Co., Camden, N. J., they recently sent out the following explanatory letter: "Camden, N. J., March 16, 1910. "To the Talking Machine Trade — The Victor Talking Machine Co. recently announced the making of an exclusive contract with Harry Lauder under which, from that date, he was to make records only for the Victor. The contract rights of the National Phonograph Co., Ltd., of London, Eng., were promptly brought to the attention of the Victor Co., and, accepting the statements of the National Phonograph Co., of Orange, N. J., that such a contract was and is in existence, we are pleased to correct our previous statement that Mr. Lauder is making records exclusively for us — the fact being that Mr. Lauder is making disc records only for us exclusively in the United States. Yours very truly, "Victor Talking Machine Co., "Louis F. Geissler, General Manager." The J. W. Jenkins Sons Music Co., the wellknown jobbers of Victor talking machines and Edison phonographs, and who have built up a large business in talking machine supplies, report that their Thorn needle, of which they have something to say in their advertisement elsewhere in this issue, is meeting with great success. Jobbers report that customers who have u?ed the Thorn needle speak very highly of it, and the Jenkins Sons Co. are steadily enlarging the popularity sphere of this specialty. Records of recitations and readings by wellknown personalities are growing in demand.