The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1911)

1« THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. The Columbia exclusive dealer runs his own business to suit himself— what ive do is to supply the best machines and records that can be made, and guarantee that he has no Columbia competitors. He has no fear of the others. Columbia Phonograph Co., Genl., Tribune Building, New York. TRADE NEWS FROM GOLDEN GATE. Business Hampered by Weather Conditions, but Shows Steady Improvement — Jobbers at Other Points on the Coast — A. R. Pommer to Visit the East — Pushing the Edison Line — Hauschildt IVIusic Co. Take Over Clark Wise & Co. Stock — A. G. McCarthy Visits Sherman, Clay & Co. Branches — Important . Columbia Co. Connection. (Special to the Talking Machine World.) San Francisco, Cal., Feb. 28, 1911. Business has been somewhat hampered by bad weather for the last month, but on the whole there has been considerable improvement over January in both wholesale and retail business. As is natural at this season, the demand for records has been the principal feature and has run heavier than last winter on all lines, but particularly on the more expensive and higher classes of goods. The demand for machines of most descriptions is still quiet, but there is a steady inquiry for some of the newer models, in some cases exceeding the supply immediately available. The local distributing firms take a' very optimistic view of the outlook for the year. Sufficient time has elapsed since the holidays to size up the situation and there is every indication of at least as great a gain as was experienced in 1910. The ground is already pretty well covered in the cities and larger towns of the coast, but all of them, from Seattle to San Diego, are growing rapidly, and at the same time the talking machine is rapidly increasing in favor. The growth outside the cities is hardly less rapid and it is fairly certain that the year will bring the establishment of large numbers of new stores and agencies through the country. Moreover, every new improvement to the talking machine brings it into favor with a host of people who formerly gave it no attention, and the replacement of old machines with new ones of better quality is steadily going on. A. R. Pommer, head of the Pacific Phonograph Co., expects to leave for the East early in April, or perhaps sooner. He took a short trip to Sacramento early this month and reports the business there in excellent shape with a fine outlook for the distributive business all over the Sacramento Valley. In fact, he considers this one of the best parts of his territory this season. Mr. Pommer reports an exceptionally heavy demand in some lines this month, the sale of records being a surprise, while the Music Master horn has been selling in a larger way than was expected at this time of year. There was some delay in getting new goods during the stormy period, as some shipments were tied up for a week or more. This firm, however, makes a specialty of keeping a complete stock of Edison goods on hand and the provision made for such emergencies just about carried it through. The various improvements in the company's quarters are now complete and it is safe to say that it has one of the most convenient, as well as largest, wholesale talking machine warehouses in the country. W. A. Voltz, the Edison factory representative in this territory, spent the early part of the month in San Francisco and vicinity, visiting the Pacific Phonograph Co., Peter Bacigalupi & Sons and leading Edison dealers. He is now traveling through the northern part of the .State, calling on every Edison dealer along the route. Mr. Voltz expresses high approval of Babson Bros.' entrance into this territory, saying that their success will give a practical illustration of the possibility of handling Edison goods exclusively, which few, if any, dealers in this territory have done in the past. He covered the greater part of southern California and the oil fields before coming here and found conditions only fair in the South after the first of the year. The oil district, he says, is booming, with 1 ew towns springing up all over the country. Mr. Voltz is giving a lot of attention to the Model O, o\er which he is quite enthusiastic. Mr. Hopkins, formerly of the Hopkins Bros. Co., of Des Moines, one of the best known talking machine men in the Middle West, arrived here a couple of weeks ago and expects to make this his home and place of business. He says he decided on San Francisco as his future place of residence some six years ago, on his first visit, but has been unable to leave Des Moines until now. He intends to handle Edison goods and is at present with Peter Bacigalupi & Sons in the business phonograph department. The most important bit of news that has come out in a long time is the announcement just made public that Clark Wise & Co. have sold out their entire business to the Hauschildt Music Co. Mr. Wise has expressed some dissatisfaction with the piano business for several years, but regarded the talking machine department as a decidedly good thing. He has decided, however, to take up an office specialty line, which will require all his attention. He believes that his talking machine department was one of the largest retail concerns of this class in the city and its acquisition will certainly be an important matter for the Hauschildt Music Co. The latter house has also had a large talking machine department in the past and has been gradually gaining headway in the local trade. The company's department in Oakland has had a large business for several years. Andrew G. McCarthy, head of Sherman, Clay & Co.'s talking machine and small goods business, returned recently from a visit to the branches in the north, cutting his trip rather short to be in at the celebration of the success of the PanamaPacific Exposition boosters. He is well satisfied with the recent record of the northern branches and is confident that they will show a remarkable increase this year. The situation at Portland is especially encouraging. Mr. McCarthy has been importuned by retailers all over the territory for more Victrolas, and while practically all the machines received are shipped out as fast as they come in, it has been impossible for the last few weeks to prevent an accumulation of back orders. He believes, however, that the number of these machines shipped to the coast will again be increased this year and hopes to fill all orders promptly from now on. An important arrangement recently closed is the placing of the Colwwbia goods with the Hauschildt Music Co. Complete stocks of this line have been taken on at both the San Francisco and Oakland establishments, and with the company's growing business in. both cities, the deal is expected to be of considerable benefit to the Columbia Co. A number of other dealers around the State have been supplied with new stocks of Columbia goods during the month and the regular business of the San Francisco office is going ahead in fine shape. The Geo. J. Birkel Co. are now comfortably settled in their new building in Los Angeles. The structure was especially designed for this firm, with special attention to the talking machine department, and according to all reports from the southern city it is one of the best equipped departments on the coast. A VISITOR FROM MONTANA. F. A. Scheuber, of the Scheuber Drug Co., Livingston, Mont., who also handle pianos — a rather strange combination — as well as the Columbia graphophone line, was in New York for several days last week, going home Friday. He visited the executive offices of the Columbia Phonograph Co., General, and renewed their agreement. The company have the exclusive Columbia rights in Montana and the half each of North and South Dakota. EDISON'S VOICE FOR WIFE ALONE. The Inventor Declines Soidan High School Boys' Request for a Phonographic Record. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) St. Louis, Feb. 28, 1911. That no record of his voice will ever be made except for his wife is what Thomas A. Edison, inventor of the phonograph, has written to the president of the boys' science department of Soidan High School, who wrote the inventor asking for such a record. The science club was organized last year and was named the "Edison club." On Monday an "Edison day" was held and desiring to supplement it with a phonographic reproduction of the inventor's own voice, Harry P. Schienberg, the club president, wrote and asked Mr. Edison for a record. In reply was received Mr. Edison's letter saying that only his wife would ever possess a record of his voice through phonographic perpetuation. The letter is to be framed by the boys of the club. PROSPERITY AND FREEDOM. Prosperity is bad for a man or woman if it does not lead them to think nobler thoughts and do nobler deeds. A man may be worth his millions and still be a slave. Let the cogs in your thought-mill be firmly imbedded in the body of the wheel. Then let the thought-wheels whirl as do the worlds in space, until new thoughtworlds fly off — Ah! that brain-mill within the cranium is a wonderful piece of mechanism. Many a six-story brow fronts a one-story intellect.