The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1912)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 49 MORE ATTENTION TO TALKERS. San Francisco Houses Increasing Facilities for Handling the Business — Many New Branches Opened — Grafonola-Victrola-Amberola Club Organized in Oakland — Baseball Teams Organized by Talking Machine Men — J. Raymond Smith Co. Opens New Store — Emil Cruells Moves Store to Larger Quarters — Other Changes in the Local Trade — Girard Piano Co. Recovers from Effects of Fire. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) San Francisco, Cal., March 8, 1912. There is somewhat more activity in the city trade than last month, as the demand for new machines is more in evidence than after the holidays, and the record business is keeping up in fine shape. Local music houses are giving more attention to the talking machine department all the time, realizing that there are still great undeveloped possibilities in this line, and that for the next few years it is likely to be more profitable than ever before. A good many new stores and departments have also been opened in the country lately, and up to the middle of February the outside trade showed considerable gain, but since then sales have fallen off in some districts. This is attributed to the lack of rain, which, with dry north winds for the last two weeks, has caused great anxiety throughout the state. If March brings the usual heavy showers a good season may be predicted, but meanwhile buyers are inclined to hold off. New Talking Machine Club. Talking machine men of Oakland, Cal., have organized the Oakland Grafonola-Victrola-Amberola Club, which met for the first time about the end of January, and now gathers about a luncheon table at an Oakland restaurant every Wednesday. The friendly feeling engendered by these meetings, and the discussion of important trade topics from various points of view, are regarded by all the members as a decided benefit. Baseball Teams Organized. The music houses of San Francisco and Oakland have organized rival baseball teams for the season of 1912, in which the talking machine men take a leading part. The first game of the season took place on Washington's birthday in Oakland, the Oakland team being the winner with a score of 11 to 2, owing largely to the expert twirling of Mr. Fallon, the Oakland pitcher. Captain James Clancy of Oakland played a fine game and Jack Clancy of the same team was the heavy hitter of the day. Captain Rothlin and Catcher Baker of the San Francisco team played good ball. The second game of the series will be played in San Francisco soon. The teams were as follows : San Francisco — Rothlin If, Dinkel lb, Baker c, O'Connor ss, T. Little p, Moore rf, S. Little cf, Bird 2b, Lydon 3b. Oakland — James Clancy If, Munjar 2b, Dougherty cf, Jack Clancy lb, Blodgett c, Henry ss, Bury 3b, Nichols rf, Fallon p. J. Raymond Smith Co. Open New Store. The most important development in the local trade is the opening of a new store by the J. Raymond Smith Co., which will occur in about a week. The store will be on Union street in the North Beach district, where most of the Italians of San Francisco reside, and for the present will have little nearby competition. While some piano, small instrument and sheet music business will be done, the place will be mainly a talking machine store, and is being fitted up especially for that purpose. The local Italians have always been among the most enthusiastic supporters of the talking machine business, and will doubtless patronize the new establishment in good shape. The store will also be near the Harbor View site of the Exposition, from which much additional business may be drawn. Moving to Larger Store. The Mission Phonograph and Piano Co., operated by Emil Cruells, formerly at 2687 Mission street, is moving into a large store at 2530 Mission street, which has been fitted up on up-to-date lines and will afford much more ample space than the old location. This company, which is one of the leading talking machine concerns of the Mission district, also has a branch on Sixteenth street. Improving Store Equipment. Benjamin Curtaz & Sons have not yet completed the changes in their talking machine department, but have made some improvements, and will probably carry out alterations on a larger scale than was at first contemplated. Byron Mauzy is taking more interest in his talking machine department than for some time past. He says things have started out in great style this year, and is making preparations for the future by fitting up several new talking machine rooms on the fifth floor of his building. The Wiley B. Allen Co. has started the projected work of improvement in its local talking machine department, the principal change being the installation of an automatic elevator, connecting tne volume of Victor business for February. Visiting Sherman, Clay & Co. Branches. Andrew G. McCarthy, head of the talking machine department of Sherman, Clay & Co., has been away for the last couple of weeks on one of his regular trips among the Northern branches, but is expected back early next week. Before leaving Mr. McCarthy expressed great satisfaction with the volume of Victor business for February, in both retail and wholesale departments. E. W. Scott in New Quarters. The fitting up of the new talking rooms for E. W. Scott, on the mezzanine floor of the Kohler & Chase building, took more time than was expected, but Mr. Scott is now moving down from the fifth floor, and will be comfortably settled in another week. He has had a steady rush of business all month, and expects to do much better in the new quarters, which are more accessible and in a more conspicuous position. He is justified in the opinion that he has the finest talking machine rooms in the city, as the place has been fitted up and decorated in highly artistic fashion. Geo. W. Lyle on Coast Visit. W. S. Gray, Pacific Coast manager for the Columbia Phonograph Co., has just left for Los Angeles, where he will meet George W. Lyle, general manager of the company. Mr. Lyle had special business which took him to the Southwest, and decided to continue to San Francisco. He will not make the Northern territory this trip, however, but will return East from here via Salt Lake City. Mr. Gray states that the February business locally has been considerably ahead of the preceding month. M. B. Sharp, for some time with the Columbia Phonograph Co. in this city, is now with Mr. Scott in the Kohler & Chase building. Recovers from Effects of Fire. The Girard Piano Co. of Oakland opened its new talking machine department only a little before the end of the year, and suffered a fire loss before the place was well established. Since then, however, everything has been put in good order, and the department has already proved itself a most valuable addition to the business. J. M. Wheat, manager of the department, is enthusiastic over the start made, and looks for a big business. A. R. Pommer in III Health. A. R. Pommer, head of the Pacific Phonograph Co., is still suffering from rheumatism, and is able to be at his office only about one day in the week. He is well satisfied with business conditions, however, and says collections are coming in extremely well. So far he is not worrying much about the dry weather, and believes that the outside business in California will revive by the end of the month, while his sales in the north coast district are fully up to expectations. HONOR FOR MARCONI. Wireless Pioneer Made Life Member of Italian Senate. A dispatch from Rome states that Guglielmo Marconi, pioneer of wireless telegraphy and who is also keenly interested in the talking machine business, having been associated in a consulting capacity with the Columbia Phonograph Co., was on Monday made a life member of the Senate. This followed his refusal of the offer made by King Victor of Italy to elevate him to the nobility. <If The offices of this trade newspaper institution are now located at 373 FOURTH AVENUE Near Twenty-seventh Street Telephones 5982-5983 Madison Square The Talking Machine World The Music Trade Review Trade and Technical Publications