The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1912)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 13 PACIFIC COAST CONDITIONS. Trade Quiet but Healthy in San Francisco — Situation in Southern California Discussed by W. S. Gray — Mauzy Improvements — Daniels Withdraws from J. R. Smith Co. — E. W. Scott in New Quarters — J. J. Black in Automobile Accident — Wm. W. Wyper, of Australia, on Way to Edison Factory. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) San Francisco, Cal., May 6, 1912. The talking machine dealers along the Coast have by no means been swamped with business during April, but as the month is usually a quiet one in this line there is no complaint, reports in most cases being better than for the same period last year. Just now sales of records are picking up again and the opening of the outing season is expected to bring out considerable activity in the cheaper classes of goods. Few changes have been made of late, as the local departments all completed their improvements earlier in the season and are now well equipped to handle all the business they can get. Dealers in some towns which have a large summer population are placing goodsized orders, but those in other parts of the country are inclined to hold off until the principal crops are harvested. Andrew G. McCarthy, of Sherman, Clay & Co., states that, notwithstanding the apparent quietness of business in general, a comparison of the past month's Victor sales with those of April, 1911, shows quite an encouraging gain in both wholesale and retail departments. He has just received a large shipment of Victrolas, most of which are being shipped out without delay, and this brings the month's record up considerably. W. S. Gray, Coast manager for the Columbia Phonograph Co., has just returned from a ten days' trip through southern California, having gone as far south as San Diego. On his way back he visited the towns of the San Bernardino valley, which he had not seen for five years or more, and says that all the towns of that district have made a surprising growth. He is well pleased also with conditions in all other parts of southern California. Since the first of the year the San Francisco office of this company has confined itself to wholesale business exclusively, and Mr. Gray is very well pleased with the results, stating that the volume of sales has never been as large as for the last four months. This policy has apparently resulted in a wider distribution, and with more dealers giving their attention to Columbia goods they have made a very decided gain. H. L. Wilson, assistant general manager of the Columbia Phonograph Co., is expected to arrive at the San Francisco office about May 8 on his tour of the country. A. G. Farquharson, traveler for the company in the southern California and Arizona territory, has just started on a visit to the factory and central offices of the company. E. A. Parsons, who has been for years connected with the Dictaphone department of the Chicago office, has been transferred to San Francisco and is taking charge of that department here. Miss M. B. Brown, for some years past bookkeeper for the San Francisco office, was married a couple of weeks ago to Wm. R. Roblin. Byron Mauzy has made some, additional improvements in his talking machine rooms and is well pleased with the increase .of business brought by the special attention he is giving to this department. The first two talking machine recitals, given when the new records appeared, were so successful that Herman Beck, the talking machine manager, decided to make the recital a daily event. Some advertising has ben done in this connection and the little hall connected with the department has been crowded every afternoon for the last week. This has naturally brought out quite a lot of record business, as well as a good number of prospects for high-priced machines. E. W. Scott, who handles Columbia goods in the Kohler & Chase store, is now comfortably settled in his new quarters on the balcony over the general offices and enjoying a much more active business as a result of his more prominent and accessible position. The rooms are about the finest in the city, the entire department being enclosd by glass walls, while the separate rooms also are of glass, in solid mahogany frames. A hallway between the front and the rooms excludes all outside sounds, and another passage between the rooms, with record racks on one side in the approved manner is located at the rear. Mr. Scott has a private office on the side next the street, the demonstration rooms being lighted by handsome electroliers, and the whole place is comfortably and handsomely furnished. An important change has taken place in the J. Raymond Smith Co., R. A. Daniels having withdrawn from the organization and taken over its store on Market street, near the Ferry building, in which talking machine goods are a leading feature. While Mr. Daniels gives much of his attention to the piano end of the business he has efficient help on the talking machine end, and his improvements in the quarters and arrangement of stock have COMING THE ALTO BRAKE IX KNOWS WHEN TO STOP " An Automatic Mechanical Brake, for Talking Machines, built on new principles This is the only Brake on the market that does not require adjusting for every record Attached Without Altering Your Machine and Without Tools This Brake Works Slowly, Softly, Surely AN ATTRACTIVE PROPOSITION FOR DEALERS ALTO SALES COMPANY 1507 Humboldt Bank Building San Francisco, Cal. shown quick results. This store catches practically all the commuters' trade, which is a big item in machines as well as records, and Mr. Daniels expresses great satisfaction with the location. James J. Black, manager of the Wiley B. Allen Co.'s talking machine department, recently had his wrist broken in cranking his automobile, but is looking after business as usual. Fie is greatly pleased with the improvements recently made in his department, the new elevator between the ground floor and the rooms in the basement being a great time saver as well as a convenience to customers. The Pacific Phonograph Co. reports quite a heavy demand for records this month, but has found the movement of machines rather light. The interest in the Edison Opera machine, however, helps to compensate for the dulness in other lines. Mr. Grafton, who has charge of Benj. Curtaz & Son's talking machine business, has been putting in some very effective work of late. At his suggestion some radical improvements were made in the arrangement of the department, and further improvements are contemplated. Wm. W. Wyper, managing director of Thomas A. Edison, Ltd.,, of Sydney, Australia, passed through San Francisco early in April on his way to the factory, and stopped for a visit to several local dealers. The Wiley B. Allen Co. recently made one of the prettiest and most striking talking machine displays ever seen in San Francisco, the occasion being the production of the "Pink Lady" in a local theater. The display, of course, featured "Pink Lady" records, but the attraction was a life-size model in a handsome pink costume, which was borrowed from a local department slore and placed in the window. MORE PRICE CUTTERS RESTRAINED. Thomas A. Edison, Inc., Secures Restraining Orders in the United States District Court in Illinois Against Two Concerns in That State. The United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, on April 10, handed clown restraining orders against Robert Saxby, W. R. Saxby and Charles Saxby and against Clarence F. Brawley, on the charge of price cutting made by the New Jersey Patent Company and Thomas A. Edison, Inc. The action brought in Springfield is only in line with the policy of Thomas A. Edison, Inc., to insist upon the maintenance of the prices on Edison phonographs and records and indicates the light in which the courts regard price cutting on such products. The restraining orders referred to above were handed down by Judge Humph rey. ENGAGED, PHONOGRAPHS IT. Girl's Odd Way of Making Announcement to Her Friends. . (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Leominster, Mass., May 8, 1912. Miss Edith Lee Dewitt startled some friends whom she had invited to meet her brother's bride^ to-be, Miss Otis of Medford, by having a phonos graph announce her own engagement. "We'll have a song on the phonograph," said. Miss Dewitt to her guests. She cranked up the machine and then came these words, in the voice of the young woman's father: "Ladies and gentlemen, I beg to announce the engagement of my daughter, Miss Edith Lee Dewitt, to Vallery H. Tarbell, of No. 1293 Commonwealth avenue, Boston. Now get busy, for the next thing on the programme is the congratulations." WILL VISIT EUROPE. Marc K. Mermod, head of Mermod & Co., 505 Fifth avenue, New .York, sails in a week or two for a three month's sojourn in Europe, where he will divide his time between business and pleasure,