The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1912)

42 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. Columbia business is already running 60% ahead of 1911: that's a good gait to travel with, "Come on along." The going's good. Columbia Phonograph Co., Gen'l Tribune Building, New York PICKED UP ON THE BOARDWALK— (Continued from page 39). Orleans, from Florida, from New England and then in between. It is the sort of proposition that makes traveling pay a dividend. The official bv.Itons for the members of the association showed the typical houn' dawg mi die center with "You Gotta Quit Kickin' My Dawg 'Aroun' " in the inner circle and the name of he Harry B. Levy, Carl A. Droop and Wm. C. Roberts. association on the outside. With the aniv utrement of the nomination of Wilson for Pr.^si^ent on the Democratic ticket, soni2 of the members began looking for '.he party responsible for the buttons, but he wasn't to be found. The presence of O. K. Houck, of Little Rock, Ark., is sufficient in itself to ensure the success of the meeting for "O. K." has a keen wit and an unfailing good nature that is most efficient in preventing time from hanging heavy on the hands of those with whom he is consorting. Mr. Houck moreover didn't hesitate to put his O. K. on anything that pleased him, from the slides on the Steeplechase pier to Max Landay's hat. One of those to make the trip from New York to the convention city via automobile was Max Landay, of Landay Bros., and the Talking Machine Supply Co., who had in the car with him Thomas W. Kirkman, inventor of the Simplex start and stop device. Owing to a prevalance of thunder storms during the day and an epidemic of blowouts, it took the Landay party about ten hours to make the trip of about 133 miles. Ben Feinberg, who was formerly connected with various concerns in the talking machine trade but subsequently reformed and entered another field, also journeyed down from New York in his motor for the purpose of meeting his old friends. Feinberg is all there with his landaulet and has risen to the dignity of hiring a private chauffeur. There were four distinct types of stopping devices for disc machines, one of them also starting the machine, shown at the convention, and there was some talk of forming a stop manufacturers' association. Each particular device had its merits and its talking and selling points and as a rule attracted much attention. The cabinets and needles were also shown in great numbers by the old standbys and the passage way leading from the hotel lobby to the meeting room of the Jobbers' Association, had the" appearance of a general exhibition of talking machine appliances. The harmony idea, which was much in evidence during the closing session of the association and at the banquet was cleverly emphasized in the menu card of the latter occasion when the Edison and Victor trademarks were artistically combined to form the design, at the top of the card. The sketch showed the Victor dog seated on a table gazing with his . well-known expression at the old couple who were looking at him with the same degree of pleasure with which they are supposed to listen to the Edison records. The combination received much favorable comment from the diners. Just to prove that the talking machine jobbers are strictly up-to-date in everythinng from politics to business, arrangements were made to have the convention at Atlantic City reported in an entirely modern and novel manner by means of a shorthand typewriter. The clever machine, which is almost human in its action, is handled by the Ander Mr. and Mrs. E. Paul Hamilton. son Shorthand Typewriter Co., of Philadelphia, Mr. Anderson, of the company, being the inventor. It has been thoroughly developed and perfected. The machine is so . arranged that each finger and thumb controls a set of two keys, and the single pressure of the hands serves to print the actual word in full on a strip of paper, which latter moves along automatically, as in the case of an adding machine. The object in operating the machine with speed is to accustom each finger to do a cer tain thing with certain words, just as would be the case in striking chords on a piano. At all events there are no illegible shorthand notes to puzzle over and get wrong. There was much interest manifested before the convention as to what action the jobbers would take, as an association, regarding the plan to have the manufacturers adopt two set prices for their instruments, one a cash price and another, somewhat higher, for instalment purchasers. The matter was discussed at great length in the meeting, but owing to the present agitation regarding the Oldfield bill it was thought best to leave the matter in the hands of the executive committee to take up with the companies at a proper time and after the pending legislation had been settled, for it was deemed unwise to bring up the set price question at this time. At the same time it was reported that the campaign for two prices carried on by both jobbers and dealers was continually gaining strength and appears almost certain of success, for the companies are willing to consider the matter when properly presented and shown to be the general desire of the trade. James F. Bowers' report as chairman of the grievance committee was characteristic of the man. He said: "Not a wave of trouble arose to cross our peaceful breast." It might be mentioned, however, that Mr. Bowers was decidedly on the job in protecting the prerogatives of the executive committee on all occasions when there seemed danger of its privileges and rights being usurped. Another important motion passed in the convention was that instructing the executive committee of the association to take up with the factories the question of increasing the oize of initial orders from three to five machines and from one hundred to two hundred records, as a protection to the bona fide and established dealer. One of the attractive convention souvenirs was the leather watch fob given to the jobbers by W. H. Bagshaw, the prominent needle manufacturer of Lowell, Mass., and who was represented at Atlantic City by Clement Beecroft. A small leather One of the Attrac badge attached to the tive Convention f0D bore the name and Souvenirs. address of the donor.