The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1912)

56 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. FROM OUR CHICAGO HEADQUARTERS — (Continued from page 55). I nd., was a Chicago visitor this week, placing a stock order and getting ideas by visiting the various retail departments and stores. The Taylor Co. is one of the largest furniture establishments in Indiana, and opened a Victor department last November. The department occupies handsome quarters on the main floor of the establishment, and there are some good booths. They are doing a nice business and very enthusiastic over the line. The stock order placed by Mr. Jones' was given to the Talking Machine Co., and amounted to $3,000. It included records which will give them the complete Victor catalog. Opens Victor Department. The M. Conlon & Sons furniture house, at 2333 West Madison street, Chicago, has just recently opened up . a Victor talking machine department. The Wade Cutter. Wade & Wade, this city, are having an excellent business on the Wade fibre needle cutter. This device is now handled by most of the jobbers of the country. Further particulars will be found in their advertisement elsewhere in this issue. An Important Matter. The Chicago Talking Machine Dealers' Association sent out postal cards to the local trade last week bearing the following message : "If you have not already written to your Congressman and both Senators from Illinois in reference to proposed changes in Patent Laws, please do so at once. Do not fail to tell them the best interests of Consumer, Dealer,. Wholesaler and Manufacturer are conserved by maintaining the 'one price system.' " Lyon & Healy's New Fibre Cutter. Lyon & Healy's new fibre needle cutter described and illustrated in their full page advertisement elsewhere in this issue is well worth investigating by dealers everywhere. The sale on this cutter has already reached immense proportions. L. & H. also manufacture other good talking machine auxiliaries and specialties, information regarding which can be obtained on application. Fibre Needle Progress. The fibre needle has become a staple in the talking machine field, and since the Victor Co. obtained control of it and placed its tremendous selling organization behind it it has advanced by leaps and bounds. The early struggles of F. D. Hall, of Chicago, the inventor of the fibre needle, to gain general recognition for his invention, are well-known, but to-day the large number of music lovers all over the country, one might say the world, who use the fibre needle on their disc talking machines furnishes proof positive that the inventor's faith in his device was well founded. It should be said that since the Victor Co. got hold of the fibre needle two years ago they have not been deprived of the hearty aid and co-operation of the inventor, but Mr. Hall has constantly been experimenting, and has from time to 'time submitted suggestions for improvement in machinery, processes, chemical treatment, etc., all of which have been speedily adopted with the most satisfactory results. In talking with the World lately Mr. Hall said: "I have been particularly impressed with the progress made by the Victor Co. in the manufactureof their records. In the course of my experiments on the fibre needle I have had occasion to make various tests of the Victor records, and have noticed improvement in the last few years in the Victor record composition. The present record is much smoother than formerly and shows an increased tendency to durability as well as enhanced tonal quality. I also want to say that the adoption of the idea of printing a description of the fibre needle on the Victor record envelopes was an exceedingly good one, and no doubt has been one factor in the remarkable increase in sales of the needle." Talking Machine in New Role. When the talking machine has reached a position of prominence where it becomes a means of education in the teaching of languages and music ; where its music is accredited with giving the suggestion for self destruction (a case of which was recently reported in the World) ; and where its therapeutic value is recognized by physicians ; then indeed, it would seem, has it become a factor in our national life. In its latest role the talking machine is the "burglar's friend." From Minneapolis, Minn., comes this story : "Strains of music from a talking machine early in the morning were taken advantage of by burglars to cover the noise made by their entrance into the home of P. H. Ware, 2116 Nicollet avenue. Loot valued at nearly $100 was taken while occupants of the premises, all unconscious of what was going on, sat and listened to the songs that emanated from the machine. "Members of the Ware family had been to a railroad station to meet a midnight train. When they returned to their home they set the talking machine going. Mrs. Ware said that twice while the songs were being played she heard scratching noises in other parts of the house, but thought nothing of it. Soon the family retired. "Philip Ware, 4 years old, who had been asleep in the bedrom while the music was being played, missed part of his clothing. The garments were found under a window, where the burglars had placed them as a mat to prevent the leaving of tracks. Then Mrs. Ware missed two pocketbooks of alligator and seal, one worth $18 and the other $10. In one pocketbook {here were $10 in cash, a gold chain, a locket made of a fraternity pin, a checkbook and a photograph of Mr. Ware, taken when he was 4 years old. The burglars had entered through the window and taken the articles from a dresser in the room in which the little boy slept." (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Chicago, 111, July 12, 1912. At the meeting of the National Educational Association in Chicago this week teachers from all over the country were shown the most interesting educational exhibits of talking machines that possibly have ever been made. Both the Edison and Victor companies are now devoting considerable attention to the educational application of talking machines and have made remarkable strides in their adaptation to school room uses. The Edison Co, besides its talking machine display, has in operation in its quarters at the Stratford Hotel one of the home kinetoscopes recently invented by Mr. Edison for use in the home, and in school room in teaching subjects of natural history, physical geography, etc, by moving pictures. This machine, a small, compact affair, requires only the candle power of an ordinary incandescent light for its operation. It is built upon the same principle as the standard moving picture machines and operates accordingly. It will throw a clear, clean picture about ,8x8 feet in size a distance of thirty feet. It can also be adjusted for twelve feet distance. By its use realistic action pictures of many of the world's activities can be reproduced in the school room. The machine has been completed but a short time, however its practicability has already been fully demonstrated. Th£ inventor intends that a central distributing point for a film service shall be maintained at the factory, and arrangement can then be made by each school which installs the machine with the local dealer to furnish whatever films they choose. The apparatus sells for $75 and up, depending upon the quality of lens used. It is attracting considerable attention among the teachers, who readily see its usefulness as an auxiliary to text books. The Edison Co. has also on display its new style school phonograph, a cut of which is shown in this issue. The style has never before been shown, in fact, it is a very recent product, and has not been generally advertised. It is made in two styles, the metal stand and the wooden concealed horn pat Edison Not Donor of $2,500,000. In denial of reports thatgained circulation some time ago, Thomas A. Edison emphatically states that he is not the donor of the $2,500,000 fund recently given to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston. "I have better uses for my money," said Mr. Edison. "I can use it to a thousand times better advantage than any college in the country. If I had a billion dollars I would't make such a gift. Let Rockefeller and Frick and the others who have so much money that they don't know what to do with it give their millions to the colleges if they want to. I have better use for mine." A Suggestion for Dealers. The instalment plan, or easy payment plan of sales is just now occupying considerable attention of one of the large talking machine houses in the advertising literature being sent to dealers over the country, and one fact brought to light stands out in particularly bold outline. This statement covers it : "Statistics prove that the percentage of loss through dishonest instalment purchases is too small to reckon. It isn't one-tenth the loss by straight credit." There is food for thought here to the talking machine dealer. Had you ever realized it? While you are anxious to do a credit business with thf class of people you regard as "good risks" because they have visible means, you stand ten chances of losing on them against one on the wage-earner whose business you are not so particular about because he can only afford to buy on easy payments. It is worth consideration. tern. The latter is merely a higher priced and more ornamental machine. The metal style is' upon casters to make it easily movable, has a number of metal record shelves to hold a supply of indestructible records. To go with this machine a repertoire of records has been made. These will include musical numbers' suitable for use in the school room, such as dances, marches and patriotic airs; also a number of high class popular selections. The principal and most interesting point about ' the new school talking machine equipment, however, is the special records for teaching spelling and simple problems in arithmetic. The records have been tested out fully before a school room of pupils. They have proved a great help to teachers. By their use the teacher is no longer required to perform the very tiresome task of announcing words' to spell or problems to solve. Aside from this advantage of the machine, another is that it will train the pupil to concentrate. He must learn that if he keeps up with the others in the class he must have his mind constantly upon the sound that comes from the machine. If he misses one word the machine will not be stopped for him to catch up. Sufficient time rs* given though for any normal child to perform the manual exercise indicated, and it is believed that when the child learns he cannot have the word or problem repeated at his command he will pay more attention and thus develop attention. The Edison Co. has also on display its dictating machine. The exhibit is under the direction of W. H. Ives, manager of the educational department, from Orange, N. J. Associated with him are W. H. Maxwell, general sales manager; B. H. Stearn and W. C. Hope. The Victor Co.'s exhibit is under the supervision of Mrs. Frances E. Clark, who has. been associated with the company in its school work for several years. Not only is Mrs. Clark thoroughly conversant with the company's achievements in this line, but she has done for them some very valuable work in her department. Both Mrs. Clark and Mr. Ives from the Edison Co, spoke before (Continued on page 58.) TALKING MACHINES EXHIBITED AT EDUCATIONAL CONVENTION. Both Victor Talking Machine Co. and Thos. A. Edison, Inc., Exhibit Machines and Records and Give Demonstrations Before National Educational Association at Convention in Chicago — Singing of School Children Shows Efficiency of Talking Machine Training.