The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1913)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 1 1 RECOVERING FROM FRIGHTFUL TORNADO IN OMAHA. An Interesting Account of Catastrophe From <V. Hospe of the A. Hospe Co. — Business Center Not Affected, the Loss Being Confined to Residential Quarters — Great Loss of Talking Machines and Pianos Sold on Instalments a Severe Blow to the Dealers. The people of Omaha with thai indomitable courage which is characteristically American when confronting a great disaster, have been working like trojans for the past week, getting order out of chaos, relieving the wants of those in need, and are fast getting the city into ship shape. A report from our correspondent at that point, just" as we go to press, .is most optimistically worded, ami everyone is manifesting that spirit of Ne Looking Southeast from 23d and Lake Streets, Omaha, Neb. braskan push that will overcome even as great a calamity as that caused by this fearful tornado, which swept a clean path of from two to four blocks wide and a distance of at least six miles through the city, causing great loss of life and property on Easter Sunday. The Schmoller & Mueller Piano Co., in a letter to The World, says : "No piano houses damaged' by the tornado that we know of. Have lost considerable through damaged instruments out on rent and instalment." A. Hospe, president of the A. Hospe Piano Co., is recovering. It happened to be a piano mover, who was dressed ready to leave the house, and when the tornado hit his house and him it denuded him of every vestige of clothing, and I understand they found him in the crotch of a tree, with the hi .use rammed up against an adjoining building, together with all his belongings and a piano which was purchased from us. 't hen it was all destroyed by the fire which followed almost immediately. "I imagine there are from 1,200 to 1,500 houses that are past salvage ; some were burned and others partly so, and it took residences of the finest character and destroyed most of them. The death list so far is about 140 and the property loss about $10,000,000. "It started in the southwest corner of the city and landed diagonally across, about six blocks wide, toward , the northeast end of the city. 'Our loss is an indihad about thirty-three rect one. We probably pianos in the path on which we had claims, some partly paid for and others nearly so. We had a Piano That Survived in Gibbs' Home. gives some interesting details as to the extent of the tornado in the following letter addressed to Edward Lyman Bill, in which he says : "Allow me to thank you for your telegram of sympathy. We are all unharmed and all those of our employes likewise, with one exception and he Want Talking Machines and Accessories. Messrs. Allan & Co., talking machine jobbers, Melbourne, Australia, would be pleased to hear of anything new in talking machines or accessories. When writing send catalog and prices. Where possible would be pleased to receive samples. Twenty-fourth and Lake Streets, Omaha, Neb. great many talking machines that were destroyed, in which we are interested. Our loss will be very little compared with that of the many who lost everything. REAL BLACKMAN EXPANSION. To Occupy Reade Street Side of Present Building on May 1 — Show Window Rearranged in Attractive Manner. "We are all right inside, and with a man or a concern that's what counts," is the original text of a sign at present suspended over the entrance to the Blackman Talking Machine Co., 97 Chambers street, New York, Victor and Edison distributers. The entire front window has been demolished, plasterers and masons are as busy as bees, and the entire store front is "decorated"' by means of carpenters' and contractors' equipment. When asked the meaning of this unwonted demolition, J. Newcomb Blackman, president of the company, stated that the building authorities had discovered that his show window extended a few inches beyond the building line of Chambers street when they decided to widen Chambers street. Mr. Blackman took advantage of this opportunity to order an entire new construction for his show window, with the object of making it more attractive and commodious than ever before. When completed the window will have no steel girders in the middle, but be one artistic display. Incidentally. Mr. Blackman remarked that by the first of May his store and warerooms will run all the way back to Reade street, thereby eiving him two entrances and three floors from street to street. This additional room has been made necessary by the rapid growth of the Blackman business, which is steadily increasing year after year. (iRAFONOLA CO. IN ROCHESTER. New Company Incorporated with Capital Stock of $40,000 to Take Over Columbia Co. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Rochester, N. Y., April In, 1913. A new corporation, known as the Grafonola Co., lias been organized with an authorized capital stock of $40,000 and has obtained from the Columbia Phonograph Co. exclusive selling rights in a territory bounded by Oswego, Syracuse and Elmira on the east and extending to Erie County on the west. Officers of the Grafonola Co. are: President, N. E. H-utchms; vice-president, Herman B. Brown; secretary, Nelson A. Beardsley; treasurer, George P. Culp. The business of the Columbia Phonograph Co., General, at 38 South avenue, has been taken over by the new corporation. DOLBEER'S VISIT TO THE WEST. Held by Floods for Three Days in Columbus — Recent Visitors to Edison Factory. F. K. Dolbeer, sales manager of Thomas A. Edison, Inc., Orange, N. J., has just returned from a visit to the Middle West. He left on a Monday on the "Twenty-four hour flyer" for St. Louis, but did not get into St. Louis until the following Saturday. He was held up for three days— Tuesday to Friday— in the station at Columbus because of the raging floods. Mr. Dolbeer fared exceedingly well, as the dining-car had a full larder and plenty of water, while the train was electrically lighted and heated. Mr. Dolbeer and the travelers on this train probably fared the best of any during the flood. Among those visiting the Edison factory recently were the following: W. O. Pardee, F. H. Silliman and H. L. Ellenberger, of the Pardee-Ellenberger Co., New Haven, Conn. ; Louis Sloss, John Mullins & Sons, Newark, N. J.; Melville Clark, Clark Music Co., Syracuse, N. Y. ; J. A. Clem, J. A. Foster Co., Providence, R. I. ; C. B. Haynes, Richmond, Va. ; Ernest Stiller, Stiller Photo & Supply Co., Green Bay, Wis.; Mrs. M. S. Gielow, Washington, D. C. ; Edmund E. Buehn, Buehn Phonograph Co., Pittsburgh, Pa. A LIST OF OPERA ARTISTS. A book that has been issued by Thomas A. Edison, Inc., is called: "A List of Some of the Opera Artists Who Have Made or Will Make Records for the Edison Phonograph." It is a book of sixtyfour pages, each page bearing the picture and a short history of one of the noted singers. TO OPEN NEW STORE IN ALBANY. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Albany, N. Y., April 10, 1913. The American Phonograph Co. is contemplating the opening of a new talking machine store where Edison goods will be featured strongly. N. D. Griffin was a recent visitor at the Edison works at Orange, N. J. NEW AGENCIES ESTABLISHED. During the past month the Columbia Graphophone Co. has added the following representative houses to its list of agencies : Bell Bros. Piano Co., Muncie, Ind. ; H. Fraiberg & Sons, Cleveland, O. ; E. M. Chase Co., Manchester and Boston, Mass. ; Clark & Jones, Birmingham, Ala. ; W. A. Kulp, Braddock, Pa.; Continental Furniture & Household Distributing Co., New York, N. Y. ; Gebrecht-Geyer Co., Norwood, O. ; John L. Sherman, Westport, N. Y. ; F. G. Smith, Newark, N. J. ; Schmoller & Mueller Piano Co., Omaha, Neb. ; Bon Marche Department Store, Lowell, Mass.; Taylor's Music House, Springfield, Mass.; Meakins, Packard & Wheat, Springfield, Mass. ; Bernard Music Shop, Springfield, Mass.; Tamarack Cooperative Association, Calumet, Mich. ; George Toth, South Bend, Ind.; Alfred Telfer, 631 Broad street,, Bayonne, N. J., and Otto Dornyak, Perth Amboy, N. J.