The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1913)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 23 THE TRADE IN BOSTON AND NEW ENGLAND— (Continued from page 21.) tuieniaiei^ ursi one starts me macrune anil tiie otner stops u, mua creating mucti merriment, Looks for Lively Fall 1 rade. Manager White, of the Victor department of the Henry i\ Miller Co., reports a good demand lor Victor outfits during September, and tile indications are good for a brisk fall traue, especially as there arc signs l hat the street is to be put into passable condition. The Miller Co., along with many other business houses in Boylston street, has suttered no little inconvenience, not to say loss, due to the building ot the subway through that thoroughfare, which now has been in a dreadful state for several months. Harry Rosen on Vacation. Harry Rosen, the talking machine dealer of 3 School street, was able to steal a few days from business lately and took a short trip to the White Mountains and into Maine. Mr. Rosen reports business as moving along most satisfactorily and he contemplates enlarging his quarters. Refurnishes Private Office. Manager Silliman has had his private offices in Batterymarch street relurnished so far as handsome new rugs are concerned. The coverings are in perfect harmony with the soft brown denin of the walls. Manager Silliman just now is taking a lot of orders for the Nos. 8 and 10 hornless Edison cylinder machines, which will go on sale on November 1. Eastern T. M. Co. Activity. Everything is moving along most smoothly with the Eastern Talking Machine Co., and the Septem ' ber business is reported as having been more than satisfactory. The school work has started off with a boom under the guidance of clever Billy Fitzgerald, who will have his hands full pretty soon. Lately he installed a complete Victor outfit of the newest style at Wellesley College, where the large numbeis of women students may always have music. New Traveler Joins Force. William Veale, formerly with the Outlet Co., of Providence, R. I., is now traveling for the Eastern Talking Machine Co., taking the place of Frank Mayo. Veale is one of the most popular men on the road and knows the talking machine business from A to Z. He's getting the glad hand wherever he goes. Dealers Want Columbia Lantern Slides. The Boston headquarters of the Columbia are receiving many inquiries from dealers regarding the new and clever lantern slides advertising Columbia products, each of which is to contain an imprint of the local dealer, and these for use in their respective localities. There are six slides from which dealers can make a selection, and they can very properly be used at all sorts of entertainments where moving pictures are used. Julia Sanderson Fays Tribute. The Columbia Grafonola gets a fine endorsement from Julia Sanderson, who is playing a successful engagement in "The Sunshine Girl" at the Hollis Street Theatre. Miss Sanderson is stopping at the Hotel Touraine and she writes that the Grafonola which she is using at her hotel and theater "is a wonderful help to me and Mr. Mudie in rehearsing before each performance of 'The Argentine Tango.' " Also she writes : "The music as rendered on your instrument is of better tempo than that furnished by the average orchestra." Incidentally the Columbia headquarters are advertising all the hits of "The Sunshine Girl." Big Drive in Business. Manager Warren A. Batchelder, of the Victor department of Chickering & Sons, is having a big drive in business these days and the other salesmen of the house see little of him, as his presence is in constant demand in his well-fitted department. New Concern in Jamaica Plain. The Jamaica Plain Grafonola Co. is a new concern located at 722 Center street, Jamaica Plain. The proprietor is Fred Lincoln, and on the opening day, Saturday, October 4, many persons called to listen to Columbia demonstrations. To Be Married. Miss Ella Keohane, for ten years a valued member of the staff at the Columbia headquarters, for some time past, as private stenographer to Man ager i^iiMiiuii, is iu uc maii'icu snoiuy iu lmiiuii ,3 mil van, wiuciy kiiuwii hi looiuan Cucics anu ai present coacli to the Holy Cross College team. Leaves for Quaker City. George Keese, lur lour years a salesman wuli the Eastern talking Macnme Co., lias Kit Uosion anil gone to i'luladeiplua, winch is ins nomc city. Busy Times with Steinert. Manager Koyer reports the V ictor business good with Steinert tV. Sons, and Ins Arch street quarters are getting to be quite a rendezvous lor business men of the downtown district, who hnd it a convenient place in which to make their purchases of records. Mr. Royer lately has been making business trips to Providence, Bangor and other cities. Two Records in Great Favor. Nat M. Wills, comedian of the "Follies" company playing at the Tremont Theater, is a frequent visitor to the Eastern Talking Machine Co.'s establishment, which is next door to the theater. Two of the "Follies' " hits, "Peg o' My Heart" and "A Little Love, a Little Kiss," are having a great sale among the Victo records. On Educational Trip. W. E. Getchell, who is spending his time among the agents of New England, is meeting with marked success in educating them in the details of successful selling of Columbia goods. COURT APPOINTS RECEIVER For Boston Talking Machine Co. Upon Petition of Creditor — Claimed That Company Is Solvent but Financially Embarrassed Owing to Suspension of Western Concern. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Boston, Mass., October 11. — Burton H. Corbett, who is president of the Boston Talking Machine Co., and E. Fred Aldrich were last week appointed receivers of this company on the petition of Henry M. Whitney before Judge Morton in the United States District Court. Each has furnished a bond of $20,000 to qualify as leceivers. Mr. Whitney is a creditor for $39,898, and he stated in his petition that the Boston Talking Machine Co. is solvent and is simply financially embarrassed because of the troubles of a Western concern who owed them $40,000. It appears, as was pointed out in court, that the Chicago concern placed an order with the Boston Talking Machine Co. lor 50,000 machines and UU0.000 records to be delivered at the rate of ii,500 a month. After the talking machine company had stocked up to the extent of $00,000 to fill the order, the Chicago firm held up the order placed. The Boston Talking Machine Co. is capitalized for $500,000, and claims to have assets of $.'300,000, with liabilities approximately of $80,000. There are 176 creditors. It is understood that the company has a license from the Columbia Graphophone Co. President Corbett in an interview with The Talking Machine World representative stated that the shortage of money with which to continue the business was the reason for asking for a receivership, this shortage being due to the failure of the Chicago concern. He said the receivership was for the protection of the creditors and he did not anticipate that any difficulty would be experienced in raising sufficient money to keep the business going. Prior to the announcement of the receivership Mr. Corbett stated to The World representative that it had just made some valuable additions to its staff of experts, whose experience and achievements in the past in the talking machine field will insure still further progress in the conduct of this company's affairs. Chas. L. Hibbard has been engaged to take charge of the recording laboratory. He has had many years' practical experience in this field, having been connected with the Edison Co. for about ten years. Later he was in charge of the recording laboratory of the United States Phonograph Co. and recently did all the recording for the Keen-O-Phone Co. Thomas Kraemer, at one time superintendent of the Regina Music Box Co., where he designed many of the movements incorporated in its product, and later on superintendent of the HawthorneSheble Manufacturing Co., for whom he designed the Star machines and many premium models, has been engaged as general superintendent. Horace Sheble, formerly factory manager of the American Graphophone Co. and at present engaged in industrial engineering in Philadelphia, has been retained by the company as a consultant in the perfection of the organization and methods employed in the manufacture under its new management. FOLLOWING UP CUSTOMERS. Dealers Should Keep a List of People to Whom They Have Sold Machines So as to Develop Their Record Sales. had time to consult you about, but your appearance at his home at that time would prove your interest in him and bind him just so much closer to you in the future, to his permanent satisfaction and your increasing profit. Every dealer undoubtedly keeps a list of all persons to whom he sells phonographs, but does every dealer go over this list carefully every month and note the names of any Edison owners who have failed to buy records that month? The maintenance of every customer's interest is a vital point in the business, for an idle phonograph in any home is a poor advertisement for any dealer and would seriously affect his phonograph sales. If a customer buys only one or two records for a month or more it is no cause for alarm, but if he fails to buy any for a month, then it is up to the dealer to get into immediate communication, with that man. If possible, the dealer would do well to select a few new records of the character which the delinquent's past purchases show him to prefer, and then call on him at his own home. Hearing the new records, together with a realization of the dealer's interest in him, would go a long way toward changing the customer's attitude. In the event of a personal call being impossible, the dealer ought at least to telephone the backward one, or failing this, to write him a letter inquiring the reason for his failure to purchase any records for the given time, as the case may be. So many causes can contribute to the falling off of record sales that it is absolutely essential to watch carefully the purchases of each individual customer. Possibly he has failed to receive his supplement for that month; or perhaps careless handling has broken something on his machine, or put some part of the mechanism out of adjustment. Some little thing may be bothering him, says the Edison Phonograph Monthly, which he has not BUILT OF HEAVY STRONG WIRE, PLATED AND LACQUERED. WRITE for 20-page catalog giving details and information on the best way of keeping your records. The Syracuse Wire Works SYRACUSE. NEW YORK