The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1914)

42 THE TALKING MACHINE WOULD. ECLIPSE PHONOGRAPH COMPANY A. W. TOE V\ IKS & SON 203 Washington Street, Hoboken, N. J. JOBBERS OF Edison Disc and Cylinder Phonographs Exclusively Dealers of New York and New Jersey Write for terms and discounts. EDISON HUSTLER IN FALL RIVER. Wilmot's Establishment a Center of Activity for Purchasers of Edison Phonographs and Records During the Holiday Season. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Fall River, Mass., January 9. — The name of Wilmot in this city stands for a good deal among the music lovers, as many heads of households and members of their families recall with pleasure their visits to this well-known establishment. Wil BIG RESULTS IN LOS ANGELES Of Campaign for Holiday Business — Talking Machine Dealers, Without Exception, Report Big Advance in Trade for the Year, Covering All Leading Makes of Machines and Records. Shipping Edison Disc Phonographs to Customers in Fall River. mot's is the recognized headquarters for the Edison goods, and the accompanying picture shows twelve of the large and expensive Edison disc machines about to be shipped from the store to customers. Mr. Wilmot, the head of the house, has had a business experience covering seventeen years, so that he is pretty well acquainted with the talking machine proposition, and therefore knows how to handle his growing trade. He is president of the Fall River Men's Business Association and is one of the best "boosters" that Fall River has. When it comes to exploiting the advantages of his city, Mr. Wilmot is frequently called upon as a speaker at public gatherings. PRAISE FOR NEW RECORD CATALOG. The recently issued record catalog sent out to the trade by the Columbia Graphophone Co. has been the subject of much praise and commendation. The many distinctive innovations embodied in the new book, and the maximum of convenience and ease with which the dealer can consult the new catalog, have all been commented on in letters received at the executive offices during the past few weeks. The compilation of this new catalog was a work of many months and was under the direction of G. C. Jell, head of the Columbia record department, whose ideas as to record catalog production are exemplified in the new book. It is indeed a tribute to the unceasing efforts of Mr. Jell that his book is so keenly appreciated. (Speci.il to The Talking Machine World.) Los Angeles, Cal., January 3. — The most surprising results in the talking machine trade for the past month marks the close of the year, which stands as the banner year in the history of the trade. And not only a few, but all dealers have set a new record for the coming year. Barker Bros, have very recently added the new Edison disc line to the talking machine department. Geo. S. Barnes, department manager, states that a great amount of the sales has been of the Edison disc, which would have been trade lost if the line was not handled. H. B. Hinman, manager of the talking machine department of the Gray, Maw, Thompson Co., San Diego, Cal., was in Los Angeles for a few days, and reports that the department more than doubled its amount of sales over the previous year. The Wiley B. Allen Co., of this city, closed the year with the most satisfactory results in their talking machine department. Manager R. E. Wolfinger says that never before had they experienced such a strenuous time supplying the needs of the purchasers. The gratifying feature of their holiday trade was the large amount of cash sales, which comprised fully three-fourths of the gross sales of the department. The Geo. J. Birkel Co. also experienced an unusually good season's business in its large Victor department, of which A. Graham Cook is manager. The Southern California Music Co., Edison jobbers, has reaped an abundant harvest in the Edison disc phonographs. Their dealers have been enthused with the Edison disc line. They did a wonderful retail trade also in the Victor and Columbia lines. E. Holland, proprietor of the Vernon Music Co., reports a good business for the season in both Columbia and Edison lines. Schireson Bros.' talking machine trade has been most satisfactory. They did a big business in Italian, French and Chinese records. Chas. S. Ruggles, manager of the Sherman Clay & Co. store, in this city, says the year just closed was the biggest and best in the history of this branch. The sales have been principally in the higher priced Victrolas. The J. B. Brown Music Co. has been making wonderful strides toward success in selling the Edison disc. V. B. Chatten, who as in charge of the talking machine department, states that each salesman has been taxed to his utmost capacity within the past few weeks. R. E. Daynes, a salesman, has put through a number of very fine sales recently. He sold the first Edison disc Louis XVI. model A 400 in this city. I. H. Andrews is enthusiastic over sales conditions, stating that Victrolas XIV. and XVI. were ready sellers. Miss Jordan, who has recently been sent to the coast by the educational department of the Victor Talking Machine Co., is in Los Angeles for a short time speaking and lecturing before the faculty of schools, colleges and institutes in behalf of the musical education in these institutions through the medium of the Victor. Miss Jordan's Pacific Coast headquarters are now in Berkeley, Cal. COMMERCIaITfAILURES FOR 1913. Considerable Expansion in the Country's Business Mortality as Compared with 1912. Preliminary statistics of commercial failures in the United States during 1913, as reported by R. G. Dun & Co., indicate a considerable expansion in the country's business mortality as compared with the preceding year. Total insolvencies numbered 15,847 and involved $262,639,008 of defaulted indebtedness, against 15,452 suspensions in 1912, when the liabilities were $203,117,391. As is customary, the heaviest losses of the year occurred in the opening quarter, while the second three months made much the best exhibit, both in respect to the number of failures and the sum of money owed. In the following table failure returns for the last two years are compared by quarters, figures for the last few days of December being estimated : Failures by quarters for year 1913. , 1913——^ , 1912—^ No. Liabilities. No. Liabilities. First quarter 4,458 $76,832,277 4,828 $63,012,323 Second quarter . . . 3,405 56,076,784 3,489 44,999,900 Third quarter 3,549 63,837,315 3,499 45,532,137 Fourth quarter . . 4,435 65,892,632 3,446 45,150,731 Total, year 15,847 $262,639,008 15,262 $198,695,091 LIGHT AND THE WINDOW DISPLAY. Dark blue reflects 0Y2 per cent, of the light falling upon it. Dark green, about 10 per cent. Pale red, more than 16 per cent. Dark yellow, 20 per cent. Pale blue, 20 per cent. Pale yellow, 40 per cent. Pale green, 46% per cent. Pale orange, nearly 55 per cent. And pale white, 70 per cent. A window finished in light oak can be lighted with much less wattage than a window finished in dark mahogany; likewise, a window in which white goods are displayed. — American Architect.