The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1914)

The Talking Machine World Vol. 10, No. 2. New York, February 15, 19 14. Price Ten Cents DANCE RECORDS SCARCE IN ST. LOUIS. Heavy Demand for Such Records, with Dealers Unable to Get Sufficient Stock — Jobbers Between Two Fires — Remarks of Mr. Rauth. (Special to The ialking Machine World.) St. Louis, Mo., February 7. — The dance is the thing in the talking machine business in this section at present. Dance record sales are exceeding the factory speed limit, or at least they are trying to, but unfortunately for the dealers, they cannot sell more records than the factories will turn out. With this rush for dance records comes an accompanying demand for machines to play them. Perhaps this is the explanation of the excellent business that is being reported for January, but the movement of machines is too heavy to ascribe it to the dance demand alone; part of the demand must be ascribed to the general gain in business. But seriously, there probably is not a dealer in this section that has had all of the dance records he wants. Some of them have revived some old records that will meet the demand, and have cleared out these when the ones that are called fnr are not at hand. This shortage is peculiar in that it affects all makes as far as this territory is concerned. A saving grace of the situation is that the new dances are so much alike that if the dance called for cannot be had, some other will do. The wonderful jump of the talking machine • business in December, and its maintained pace through January, has set a good many dealers in tilings musical thinking, who had not given really serious attention to this line before. A letter received by the Koerber-Brenner Music Co., the well-known Victor distributers, a few days ago, illustrates the situation. E. C. Rauth, vicepresident of the company, was on a trip through Kentucky and to other Southern points and varied his route to a town not heretofore visited. He got a very nice record order and a few days after his return home received a letter from the dealer thanking him for the prompt shipment, and concluding: "1 gave you the records I could not buy of the two jobbing houses I have formerly patronized, and you filled it 50 per cent. Please accept my thanks." The fact that a dealer is willing to thank a jobber for a 50 per cent, filled order shows what the situation is in this section. Concerning this trip Mr. Rauth says that thte business accumulated for immediate shipment was surprising. "It all goes to show that the dealers arc not overstocked after the holidays, and that they are appreciating the possibilities of this constantly growing business." MAYERS BUYS ROONEY STORE. Ninth Avenue Dealer Will Conduct This Establishment as a Branch Store. The stock, assets and good-will of the talking machine store of John J. Rooney, 1983 Broadway, New York, recently adjudged bankrupt, was sold at a private sale February 2 by J. N. Blackman, receiver. The purchaser, who was the highest bidder at the sale, sold the store in turn to A. H. Mayers, the well-known Victor and Edison dealer at 790 Ninth avenue, New York, who will conduct the store at 1983 Broadway as a branch establishment. GREAT BUSINESS INCREASE In Talking Machine Department of J. W. Jenkins' Sons Co., Kansas City, Necessitates Erection of New Demonstrating Rooms. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Kansas City, Mo., February 6. — To such proportions has grown the business of the talking machine department of the J. W. Jenkins' Sons Music Co., of this city, under the management of Burton J. Pierce, that it has been found necessary to remodel the company's store for the purpose of making room for four additional demonstration rooms. The new rooms, built of mahogany and plate glass and perfectly sound-proof, will be located on the ground floor, where there are already ten rooms, and when the new equipment is installed the company will have in all twenty-one rooms devoted exclusively to the demonstration of talking machines. Michael Bard, who has been connected with the Jenkins house for the past five years as salesman, making some records in that line, has resigned for the purpose of entering another line of business. NEW EDISON JOBBER IN SEATTLE. Pacific Phonograph Co. Incorporated in That City with A. R. Pommer at Its Head. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) San Francisco, Cal., February 6. — The Pacific Phonograph Co., N. W., has been organized to engage in the jobbing business of Edison products, with headquarters in Seattle, Wash. A. R. Pommer, proprietor of the Pacific Phonograph Co. in this city, is head of the concern, and C. O. Baker is secretary and manager. Mr. Baker is new in the talking machine business and also new in Seattle, coming from Colorado, but he is taking hold of the enterprise in a creditable manner and is getting things started in very good shape, with the assistance of J. E. McCracken, the well-known traveler for the local company, who is up there at present for the purpose of directing matters where experience is needed. Mr. Schwab will act as traveling representative of the Northern house. In the future the entire Northwest will be covered from Seattle, instead of from this office, which will enable the Pacific interests to give better service in that section. The Seattle warerooms are at 310 Maritime building, where spacious quarters have been secured in a desirable wholesale section TALKER MUSIC FOR WAR DANCES. Indians at Annual Meeting in Lincoln, Neb. Hear Their Native Music Reproduced. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Lincoln, Neb., February 5. — The monotonous, rythmic thump of the Indian tom-tom with the quavering falsetto of the squaws as they danced the "Omaha" and "Sun" dances in circles of whirling war-bedecked savages were made realistic recently for 200 gray haired men and women who met at the Temple Theater in the annual meeting of the Territorial Pioneers' Association. The music was played on a talking machine. These wax impressions were secured by Prof. M. R. Gilmore, of the university faculty, who is arranging for their preservation in the university archives. LOWER DUTY ON RECORDING WAX. BARKER BROS. NEW QUARTERS. The Board of General Appraisers this weekupheld the claim of A. H. Ringk & Co., importers and customs house brokers, relative to their request for lower duty on importations of wax specially prepared for use in making records. Collector Malone classified the article as a manufacture of wax not specially provided for, under Paragraph 462 of the old act, and exacted duty at 25 per cent, ad valorem. The importers said the wax was an unenumerated manufactured article, dutiable at 20 per cent, under paragraph 48Q, (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Los Angeles, Cal., February 5. — Arrangements have been completed by Barker Bros, for new quarters for the talking machine department, which will give this department a much more prominent place in the business. A number of new demonstration rooms are being installed on the main center floor, where attractive and splendidly equipped quarters are being fitted up. J. H. Booth, manager of the department, expels to Jeaye for the East shortly, NEW STORE IN MILWAUKEE. The Milwaukee Phonograph Co. to Open a Large Retail Store at 213-215 Second Street About March 1 — Will Feature the Edison Line — Place to Be Attractively Fitted Up. * (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Milwaukee, Wis., February 9. — The Milwaukee Phonograph Co., jobbers in Wisconsin for the Edison line, has completed all arrangements for opening a large retail Edison store at 213-215 Second street about March 1, or soon after that date. William A. Schmidt, manager of the company, has had the plan in mind for several months, but has been waiting until he could secure the proper location. There are undoubtedly wonderful possibilities for a large downtown retail Edison store in Milwaukee, and Mr. Schmidt believes that the exclusive location which he has secured will insure a big business from the highclass trade. Two floors of the Second street building will be occupied and there will be more than 15,000 square feet of floor space available. Most of the first floor will be occupied by the new retail department, while the remainder of the space will be taken up by the wholesale department of the company, which will be moved from its present quarters at 347-349 Broadway. Offices of the wholesale department will occupy the first floor, while the second floor will be given up to stock rooms and demonstration parlors for dealers. Handsome parlors for the retail trade will be opened on the first floor. Several thousand dollars will be spent, according to Mr. Schmidt, in fitting up a complete and attractive Edison store which will surprise the people of Milwaukee. Mr. Schmidt has not selected, as yet, a manager for the new retail store, although he says that he has several men in mind for the place. DRAFTING HYPOTHECATION BILL. National Association of Credit Men Perfecting Bill Which Will Protect Manufacturers from Customers Who Secretly Hypothecate Their Accounts Receivable — Interesting Details. The Legislative Committee of the National Association of Credit Men is still busy on the bill it is drafting to protect manufacturers and jobbers from customers who secretly hypothecate their accounts receivable. According to W. W. Orr, assistant secretary of the association, the committee is trying to draft a bill which will be protective to the creditors without being oppressive to the mercantile bankers and financial companies. It has been suggested to the committee, Mr. Orr said this week, that it make provision for amending the State law applying to chattel mortgages so that it will provide for compulsory filing with the County Clerk of records of accounts that are sold to financial companies. The main idea of the bill is publicity, and this is what many of the newer companies do not want. The amendment to the chattel mortgage law is being worked successfully in the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada, it is said this week, that it make provision for amendsuch provision is now in effect. BUYS FULL SET OF OPERA RECORDS. Unusual Sale of Victor Records Made Recently by Krausgill Piano Co., Louisville, Ky. A record sale of particularly interesting character was made recently in Louisville, Ky., when the Krausgill Piano Co., of that city, sold to one man, R. T. Durrett, a complete set of Victor opera records for a present to a friend. The Krausgill Co. believes that the sale sets a new record, for although it is a frequent occ'urance to sell all the records of one or even several operas, it is believed to be the first case where a single purchaser has taken a complete set of records of all the opera^ jn the Victor catalog at one tirr^,