The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1914)

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4 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. SPECIAL CENSUS OF TALKING MACHINE INDUSTRY. W. M. Steuart, Chief of Division of Manufacturers of the U. S. Census, Seeks Co-operation of and Suggestions from Manufacturers and Others Connected with the Talking Machine Trade to Insure Accuracy in Compiling Statistics Regarding the Industry. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Washiington, D. C, February 7— Talking machine manufacturers as well as jobbers and dealers are invited to volunteer suggestions as to how the coming special census of the manufacture of musical instruments, which will include talking machines, may be made more complete and of greater value in the trade. The World is asked to carry this message to all the interests in the industry by W. M. Steuart, Chief of the Division of Manufactures of the United States Census. The purpose of the special census of 1914 in the musical instrument field will be, like its predecessors,, to show the absolute and relative magnitude of the different branches of the industry; the growth and decline of manufacture in the various lines ; the size and character of the establishments, etc. Obviously, such information is of value chiefly to the persons who are engaged one way or another in the musical instrument business, and it is with the object of giving the trade just the class of information that would be of use to the Census Bureau officials who have asked The World to circulate a broadcast invitation. There are a number of topics on which the officials want specific information, such as the matter of costs of material and other changes that have occurred during recent years in the talking machine as well as other lines of business in the music trade field. The officials are in a quandary as to whether or not they should not henceforth in gathering statistics as to the manufacture of sound-producing instruments make separate tabulations of the horn machines and the hornless or cabinet machines that have latterly attained such vogue. They are waiting to hear from the trade on this score. Again they would appreciate hints as to whether the trade would prefer to have separate statistics upon the manufacture of single-sided and doublesided records instead of having all disc records lumped as heretofore. In the last census, too, there was no attempt to separate, in tabulation, the cylinder records and blanks produced for entertainment purposes from those designed for office dictation work. The officials would like to have somebody "on the inside" tell them whether it would be well to specialize further in this direction. Anxious to Meet Manufacturers' Wishes. In all instances the Government officials are anxious to as nearly meet the wishes of manufacturers as is possible. For instance, in speaking of possible changes in the scope of talking machine statistics, the expert in charge of this part of the work, said to The World: 'Whereas we are anxious to compile all the statistics that would be of value, we realize that there are so comparatively few manufacturing firms engaged in this industry that we must exercise the greatest caution not to make public information that, if closely scrutinized, might disclose some of the business secrets of firms in this field." Members of the trade may in some instances be a trifle mystified as to the early activity in preparation for the coming special census in view of the fact that this census is to cover the calendar year 1914, and consequently the actual compilation of the figures cannot commence until early in 1915. The explanation of the quest for advice a year in advance is found in the fact that the officials are now preparing the schedules — the lrsts of questions which will be sent to every manufacturer of musical instruments in the United States. Revising List of Manufacturers. If any change is to be made in the character of the information gathered — that is, if any new questions are to be put to manufacturers as to the volume of their business — it will be necessary to outline it on the printed blanks which will be mailed to manufacturers during the close of the present year. Meanwhile, as another preparatory activity the Census Bureau is revising its confidential list of the musical instrument and talking machine manufacturers of the United States. One plan that has been formulated tentatively by the officials of the Bureau of Manufactures contemplates that the musical instrument census of 1914 shall embody a discussion and analytical study of the industry with reference to its trend and development and not a mere array of figures, as is the case with the census the returns of which have just been printed in permanent form. Ten years ago special reports of this kind were made in the case of a number of industries — although 1 believe that music trade production was not then included — but if men in the trade will urge such special study by an expert there is little doubt that the musical instrument business can have such representation in the project now taking shape. The Chief of the Division of Manufactures expects to have complete figures regarding the industry on hand at the end of the present year, so that the full results of the census of all branches of the music trades will be published during the summer or autumn of 1915 — an unprecedented record in view of the fact that always heretofore it has required at least three or four years to complete the canvass and publish the data. It is expected that the coming census will show that the manufacture of musical instruments (including talking machines and phonographs) is one of the eight most important industries in the United States, and as such it will merit prompt analysis of the statistics and announcement of the results. EUREKA PHONOGRAPH CO. CHARGE. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Calumet, Mich., February G. — Among the shipments of freight recently received' here was 480 pounds of talking machine needles, which were shipped to McLogan & Pierce, dealers in talking machines and other musical goods on Fifth street, Red Jacket. Manager Logan, of this firm, stated that this is one of the largest shipments of needles ever made to one firm in the State of Michigan, or perhaps in any town in the entire Northwest. The shipment of talking machine needles covers all varieties, including soft tone, loud tone, wooden, fiber, nickel, steel, large and small, in fact every sort of a needle that is made for a talking machine. The McLogan & Pierce concern covers a large territory, including the iron district, and its increasing business necessitated having a large stock on hand to meet supplies. They have just moved into large and spacious quarters in the old Keckonen Building on Fifth street, where they will have much larger quarters to meet the demands of their business, which is steadily growing despite the strike in the copper country, which territory this firm covers very largely. KING CANS HIS SPEECHES. Christian X. of Demark Talks Into Phonograph for Posterity — Cablegram from Edison. King Christian X., of Denmark, is the first monarch who has talked into a phonograph for the purpose of preserving his voice for the historic phonographic archives in the Danish Royal Library. He repeated into the instrument his proclamations and his speech from the balcony of the Arnalienborg Palace to a great gathering of cheering people when he received the crown after Kins Frederick's sad death in a Hamburg street. The following congratulatory cablegram was received from Thomas A. Edison : "I am pleased to learn that the Danish nation should be a pioneer in preserving for posterity the methods and life of their ancestors." It Requires No Great Stretch of the Imagination to Realize That Eastern Service Must Be Good CONSIDER: The fact that we have been handling talking machines, records and supplies exclusively for nineteen years. : That our entire time, energy and attention is devoted to one line. : That constant application is given to the betterment of our service. : That our stock is large, complete and up-to-date, and our shipping facilities unusual. THEN YOU HAVE some of the reasons why EASTERN SERVICE is different from the ordinary. The absolute proof is in the trying. Try it. EASTERN TALKING MACHINE COMPANY 177 TREMONT STREET, BOSTON, MASS. EDISON FOR NINETEEN YEARS TALKING MACHINES EXCLUSIVELY VICTOR