The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1914)

18 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. The Trade In Boston And New England JOHN H. WILSON, MANAGER, 324 WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTON, MASS. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Boston, Mass., April 10. — Beginning on April 2 and continuing through to-day there has been a Business Efficiency Exposition at Mechanics' building, and among the notable exhibits were the dictaphone, shown by the Columbia Graphophone Co., and the Edison business phonograph, exhibited by Mershon & Klinefelter, of 18 Tremont street. Both of these exhibits were in the main aisle of the hall, their locations being about the best among the 100 exhibitors of time and labor saving devices. The Columbia exhibit was in -the midst of handsome mahogany furnishings, these including tables, chairs and desks, and the machines sent over to illustrate the facility of dictating were the best that the home office could exhibit. Palms and plants helped to make the display attractive. Andrew Atwell, the manager of the dictaphone department of the Columbia, was in charge of the exhibit. Similarly the Edison dictagraph was in artistic surroundings and it received its share of well-merited attention. Reports Good Month's Business. Manager Batchelder, of the Victor department of the Henry F. Miller Co., reports a very good month's business. The April list of records has proved especially popular, and the office staff has been busy attending to the wants of many customers. Will Continue Columbia Department. Mr. Navin, of Navin & Kelley, of 757 Washington street, has bought out the Columbia department in the Henry Siegel Co.'s store, which recently went into insolvency. The new firm of W. & A. Bacon, an old-established Roxbury house, which bought out the Siegel store, has been agreeable to the proposition that the Columbia department be continued there, and Mr. Navin has some progressive ideas as to how the department should be conducted. William L. Dunn, of the Columbia offices, has been chosen to be the manager and he starts in with high endorsements. George W. Lyle a Visitor. George W. Lyle, general manager of the Columbia Graphophone Co., was a hurried visitor to the Boston warerooms a fortnight ago, and he found Manager Erisman right on the job. Another Boston visitor was H. A. Yerkes, the Columbia's wholesale manager, whose trip to Boston was of a meteoroic character. To Visit the Victor Factory. Business at the Eastern Talking Machine Co.'s establishment continues good, and already there is considerable of a call for equipments suitable' for country homes and shore cottages. Billy Fitzgerald, Mark Reed and Mr. Splaine are looking forward expectantly to their trip over to Camden and Philadelphia on the 18th of this month, where they are going to inspect the Victor laboratories and study the manufacture of machines and records. The trip will give them a renewed fund of knowledge as to Victor workmanship. They will be away three days. Renewed Acquaintanceship. H. A. Beach, of the Victor Co., came over to Boston for a few days and renewed acquaintance with the boys of the various Victor distributers, those of the Eastern Co. in particular. Mr. Beach is the general representative of the factory. More Room for Ditson Department. Henry A. Winkelman, manager of the Victor department of the Oliver Ditson Co., has been forced to make several changes in his second floor suite because of the rush of business. Most of the records are now kept at the rear of the floor in rooms especially prepared for them, and by this rearrangement space is allowed for an additional demonstration booth toward the front half of the suite. Mr. Winkelman's bland smile tells the story of good business. His many friends enjoyed meeting him at the dinner of the Boston Music Trade Association at the Hotel Lenox a few weeks ago. Columbia Dance Records in Demand. Manager Arthur Erisman, of the Columbia Co., reports that it is an even toss up between school propositions and dance music, for the latter, since the tango and other modern forms of dancing came in, has made heavy demands on the Columbia equipments. Although Manager Erisman laid in a large stock of this kind of dance music he is constantly obliged to send over to headquarters for fresh invoices of records. Talks with Sales Staff. A busy man is Manager Royer of the Victor department of the M. Steinert Co.'s Arch street quarters, these days, especially as he had been away for several days paying a visit to the Victor laboratories. During his absence business piled up so he has had to bend all his energies to get it dispatched with some degree of promptness. Mr. Royer lately has held two sales talks with his staff, discussing business methods and getting an exchange of views from the men as to new ideas that will aid in promoting business. At the conclusion of these conferences the boys all repaired to a near-by hotel for supper. Changes in Columbia Co. Quarters. When the changes are completed in the two floors of the Columbia Co. made necessary by the cutting off of a few feet of the store for the Avery street widening, which was referred to in last month's issue of The World, the establishment will be almost new. Just now Manager Erisman and his large staff are working under adverse conditions, Mr. Erisman's private office in particular being quite inadequate for present needs. On the second floor two new demonstration booths will be installed, which will greatly facilitate business. Rosen Artistic Quarters. Henry Rosen, of School street, has taken a lease of a large apartment at 240 Huntington avenue, opposite Symphony Hall, as mentioned briefly last month. He is equipping the room in a highly artistic manner, and will place this branch under the management of a competent man, but at this writing the right man has not been selected. Take on the Edison Line. The Shawmut Furniture Co., of 269 Tremont street, has lately taken on the Edison line and its rooms devoted to these goods are visited by all the patrons of the store whose attention is directed to the value of Edison equipments. W. E. Getchell III. W. E. Getchell, who has charge of the New Hampshire and Vermont business of the Columbia Co., has the sympathy of his hosts of friends because of his long continued illness. Mr. Getchell was taken sick in Brattleboro, and on the advice of friends went over to New York to consult a specialist and hospital treatment followed. Increase Sales Staff. Manager Erisman has made several additions to his already large staff. A. G. Haskell and S. B. Bowman have been taken on at the retail department, and E. W. Graham has come East from the Chicago office to travel for Manager Erisman's branch of the Columbia. All three are excellent men. Signs Up Many New Accounts. W. O. Pardee, of the Pardee-Ellcnberger Co., was in town a few days ago and he told your correspondent that he had signed up a number of good accounts at New Haven, Norwich, New London, Bridgeport, Stamford and New Britain. He says that everywhere he goes he hears the most enthusiastic things said of the Edison disc machines. Columbia Brieflets. Miss Mabel Jones, who has been doing splendid work for the Columbia in demonstrating the Co Real Music At Last R1 IGHT from the announcement of the new Edison Diamond Disc Phonograph came orders; orders are coming in more plentifully and all the time, which shows the immense possibilities for profits in your section. This machine practically sells itself, and at a price that is in every way satisfactory, running from $60 to $450. Records help swell profits after you sell the machine. As a business the foregoing should appeal to you, and we'll be glad to add the complete story if you'll ask for it. The Pardee -Ellenberger Co. Boston, Mass. New Haven, Conn,