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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
NEW YORK TALKING MACHINE CO. SUFFERS BIG FIRE LOSS.
FEATURE EDISON BUSINESS LINE.
Over 170,000 Victor Records and 1,500 Machines Destroyed in Wicked Blaze Last Sunday—
Loss Covered by Insurance—Temporary Quarters Secured—Little Delay in Shipments.
The Milwaukee System & Service Co. Or-
ganized for This Purpose in Milwaukee.
A fire which started at 4 o'clock on Sunday
afternoon and lasted for nearly two hours de-
stroyed over 170,000 Victor records and about
1,500 Victrolas and Victor machines which were
stored in the basement and sub-basement of the
New York Talking Machine Co., 81 Chambers
street, New York, one of the largest Victor dis-
tributers in the country, The fire was one of the
wickedest that the New \o,rk firemen have en-
countered for some time, and the fumes of various
poisonous substances and leaking gas overcame
nineteen fire fighters, who were restored to con-
sciousness through the use of the pulmo.tor and
other modern appliances. No lives were lost in the
fire, which, it is thought, was started through de-
fective insulation. Both the company's stock and
the building it occupied are fully covered by in-
surance.
The New York Talking Machine Co, occupied
the store floor, basement and sub-basement of the
building at 81 Chambers street, all three floors
running through to 63 Reade street. The store
floor was devoted to the company's executive and
sales offices, while the lo.wer floors contained the
stock, shipping and repair departments. The com-
pany also utilized as a warehouse for additional
stock a floor in the building at 77 Reade street.
The length of the floors, together with the in-
flammable nature of the stock, handicapped the
firemen from the very start of the fire, and the
damage wrought by water exceeded that caused
by the flames. The lower floors were completely
destroyed, while the store floor was considerably
damaged and the demonstration booths flooded
with water.
Arthur D. Geissler, vice-president and manag-
ing director; G. T. Williams, manager, and V. W.
Moody, sales manager of the company, were ad-
vised of the fire as soon as it started, and were
on the scene before the firemen had it under con-
trol. Together with other members of the sales
and office staffs they labored indefatigably thro.ugh
the greater part of the night, and on Monday
morning announced that they had secured tem-
porary quarters at 77 Reade street, where they
would be doing business before the close of the day.
A number of the employes will be located at 81
Chambers street, where the sho.w window is in ex-
cellent condition and the display floor of machines
and the sample record racks in almost perfect
shape. All of the books, stock records and ac-
counting paraphernalia had escaped the ravages of
the fire, and were removed at once to. the new
quarters.
With indomitable energy the officers and staff
worked incessantly putting the new offices in shape
by Tuesday morning. Shipments of machines and
records were started at once and have continued
since, that time. The company's surplus stock at
77 Reade street was a salvation, and Vice-Presi-
dent Gerssler availed himself of some o.f the hearty
offers of assistance which were extended to him
by Victor distributers in all parts of the country,
who sent telegrams offering all possible help as
soon as they learned of the fire.
When seen by a representative of The Review,
Mr. Geissler said: "This fire has been, of co.urse,
a severe blow, but we are now making shipments
from our temporary quarters and can assure our
dealers that our service will continue without in-
terruption. We have already started to rebuild
the floors which were destroyed by the fire, al-
though we do. not expect to be back in our build-
ing for the next three or four weeks. Shipments
of records and machines 'are being received daily,
and the assistance offered us by Victor jobbers
throughout the country is greatly appreciated.
"Our safes and records all remained intact, and
we are utilizing every possible means to give our
dealers the pro.mpt service to which they are ac-
customed. Our surplus stock at 77 Reade street
has enabled us to continue shipments with only a
few hours' interruption, and we wish to thank
our dealers for their hearty co-operation."
(Special to The Review.)
MILWAUKEE, WIS., June 23.—The Milwaukee
System & Service Co. has been organized to fea-
ture the Edison dictating machines in Milwaukee
and about Wisconsin. The company succeeds the
Tisch-Hine Co., which recently opened in hand-
some new quarters. Officers of the company in-
clude : President, Julius Tisch; vice-president,
William Finger; secretary and treasurer, A. B.
Cooper.
C0LUMBIAJ3RIEFLETS.
Mortimer D. Easton, son of President Edward
D. Easton and advertising manager of the Dicta-
phone, arrived in New York Monday on the steamer
"Hamburg," accompanied by Mrs. Mortimer D.
Easton. Mr. and Mrs. Easton had spent their
honeymoon abroad, visiting during the past six
weeks all the leading countries on the Continent.
Mr. Easton also spent some time at the Dictaphone
headquarters in London.
Charles F. Baer, manager of the Chicago store
of the Columbia Graphophone Co., accompanied by
E. Blimke, Chicago city wholesale salesman, ar-
rived in New York Friday for a visit of a few
days, having motored here direct from Chicago.
Mr. Baer was very optimistic in his reports of
business conditions in the "Windy City," stating
that the Chicago headquarters expected to close
the best season in its history during the fall of
1914. Messrs. Baer and Blimke returned to Chi-
cago Tuesday in Mr. Baer's automobile.
R. F. Bolton, manager of the Columbia Grapho-
phone Co.'s wholesale headquarters at 89 Chambers
street, New York, returned to his desk Monday
after a short trip through New York State. Mr.
Bolton states that Columbia dealers in this ter-
ritory are closing a steady, substantial business.
P. M. Brown, of the Columbia Co.'s advertising
department, returned Monday after a two weeks'
vacation spent at Rockaway Point, where his
bungalow is located.
THE COMING CONVENTION OF THE JOBBERS' ASSOCIATION. PHONOGRAPH CO. OF THE ORANGES.
Arrangements Now Practically Completed for Annual Meeting at Atlantic City on July 6, 7
and 8—Businesslike Methods to Prevail in Session—Elaborate Entertainment Program.
The preparations for the 1914 convention of the
National Association of Talking Machine Jobbers
are progressing rapidly under the direction o.f the
committee on arrangements, of which L. C. Wis-
well, of Chicago, is the chairman.
According to the tentative program already laid
out, the business session of the convention wil! be
held on Monday, July 6. It is the intention of
the officers to inaugurate this year a one-day busi-
ness session by calling the meeting to order on
Monday morning and not considering a motion
to adjourn until the business coming before the
meeting is all closed. A buffet lunch will be
served in the meeting room.
Ladies will be entertained at luncheon and taken
for an automobile ride during the afternoon. Mon-
day evening there will be an entertainment at
Barney's for all. Plans for Tuesday are not in
shape as yet to announce. Tuesday evening the
annual banquet will be held at Barney's. Wednes-
day's arrangements will be announced later.
A compaign is being carried on having as its
purpose the breaking of all attendance records at
National Association of Talking Machine Jobbers'
conventions. The officers figure that the increase
in the talking machine business in the last twelve
months alone has been something tremendous with
every member, and are hoping to prevail upon the
heads of all jobbing houses to, attend the meeting
along with their department managers.
A -distinct feature of this year's convention is
going to be the presence of all the Victor officials
as well as their department managers and superin-
tendents. The Victor people propose to give actual
demonstration of different departments of their
work and their product at Atlantic City on the 7th.
Nothing of this nature has ever been attempted
before. It is safe to say that every jobber who at-
tends will see things which he has seldom seen—
even at the factory. The Victor Co. is anxio.us
to have the heads of the Victor jobbing firms
present, as they are going to considerable trouble
and expense to put on this educational exhibit.
Naturally the annual banquet will occupy a
prominent place on the program. It will be held
Tuesday evening, the 7th, at "Barney's." James F.
Bowers, of Lyon & Healy, will be toastmaster.
Excellent speaking, a fine orchestra and a cabaret
show are already assured to instruct and amuse
the banqueters. Hon. Walter I. McCoy, Congress-
man from the Ninth New Jersey District, has been
obtained as one of the principal speakers, and will
deliver an address on "Unfair Competition."
Louis F. Geissler, general manager of the Victor
Talking Machine Co., and Edward Lyman Bill,
editor of The Talking Machine World, will be
heard from.
(Special to The Review.)
TRENTON, N. J., June 22.—The Phonograph Co.
of the Oranges, with headquarters at East Orange,
N. J., filed a certificate of incorporation this week
with the Secretary of State. The capital is given
as $10,000, and the incorporators are W. L. Eckert,
R. J. Bolan and W. A. Hardy.
ARTISTIC VICTOR PUBLICITY.
The June 20 issue of the Saturday Evening Post
contained one of the most striking and artistic
two-page spreads that the Victor Talking Machine
Co. has ever used. Designed to stimulate summer
trade, this advertisement was printed in several
colors, all blending to make a most attractive dis-
play.
The subject consisted of a typical porch in a
country home or summer hotel with about twenty
guests attentively listening to the music of a Vic-
trola XVI. An imaginary clo.ud coming out of the
tone chamber portrayed an operatic scene in min-
iature which is recalled to the auditors' minds by
the record being played.
C. E. G00DWINJ0 EUROPE.
WHY MAX LANDAY IS JOYOUS.
C. E. Goodwin, of The Phonograph Co., Chicago,
is sailing for Europe on his annual vacation, ex-
pecting to return in about one month.
Max Landay, the popular Victor distributer, is
receiving the congratulations o.f his many friends
in the trade upon the arrival at the Landay domi-
cile on June 5 of Donald Malcolm Landay, weight
seven pounds. Mr. Landay, Jr., is already giving
indications of rivaling in tonal volume the leading
operatic artists in the Victor library.
I. W. Guisinger, a well-known piano dealer of
Fayetteville, Ark., was a visitor to New York the
early part of the week. While here Mr. Guisinger,
who maintains a successful Victor department,
spent some time at the headquarters of the New
York Talking Machine Co., 81 Chambers street,