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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
FINANCIAL CONDITION EXCELLENT.
The Earnings of the American Graphophone
Co. Show Gratifying Increase—Surplus Will
Be Used to Strengthen Financial Resources.
Referring to the general financial position of the
American Graphophone Co., Philip T. Dodge,
president of the company (and who is also presi-
dent of the Columbia Graphophone Co.), stated at
the meeting of the former company's stockholders,
held last week, that while earnings are showing a
gratifying increase, it was his opinion that the
surplus earnings should be devoted to placing the
company in an impregnable financial position rather
than the payment of extra or increased dividends at
this time. Annual dividends of 7 per cent, on both
common and preferred stock, which share equally
in dividends after 7 per cent, has been paid on
both, are now being paid, and it was believed that
regular payments might be increased or an extra
dividend declared.
The Columbia Co.'s international record depart-
ment has just issued its special window hanger for
the February records, this hanger being the second
one of the series which will be issued regularly.
It is indicative of the success of this department
that records in the following named languages are
listed on this banner: Bohemian, French, German,
Hungarian, Italian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish,
Roumanian, Spanish, Mexican, Swedish and Turk-
ish.
One of the most unique records arranged for by
the Columbia Co.'s personal record department was
successfully produced this week. The Junior As-
sembly, of Baltimore, Md., the ultra-exclusive or-
ganization of that city, is planning to hold a dance
of all nations on February 28, and the committee
in charge decided to send invitations to the mem-
bers and friends in a decidedly original way. Two
of the committee visited the Columbia Co.'s record-
ing laboratory and made a record which constitutes!
the invitation to the dance, and 175 records were
ordered for the use of the society's guests. Dur-
ing the course of the past fortnight the personal
record department has turned out a number of suc-
cessful advertising records in very large quantities,
and A. E. Donovan, assistant manager of the de-
partment, is enthusiastic regarding the year's out-
look.
The Columbia Co. carried a very attractive back-
cover advertisement in the Saturday Evening Post
of last week which was prestige publicity in every
sense of the word. The advertisement was multi-
colored, and figures representing opera stars, vio-
linists, musical comedy singers and other characters
served to attract immediate attention. The gen-
eral lay-out of the advertisement was a silhouette.
C. E. GORE WITITPATHE FRERES CO.
Experienced Talking Machine Man Joins Sales
Staff of Pathe Freres Phonograph Co.
•Clarence E. Gore, connected with the E. F. Droop
& Sons Co., Washington, D. C, for the past ten
years, has joined the sales staff of the Pathe
Freres Phonograph Co., New York. Mr. Gore will
visit Pathe dealers throughout the country, and
will leave for his first extended trip in the very
near future.
Mr. Gore's past experience ideally equips him
to co-operate with Pathe dealers along practical,
result-producing lines, as he has been connected
with all phases of the talking machine industry—
manufacturing, wholesale and retail. For seven
years he was connected with the factory of Thomas
A. Edison, Inc., and during his ten years with the
E. F. Droop & Sons Co. he was a member of both
their wholesale and retail departments, seven years
with the former and three years with the latter.
WORLD-FAMOUS TENOR VISITS VICTOR FACTORIES.
Upon a recent visit to the Victor Talking Ma- visit the presses were busy turning out one of his
chine Co.'s immense factories at Camden, N. J., new records, and the celebrated tenor decided to
personally press one of these records. He accom-
John McCormack, the world-famous tenor and ex-
49
REPORT OF VICTOR ASSOCIATION.
Co-operat ve Beneficial Association of Victor
Employes Proves a B.g Success, Due Largely
to the Generosity of the Company.
The high degree to which a benevolent associa-
tion may ibe developed is indicated in the recent
report of the Victor Co-operative Beneficial Asso-
ciation, made up of employes of the Victor Talking
Machine Co., Camden, N. J., for the year 1915.
The report indicates that during the year the
membership in the association had increased from
5,550 to 0,900 and that the receipts from entrance
fees and dues were $18,807.25, in view of which
fact, as per agreement, the Victor Co. contributed
a like amount to the fund. The disbursements in
sick benefits were $23,001.80, in death benefits to
twenty-three members $3,450, and in refunds to
members $2,040.99, leaving the substantial balance
at the end of the year of $20,320.32. The adminis-
tration expenses, amounting to $3,943.14, were met
entirely by the Victor Co., thus leaving the funds
of the association intact for benefits. Beginning
on January 1, 1910, the death benefits will be in-
creased from $150 to $250.
The officers of the association for the new year
are: President, E. F. Haines; vice-president, W. H.
Nafey; treasurer, G. W. Jaggers; secretary, E. K.
MacEwan, and visiting secretary, F. A. Sparks.
The excellent record of the association is due
largely to the generosity of the Victor Co. in not
only contributing one dollar to the funds for every
dollar contributed by a memiber, but also in meet-
ing all the administration expenses, a substantial
item, which during 1915 exceeded by nearly $500
the total amount paid out in death benefits. The
feeling that he will be taken care of when ill and
that his family will receive a sum that will at least
meet funeral expenses when he dies goes far to
make a workman contented, and therefore ener-
getic, which makes the contribution to the fund by
the Victor Co. money well invested.
CLEVER VICTROLA ADVERTISING.
White Plains Dealer Tells Story of Board of
Commerce Banquet to Call Attention to a
Recent Victor Record Sung by Alma Gluck.
(Special to 1 lie Review.)
WHITE PLAINS, N. Y., January 17.—A novel bit
of advertising was used by Hunt's Music Store, of
52 Martine avenue, to attract attention to Victor
record No. 04412, of "The Little Grey Home in
the West," sung by Alma Gluck. The White Plains
Chamber of Commerce recently held a banquet at
Delmonico's, this city, where the feature of the
after-dinner entertainment was a demonstration of
the possibilities of the telephone, shown by having
the diners talk with prominent people in San Fran-
cisco and other parts of the country via the long-
distance 'phone. When San Francisco was called
the manager of the Mount Vernon office of the
Xevv York Telephone Co. sang "Hello, Frisco," and
the response received from the Coast was a Vic-
trola rendition of the Alma Gluck record. In the
advertisement referred to Hunt's tells the story of
the dinner, and at the end says: "Just can't help
but remind you that it was Alma Gluck on the Vic-
tor record No. 64412 who sang 'The Little Grey
Home in the West' on the Victrola. Like the tele-
phone, the Victrola is famous in Frisco and in
every direction all the way back to good old New
York."
NEW VICTOR CO. DIVIDEND.
The Victor Talking Machine Co. has declared
a
special cash dividend of $10 per share payable
elusive Victor artist, evinced keen interest in the plished his work with marked skill, and the ac-
detailed workings of the record-pressing depart-
companying photograph indicates the serious man- January 15 to stock of record January 12. This
^ ner in which Mr. McCormack regarded his new is in addition to the regular quarterly dividend of
m ent.
$5 per share, payable on the same date.
It chanced that at the time of Mr. McCormack's field of endeavor.
John McCormack Pressing One of His Own Records.