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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
TOWER 205 FEET HIGH WILL GRACE NEW VICTOR PLANT.
An Addition to the Present Cabinet Factory and a New Record Pressing Plant, Both Six Stories
in Height, Are Being Planned—Novel Fire Escapes a Feature.
The Victor Talking Machine Co. has commis-
sioned Ballinger & Perrot, architects and engi-
neers, to prepare plans for a six-story and base-
ment addition to its cabinet factory on Market
street, Camden, N. J., from Delaware avenue east-
ward ; also a six-story record-pressing building on
Cooper street west of Delaware avenue.
The extension to the cabinet factory will com-
pletely build up the block from Delaware avenue
to Front street, and add to the present cabinet
factory 140,000 square feet of floor space. When
completed this cabinet factory will be, one of the
largest and most up-to-date woodworking plants
in the United States, the total amount of floor
space in this group being twelve and eight-tenths
acres.
A striking feature of the facade on Market
street is a tower 205 feet high located in the mid-
dle of the building. This tower will supplant the
existing sprinkler-tank tower and will be used for
sprinkler and factory water supplies. The trade-
mark of the Victor Talking Machine Co. will be
"OUR BANNER TONE TEST!"
Exclaimed Christine Miller When Speaking of
Her Recent Concert with the Edison Dia-
mond Disc in New Haven.
"This is our banner tone test!" exclaimed Chris-
tine Miller in her dressing room at the Shubert
Theatre, New Haven, on a recent evening after
she had demonstrated to some eighteen hundred
New Havenites the futility of trying to distin-
guish between her own voice and its re-creation by
the Edison Diamond Disc phonograph.
"It was one of the most artistic performances I
have ever heard," said Prof. John Wetzel, of Yale
University, who presided at the New Haven tone
test. "I want to congratulate Mr. Edison, Miss
Miller, Mr. Walsh and everyone connected with
this tone test. It was wonderful."
"The genius of Edison stood out supreme last
night," said the New Haven Journal-Courier of
the tone test. "It was brought home to the audi-
ence superbly, impressively. Those who heard this
astounding tone test last night were amazed and
mystified; none could tell how this miracle of re-
creating the human voice had been accomplished,
but all were ready and willing to say that it had
been done and they had heard it.
"Music's re-creation is Edison's latest and fa-
vorite invention. It is the consummation of his
fondest hopes. A tone test, as the inventor terms
last night's demonstration, is decidedly new to this
community. Only with Edison's instrument is a
tone test possible. Nothing like it has ever been
heard before. It was as daring, as acid testing a
demonstration as any invention has ever been sub-
mitted to.
"It was baffling. Had two Christine Millers
located at the top of the tower on four sides,
executed in glass. It is proposed to illuminate
this tower at night with the flood system of light-
ing which will make
the tower stand out
at night as a beacon
light in the darkness.
The plans also con-
template the finish-
ing of the present
cabinet factory, so
that the facade on
this street will har-
monize w i t h t h e
architecture of the
remainder of t h e
building.
The construction of
the building will be
of reinforced con-
crete throughout with
rolled s t e e l s a s h
frames and windows.
glazed with
wire glass, and
heated and ven-
t i 1 a t e d willi
blown air, sim-
ilar to the wing
which was com-
pleted last year,
thus getting the
maximum labor
efficiency from
t h e employes
b y providing
working quar-
ters which are
conducive
t o
those qualities.
The e n t i r e
group of build-
ings for the cabinet factory is adequately provided
with fireproof escapes in addition to the one main
entrance, which will occur under the tower, and
communicates with an incline, instead of stair-
ways, which runs through the six stories of the
building. This incline is designed to provide
means of reaching the various floors and sections
of the building and obviates the use of passenger
elevators, and is found in practice to be eminently
suited for the purpose.
The record-pressing building is to be a six-story,
fireproof building, 91 by 283 feet, connected to the
grinding building by bridges. This building is, as
is usual with all the buildings of the Victor Talk-
ing Machine Co., of reinforced concrete construc-
tion throughout, of design to harmonize with the
type of architecture of the remainder of the plant,
with rolled steel sash and glazed wire glass, mak-
ing an absolutely fireproof construction. On ac-
count of the nature of the soil the building will be
placed on concrete piles. On the top of the build-
ing will be arranged booths for the testing of
records. When completed this building will be
large enough to increase the Victor Talking Ma-
chine Co.'s output in records far beyond what has
been possible to produce at present, thereby better
enabling the company to supply the huge demand.
Inclined Fire-Escapes In New Victor Factory.
stood last night beside the cabinet, singing simul-
taneously, the effect could not have been more per-
fect. The living and re-created voices were in
one tone, color, shade and quality. It was a tri-
umph of Edison's genius which made such a mar-
velous tone test possible."
The New Haven Register also paid a warm
tribute to the tone test. Here is a paragraph from
the Register's critic: "Many in the audience leaned
forward to catch some difference in the voices.
But there was none to catch. Miss Miller's own
beautiful voice, in all its glowing, pulsating vibra-
tions, was being matched tone for tone by the in-
strument. Edison had scored another triumph;
it was the idealization of this great man's genius."
Elizabeth Spencer is on an Edison tone test tour
through the Southwest, accompanied by Harold
Lyman, flutist, of the Edison Laboratory Orchestra.
COMPLIMENT FROM NOTED ARTIST.
The Columbia Graphophone Co., New York, re-
cently received the following letter from Mme.
Flore Revalles, one of the stars of the famous
Serge Diaghileff Ballet Russe, which recently
achieved tremendous success in a two weeks' per-
formance at the Century Opera House, and which
will visit the leading cities of the country:
"Though a newcomer to your country, I have
been more than interested in your wonderful talk-
ing machine records that have been brought to my
notice. My curiosity has been so great that I
have been using your dance records for my re-
hearsals, with the utmost satisfaction, and I think
it is due you to say that I think all who dance can
have much satisfaction from your Grafonolas and
records, as their tempo, rhythm and musical quali-
ties simply are charming and of great assistance."
THE LATEST TRADE NOVELTY
Is "Victor, His Master's Dog," Which Is Bound
to Make a Strong Appeal.
"Victor, His Master's Dog," the latest novelty
introduced by J. Henry Smythe, Jr., of New
York, made quite a hit at
the recent annual toy fair
held at the Hotel Breslin.
This life-like white and
black velvet reproduction
of the famous VLtor trade-
mark not only made a big
hit there, but has also made
a strong appeal to talking
machine dealers throughout
the country, who will be
able to supply talking ma-
chine enthusiasts with this
clever toy in four sizes, re-
t a ii i n g a t $1> $ 1 > 5 0 $2 and
"Victor."
$2.50. Aside from its sales value it is a
striking window ornament and business attractor.
INSTALLS DEMONSTRATION ROOMS.
The Frank Cordts Furniture Co., of Hoboken,
N. J., is completing the furnishing of a beautiful
suite of concert rooms on the main floor of its
store for the demonstration of talking machine
records. The decorations are done in silver gray
and the rooms are excellently furnished through-
out.
The Ackerman-Lowe Piano Co., of Marion, O.,
is reported to be contemplating the manufacture
of talking machines.