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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
52
LATEST COLUMBIA GLEANINGS
DEATH OF ARTHUR J. O'NEILL
PITTSBURGH ASSOCIATION DINES
Wholesale Division Breaks All Records for
Business During September—Louis Sterling
in Town—Lazaro Records Being Featured
Veteran Pathe Distributor Succumbs to At-
tack of Pneumonia
Talking Machine Jobbers Give Dinner to the
Pittsburgh Dealers' Association
CHICAGO, I I I . , October 9.—Arthur J. O'Neill,
head of the Arthur J. O'Neill Co., Pathe dis-
tributors, passed away last Wednesday evening,
aged forty-eight years, after a four-day attack
of pneumonia. Mr. O'Neill, who in early life,
managed both his sister, Jennie O'Neill Pot-
ter, and James Whitcomb Riley in concert and
lecture work, originated the premium idea in
connection with talking machines in 1903, and
was exceptionally successful from the start.
He was one of the first dealers to secure a
representation for the Pathe Pathephone, and
with two of his sons, Arthur B. and Harry K.
O'Neill, he transacted a large wholesale and
retail business in that line, and at his death
he was indirectly interested in the State Street
Pathephone Shop, which is under the manage-
ment of his sons, in addition to his own busi-
ness. He is survived by a widow, three sons
and two daughters.
PITTSBURGH, PA., October 11.—The five Pitts-
burgh talking machine jobbing houses tendered
a dinner to the Pittsburgh Talking Machine
Dealers' Association on Monday evening, Octo-
ber 9, which was attended by practically the en-
tire membership of the association. The affair
was held at "The Pines," about fifteen miles
from the city, the trip being made in automo-
biles. Covers were laid for seventy-five, the
dining hall being beautifully decorated with
flowers and autumn leaves. After the dinner,
which was interspersed with impromptu talks,
the regular business meeting of the associa-
tion was called to order and the following new-
ly-elected officers of the association were in-
stalled: C. L. Hamilton, president; W. A. Kulp,
vice-president; Jacob Schoenberger, treasurer,
and A. K. Meyers, secretary.
During the meeting the proposed establish-
ment of an information bureau to regulate credit
affairs, plans for pushing the record business,
the regulation of the approval evil, and the
matter of charging interest on installment pur-
chases were all discussed.
The hosts at the dinner were the Standard
Talking Machine Co., the C. C. Mellor Co., the
W. F. Frederick Piano Co., the Buehn Phono-
graph Co., and the Columbia Graphophone Co.;
the arrangements for the dinner having been
made by J. C. Roush, of the Standard Co.
The Columbia Graphophone Co.'s wholesale
division, 83 Chambers street, New York, closed
in September the best month in its history, the*
division's sales totals showing a gain of more
than 50 per cent, over any preceding month.
In order to properly celebrate this splendid
record, the sales staff convened at Moquin's last
Tuesday for an informal dinner, and predictions
were freely made that October would go Sep-
tember one better, so far as sales totals are con-
cerned.
The Block Furniture & Carpet Co., 423 Tre-
mont avenue, New York, which recently ar-
ranged to handle the Columbia line exclusively,
is making plans to close a banner fall business,
and with this end in view, has placed large
Grafonola and Columbia record orders for im-
mediate delivery.
Louis Sterling, general manager of the Euro-
pean interests of the Columbia Graphophone
Co., arrived in New York Monday for an ex-
tended visit. While here he will confer with
the Columbia executive officers anent the gen-
eral business situation abroad.
An artistic folder featuring the Columbia rec-
ords made by Lazaro, the celebrated tenor, is
now in the hands of Columbia dealers. This
folder, which is multi-colored, presents the
famous tenor in several of his celebrated roles,
and also calls attention to the remarkable en-
comiums he has received in all parts of the
world. This folder is but a small part of the
Columbia Co.'s $100,000 campaign in behalf of
the records of this renowned singer, who is now
recording for the Columbia Co.
S. H. Nichols, district manager of the Co-
lumbia Co.'s Pittsburgh territory, was a caller
at the executive offices this week, with glowing
reports of conditions in the "Smoky City" sec-
tion.
NEW QUARTERSJ^OR TRITON CO.
The warerooms and offices of the Triton
Phonograph Corporation have been removed
from 41 Union square, to 137 Fifth avenue,
corner of Twentieth street, New York, where
larger quarters have been secured.
J. A.
Kraus, manager, has entirely recovered from
his eight weeks' of illness, and is now feeling
as well as ever.
EDISON FILM IN GREAT DEMAND
"The Voice of the Violin" Proves Very Popular
Throughout the Middle West
CHICAGO, I I I . , October 9.—"The Voice of the
Violin," an advertising film featuring the new
Edison, is having a big run in the Middle West,
where it is being shown at some of the best
houses in the territory. Even during the torrid
N. J., show that the picture is proving very at-
tractive in spreading the propaganda of music's
re-creation.
A number of dealers in the Chicago zone have
not only made arrangements to have the picture
exhibited at their local theatres, but have had
it advertised to good advantage. The picture
herewith shows how the Starland Theatre of
Michigan City, Ind., secured publicity for the
offering. The photograph of the motor truck
BOOKLET OF REAL INFORMATION
Victor Co. Publishes Papers Prepared by De-
partment Heads for Jobbers' Convention in
One Convenient Volume for Dealers' Use
One of the features of the recent convention
of The National Association of Talking Ma-
chine Jobbers at Atlantic City was the reading
of a number of papers prepared by department
heads of the Victor Talking Machine Co., and
which gave authoritative information regarding
the inside workings of the great industry that
were not only interesting, but were distinctly
valuable to those engaged in the selling of Vic-
tor goods. The jobbers were so much im-
pressed with the various papers that they re-
quested that the information should be passed
along to every dealer. The Victor Talking Ma-
chine Co. has, therefore, issued a convenient
sixty-page booklet containing the papers in full,
with marginal guides at each paragraph to fa-
cilitate the efforts of the dealer in quest of in-
formation.
The department heads who prepared the
papers included Belford G. Royal, general su-
perintendent; C. G. Child, director of th*e Vic-
tor recording laboratory; H. H. Murray, super-
intendent of the engineering department; I. F.
Burton, superintendent of the manufacturing de-
partment; E. T. Kieffer, superintendent of the
cabinet factory; C. S. Wickes, superintendent
of the record pressing factory; E. K. Smith,
superintendent of the shipping department;
Ernest John, assistant manager of the adver-
tising department, and Mrs. Frances E. Clark,
who holds the position of director of the edu-
cational department.
«TRA AWED ABACTION AT STARLAND
f j l DAY
MAY 2 6 * Afternoon &
Featuring "The Voice of the Violin"
spell that made the outdoors so attractive in
bearing the advertising banner was taken in
the latter part of July, the picture drew crowds
front of the store of Fawley & Abbott, Edison
wherever it was shown. It is so successful in
dealers in Michigan City. A salesman accom-
attracting audiences and the public is so well
panied the reel on its progress through the Chi-
pleased with it that in many cases proprietors
cago zone and some of the reports sent in
of theatres ask for a re-booking, and reports by him indicate the favor with which the picture
received by Thomas A. Edison, Inc., in Orange, is viewed wherever it is shown.