Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
OCTOBER 18,
1919
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
57
JOINS THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
VICTOR CO. BRINGS TWO SUITS
FIRE IN TALKING MACHINE PLANT
Columbia Graphophone Co. Applies for Member-
ship in Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce—Talking Machine Trade Now Well
Represented in That Organization
Starts Action in U. S. District Court in Chicago
Against Harmonola Co. and Columbia Phono-
graph Cabinet Co., Alleging Patent Infringe-
ment—Injunction Asked for in Complaint Filed
Factory of Milwaukee Talking Machine Mfg.
Co. Badly Damaged by Blaze on October 11th
—To Fill Orders from Other Factories
The latest and a most important addition to the
membership of the Music Industries Chamber of
Commerce from the ranks of the talking machine
trade is the Columbia Graphophone Co., who
sent in its application for membership to the
Chamber last week.
That such an important company as the Colum-
bia has seen fit to take an active interest in the
affairs of the Chamber of Commerce is signifi-
cant as reflecting the growing interest in, and
appreciation of the work of that body that has
developed among talking machine men. In send-
ing in the application of the Columbia Co., H. L.
Willson, vice-president and general manager,
wrote in part:
"From the literature I have read and from my
general understanding of the organization, it
seems to me you are promoting a general inter-
est in music on a permanent basis, and in a con-
structive manner, and I feel, therefore, that in-
asmuch as our company is one of the largest and
most active music organizations in the country,
we should be associated with you."
The talking machine trade is now well repre-
sented in the Chamber of Commerce ranks, there
having joined that body recently the Victor Talk-
ing Machine Co., the Sonora Phonograph Corp.,
Pathe Freres Phonograph Co., and other con-
cerns.
CHICAGO, I I I . , October 13.—The Victor Talking
Machine Co. last week filed its bill of complaint
in the United States District Court here against
the Harmonola Talking Machine Co., Sidney
Schrayer & Co., Isadore Kalven and others, for
unfair competition and for infringement of the
two Johnson tone-arm patents Nos. 814, 786 and
814,848 and the English amplifier patent No.
947,227, and has made motion for preliminary
injunction, which the Court has set for hearing
on October 27, 1919.
A similar bill of complaint for unfair competi-
tion and infringement of these three patents was
filed on the same date in the same court by the
Victor Talking Machine Co. against the Columbia
Phonograph Cabinet Co. of Chicago, 111., Axel
Nordlund and others, and motion for preliminary
injunction made, which has also been set for hear-
ing by the Court on October 27, 1919.
AMBEROLA ADVERTISING DRIVE
K. R. Moses, Recently Discharged from Service,
to Push Amberola Extensively
To complete all arrangements with jobbers con-
cerning extensive plans for making the coming
year the banner year in Amberola sales, K. R.
Moses, sales manager of the Amberola depart-
COLUMBIA CANADIAN MANAGER
A. E. Landon Succeeds J. P. Bradt as Canadian
Manager—Formerly Assistant Canadian Man-
ager—Well Qualified to Fill His New Post
A. E. Landon, formerly assistant Canadian
manager of the Columbia Graphophone Co., has
been made Canadian branch manager, succeeding
J. P. Bradt, resigned. Mr. Landon was formerly
general sales manager of a big business operating
in the United States and Canada. His experi-
ence with the Columbia Graphophone Co. covers
selling in his country and territory, assistant
branch manager for Philadelphia and assistant
Canadian branch manager, Toronto, so he i.; well
qualified for his new post.
His qualifications are such that the Columbia
Graphophone Co. feels safe in entrusting to him
the direction of selling the output of the n ;w
big factory just bought by the Columbia from the
Imperial Munitions Board. This plant was for-
merly owned by Canadian Aeroplanes, Ltd., on
Dufferin street, north of Lappin avenue. With
the single exception of the Massey-Harris Works,
this is the largest plant under one roof in To-
ronto. It occupies twelve acres of ground and
consists of eight large permanent buildings and
three smaller frame buildings, together with the
railroad sidings, which run directly into the
largest structure.
This plant will give Columbia an increased
yearly capacity of 500 per cent, in records and
400 per cent, in Grafonolas. This will partly take
care of the increase in Grafonola business and
will necessitate an increased output from their
present Canadian cabinet manufacturers.
Mr. Landon has made his permanent home in
Toronto, having moved his family there over a
year ago. Plans for future development of the
sale of Columbia Grafonolas and records in Can-
ada have been warranted by past performances
and the outgrowing of the present factory of the
company at 54 Wellington street West, in
Toronto.
MILWAUKEE, WIS., October 15.—Plant No. 1 of
the Milwaukee Talking Machine Mfg. Co., at
416-418 Fourth street, was badly damaged by fire
of unknown origin late Saturday evening, October
11. The loss is variously estimated at $25,000 to
$50,000. It is believed the damage would have
been much greater but for the fact that an engine
company is stationed directly across the street
from the plant and the blaze was discovered by
firemen before it had gained great headway. It
required an hour to bring the fire under complete
control.
The Milwaukee company, which manufactures
the Dalion phonograph, recently established a
No. 2 plant on East Water street, in a seven-story
light manufacturing building, and therefore will
be able to fill its contracts in spite of the inter-
ruption which may be caused by Saturday night's
fire. Both plants have been working at maximum
capacity and the actual fire loss therefore is not
comparable to the use and occupancy loss which
probably will result.
The damaged plant was the first to be estab-
lished when the Milwaukee company was organ-
ized a little more than four years ago. Since then
several other factories have been opened in var-
ious parts of the city, as further expansion at the
original plant is not possible. During 1920, ac-
cording to plans made right after the end of the
war, all of the works will be brought together in
one large plant which it is proposed to erect at
the outskirts of the city, where ample room for
expansion is available.
Clement F. Romadka. president, and Stanley F.
Roth, secretary and treasurer, are the principal
stockholders in the company.
CLOSED BEST MONTH IN HISTORY
Otto Heineman, President of General Phono-
graph Corporation, Gives Excellent Report of
September Business—All Divisions Sharing in
Unprecedented Activity at Present Time
K. R. Moses
nicnt of Thomas A. Edison, Inc., is making a tour
of the United States in the interests of a national
Amberola advertising campaign. Mr. Moses was
recently discharged from service upon his re-
turn from France. When the United States en-
tered the war Mr. Moses immediately resigned
his position and enlisted as a private. He was
discharged from service with the rank of first
lieutenant.
RETAILING VICTORS IN ALBANY
The Gately-Hairc Co., Inc., Victor wholesalers
in Albany, N. Y., have disposed of their retail
department to the Strand Temple of Music, which
will continue to operate at 121 North Pearl
street, that city. Albert Adelstein, a well-known
talking machinv man, is the head of the new
venture.
• %
BUYS MUSIC STORE
E. E. Watkins has purchased the Neff Music
store on Pearl street, Logansport, Ind., which he
will enlarge and continue, carrying a full line of
musical instruments.
In a chat this week with The Review, Otto
Heineman, president of the General Phonograph
Corporation, stated that the company had closed
in September the best month in its very suc-
cessful history. This gratifying report includes
every division of the business, and judging from
all indications the next three months will es-
tablish record-breaking figures for this organiza-
tion.
Mr. Heineman states that the* demand for
Heineman and Mcisselbach motors, tone-arms and
sound-boxes is far beyond all expectations, and
notwithstanding the increased facilities in every
manufacturing department, the factories are far
behind orders. The new Newark plant of the
Meisselbach division is rapidly ncaring comple-
tion, and will prove of invaluable assistance in
increasing the output of Mcisselbach products.
OkeH records and Dean steel needles are stead-
ily gaining in popularity, and the new record sup-
plements are meeting with the enthusiastic com-
mendation of the dealers. The Conway Band
records are being featured to excellent advantage
by OkeH dealers everywhere, and have already
attained signal success.
JOINS COLUMBIA SALES STAFF
R. H. Woodford, well-known in the Eastern
retail p ; ano trade, has been appointed a mem-
ber of the sales staff of the Philadelphia branch
of the Columbia Graphophone Co. Mr. Wood-
ford succeeds Charles S. Keyes who recently
resigned.