Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
SOME UNIQUE RECORDS.
Placed in the Archives of the Austrian Academy
of Sciences.
Some interesting additions have been made to
the phonographic archives of the Austrian Acad-
emy of Sciences, the aim of which is to obtain
records of all the languages and dialects in the
world that are spoken by natives. A German
explorer in New Guinea, Dr. Rudolf Poch, has
just sent a record of a description of a wild boar
hunt in the Papuan trumpet language, which is a
complete means of communication between these
people quite distinct from their ordinary spoken
language. It consists entirely of trumpet blasts
of different pitch and length.
Other records illustrate the peculiarities of the
Papuan spoken language, which has five genders
—masculine, feminine, neuter, infantine and
imaginary—and different words for walking ac-
cording to the direction of the compass. On the
other hand their numerals are only from one to
five. Dr. Exner, the director of the phono-
graph archives, is collecting records in India, and
has recently sent home some of the dialects of
the hill tribes which are interesting as possessing
about one hundred and fifty separate consonants.
TRADE NOTES FROM ST. LOUIS.
Trade for Month Satisfactory—What a Visit to
the Retailers Reveals.
(Special to The Review.)
St. Louis, Mo., Aug. 3, 1905.
The talking machine business for the month
of July is reported to have been quite satisfac-
tory, and especially so considering the severe
spell of warm weather that existed during a por-
tion of that month. The trade in general is well
pleased with present conditions and future pros-
pects.
D. S. Ramsdell, vice-president of the St. Louis
Talking Machine Co., states that their trade for
the month of July was better than expected.
The Western Talking Machine Co., recent suc-
cessors to the Ray Co., through Manager E. L.
Garvin, report business good and improving.
Manager T. P. Clancy, of the talking machine
department of the Conroy Piano Co., states that
their business for the first six months of this
year has been the best for that period of any
time in their history. When seen by your corre-
spondent on Monday at about four o'clock he
stated that they had been so busy that day he
had not had time to open his mail.
Manager E. B. Walthall, of the talking machine
department of the 0. K. Houck Piano Co., re-
ports their trade surprisingly good for the month
of July. About August 5 this department will
be enlarged, and they will occupy the entire
third floor for talking machine purposes, a por-
tion of which will be used as their wholesale
and jobbing department. They now occupy a
little more than one-half of the third floor.
NEW CONCERN IN OAKLAND, CAL.
(Special to The Keview.i
Oakland, Cal., July 8, 1905.
The Pacific Graphophone Co., under the man-
agement of F. G. Mills, has recently opened a
store in the Bacon block on 11th street that bids
fair to take a place among the many up to-date
business houses of this city. The appointments
of the store are in a dark flat finish, somewhat
on the Flemish style and show to advantage.
What is proving to be an attractive feature in
many of the small steamers used around summer
resorts is the employment of a talking machine.
Concerts are given on the deck, and in the even-
ing dancing is even indulged in with the assist-
ance of these machines. For instance, the cabin
passengers on board the S. S. Victoria, on a re-
cent voyage to Montreal, gave a dance to the
strains of a loud-sounding talking machine, while
in many of the songs the passengers joined forces
with the artists represented in the record.
RECORDS AND COPYRIGHTS.
41
THE EDISON COMMERCIAL SYSTEM
The Recent Decision of Judge Hazel in the Is Being Installed in Many Leading Institutions
Throughout
Country—Edison
Business
Perforated Roll Case Bears Distinctly on
Phonographs in Great Demand.
Records, Which Are Not Infringements.
With the establishment of a separate depart-
When Judge Hazel, United States Circuit ment for handling the Edison Business Phono-
Court, New York City, handed down his decision graph, the National Phonograph Co. have issued
in the White-Smith Music Publishing Co. against a special catalogue, gotten up in a most attrac-
Apollo Co., June 21, in which he declared per- tive manner, with tinted half-tones and typograp-
forated music rolls were not "writings" within ically perfect. In the opening chapter the pur-
the meaning of the copyright statute, and there- pose of the system is Ireated as follows: "The,
fore did not infringe or invade the rights of Edison commercial system makes it practicable
copyrighted music, he placed the talking ma- and advisable to centralize the typewriting force
chine record in the same category by approving oC any office—a fact, that alone should recom-
the previous rulings of both American and Eng- mend it lo office managers as a genuine economy
lish courts. That portion of his opinion dealing and an excellent means for dispatching business.
Less apparent, perhaps, but of still greater value,
with this.matter follows:
"In the Kennedy against McTammany case (33 is its convenience to the 'brains that direct.' The
Fed. Rep., 584). which was decided in 1888, Judge phonograph makes the department head inde-
Colt held that perforated music rolls or strips pendent of office routine, and enables him in pri-
of paper are not infringements of copyright vacy ta give greater concentration, conciseness
sheets of music; and that such perforated sheets and freedom of thought to business correspon-
are designed not to occupy the field of sheet dence.
"The necessity for a separate department to
music, but are a mechanical invention to me-
chronically perform tunes. . . . In the Stern install and maintain the Edison commercial sys-
against Rosey case (17 App. D. C, 562), decided ttm has been impressed upon the undersigned
in 1901, it was held . . . that the ordinary company, operating under Mr. Edison's patents.
meaning of the words 'copying, publishing,' etc., To that end the 'Commercial Department' will
cannot be enlarged to include 'the reproduction establish branch offices throughout the principal
through the agency of the phonograph of the business centers in this country and abroad to
sounds of musical instruments playing the music carry out its plans, for which the company will
composed and published by the complainants.' be fully responsible. This catalogue has been
There apparently is little difference between the written simply and directly for business men,
facts of the Stern case and the facts here, ex- avoiding technical terms and descriptions. Its
cept that in that case the alleged infringing rec- mission will be accomplished if the reader is
ord consisted of a disk or cylinder for reproduc- prompted to ask for a practical demonstration
ing sounds by means of the phonograph. The of the system and our prices for installation."
court further said: 'It is not pretended that the
markings upon waxed cylinders can be made out
TALKING MACHINE AS ORATOR.
by the eye, or that they can be utilized in any
R. L. Lowe Talks to Old Schoolfellows Although
other way than as parts of the mechanism of the
90 Miles Away.
phonograph.' "
Long-distance oratory was the principal fea-
ture at the recent reunion of the Battin High
WANTS PATENT CASE REINSTATED.
School Alumni Association in Arcanum Hall,
(Special 1o The Kevlew.)
Elizabeth, N. J. R. I aunitz 1 owe, of the class
Washington, D. C, Aug. 2, 1905.
of 1901, addressed the alumni, sending his words
Geo. H. Underhill has applied for a writ of through ninety miles of space. A talking ma
mandamus in the District Supreme Court requir- chine delivered the speech, into which Mr. Lowe
ing the Commissioner of Patents to reinstate an had spoken a few days before. Those present
appeal in a pending patent case, and to direct the
Board of Examiners in chief to take action on could mark the characteristic intonations of the
the case, and decide on its merits. The inven- voice of the speaker, stationed at Pennsylvania
tion under discussion is an improvement in sound University in Philadelphia.
"I'm glad to be with you," said the phonograph,
reproducing machines. Mr. Underhill explains
in his petition that he filed application for a and then followed a very good speech, which end-
patent on July 22, 1904, and that on September ed with a "Hip! Hip—!" that set the audience
20, 1904, an interference was declared by the cheering. The idea of the transported oration
Commissioner of Patents, on issues between the was John Laurvik's.
There was a good attendance at the meeting,
petitioner, Underhill, and Julius Wellner and
Elan Gilbert. On February 4, 1905, a motion many classes being represented.
to dissolve the interference was denied and an
JOINS THE 0. K. HOUCK FORCES.
appeal taken. The appeal has since been dis-
missed.
(Special to The Review.1
Memphis, Tenn., July 31, 1905.
Mr. Swain, who has recently joined the
The sacred songs, with organ accompaniment,
being placed on the market by the American throng of Memphis boomers, has been for
Record Co., Springfield, Mass., have all the tone many years connected with the Victor Talk-
and quality of that impressive instrument in real- ing Machine Co. at their factory. He
istic form. The numbers, of which there are is thoroughly familiar with the Victor in all its
eight, are sung with feeling and expression that moods and will be a distinct addition to the force
will appeal to people who like that class of music. that has made the Vctor Talking Machine com-
The traveling corps of the company keep a-going mon property in Memphis. He will be identified
with the Memphis house of O. K. Houck Piano
with purposeful celerity
Co.
Business with the Houck Co. is quite brisk, and
Walt Eckhardt, manager of the Columbia
P.
E. Miles, the manager of the talking machine
Phonograph Co. General, New York, is yachting
department,
attributes much of his success to
off Atlantic City. N. J., which he makes his base
aggressive advertising. He has just placed an
of supplies.
order for 165 Edison phonographs and 20,000
records for immediate shipment. Business at
MANAGER-SALESMAN WANTS POSITION.
the
Nashville branch is quite brisk. They are
WANTED A position as manager of Sales
or Traveling Dept by Al up-to-date Talking organizing a button club which will be composed
Machine man. Best of references, ten years' of two hundred thousand members.
experience as manager, salesman. Can swing at
least $50,000 per year in Victors alone and can
HAYS CO. OPEN BRANCH.
double sales if Edisonsare carried. Knows every
dealer in New Fngland, New York and Pennsyl-
The Hays Music Co., the well-known jobbers
vania. Only Nrstclass jobbers in New York, of talking machines in Toledo, O., have recently
Boston, Phila., need answer. Ready Sept. 1st. opened a branch store on the east side, which
Address "Traveler," care Music Trade Review,
is doing a very satisfactory business.
1 Madison Ave., New York.