La filial mexicana inició operaciones en febrero de 1906 y de ello la revista corporativa de Edison publicó un breve texto en The Edison Phonograph Monthly (Vol. IV, No. 1) de marzo de 1906 donde menciona a los inversionistas de Nueva Jersey y la cantidad: 25 mil dólares como inversión principal.
Para 1907 se nombra gerente de la oficina mexicana a Rafael Cabañas como se informa en The Edison Phonograph Monthly de marzo de 1907 (Vol. V, No. 1, p. 4) en el artículo las nuevas oficinas para la filial mexicana.
Según una nota de The Talking Machine World (Vol. IV, No. 5, p. 313) publicada el 15 de mayo de 1908, la Compañía Edison abrió un estudio de grabación temporal en México en Santa Clara # 20 1/2. Los responsables fueron G. J. Werner y Frederick C. Burt.
La Mexican National Phonograph Co. filial de los Fonógrafos Edison tuvo sus oficinas principales en la ciudad de México originalmente en 5 de Mayo # 67 para posteriormente alquilar un edificio entero para ello en Av. Oriente # 117. Hecho que habla por sí solo de la importancia que la industria tuvo en el país. En el artículo reproducido a continuación se promueven los fonógrafos y discos, en especial una línea de música mexicana. También se promueven los kinetoscopios y película virgen. El texto y la fotografía fueron publicados en The Edison Phonograph Monthly (Vol. VII, No. 11, p. 12) de noviembre de 1909.
National Branch Companies
The Mexican National Phonograph Co. was incorporated in New York State last month. It will do business in Mexico, with headquarters at Calle Prolongación del Cinco de Mayo, 67-77, Mexico City. It capital stock is $25,000 and its incorporators are William E. Gilmore, Alphonse Westee and John F. Randolph, all of Orange, N.J.
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New Quarters for Mexico City Branch
On account of its rapidly increasing business, our Mexican Company, located in Mexico City, has found it necessary to procure much larger accommodations, to successfully handle its trade in the Republic of Mexico. We have, for several years, enjoyed a large Mexican business, and, until the early part of last year, this was handled by our Foreign Department at Union Square, New York. Believing, however, that a much larger trade could be secured by direct representation, and following out the policy of extending our business in foreign territory, a company was organized (the Mexican National Phonograph Company), and Rafael Cabañas was appointed Manager. Immediately this company was organized, quarters which were thought ample to meet their requirements were secured at Calle Prolongación del Cinco de Mayo, 67-77 Mexico, D. F.
After the lapse of a few months, however, it was realized that the accommodations at the address above given were inadequate to care for their constantly increasing trade, and the matter of securing larger and more commodious quarters was given careful attention. A thorough canvass of the City of Mexico resulted in our people securing the greater part of a large building on one of the main thoroughfares of the city, No. 117 Avenida Oriente. The several floors will be utilized for office, exhibition, stock, packing and shipping rooms, and with this increased space, our Mexican Company will be enabled to carry a much larger stock, and more successfully meet the requirements of their constantly growing trade.
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Make Edison Records in Mexico
A temporary recording plant of the Edison Phonograph Co. has been opened at Santa Clara No. 20 1/2 for the making of the new Mexican records. Records will be made from masters of the leading singers and brass bands of the republic. Up to the present time fifteen new selections have been made. The work will be continued for the next three months, during which time the company will secure the best talent of Mexico for the making of its models. G. J. Werner, assisted by Frederick C. Burt, of the New York recording plant, are in charge of the work in Mexico.
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Our Mexican Office
Below we show a cut of our Mexican office, which is situated on the Avenida Oriente, 117, Mexico City, Mexico.
Prior to the organization of our Mexican Company, all our business in the Republic of Mexico was handled direct from the New York office; but as our trade increased, we found it necessary to organize the Mexican National Phonograph Co. in order to meet conditions as existing and more thoroughly exploit our products there. The company was organized in January, 1906, and immediately established at the premises Prolongacion del Cinco de Mayo, 77, Mexico City, at which time we occupied only a part of this building; but realizing we were much handicapped for want of room, the entire building shown above was leased in December of 1906. The entire building is now occupied by our Mexican Company, with the exception of the first floor, the general offices being situated on the second floor, and the third and fourth floors used for storing stock.
They carry a full supply of our several types of Phonographs, together with a large stock of both foreign and domestic Records, besides a stock of special Mexican Records. They also carry a full line of Projecting Kinetoscopes, Films, Batteries and Numbering Machines manufactured by the Edison Companies here at Orange.
In order to meet the large demand for Mexican Records made by native talent, we have been sending our recording experts to Mexico City for the past three years, and have already issued 444 Standard and 41 Amberol Records of this kind. These have already been placed on the market and we still have several hundred selections, both Standard and Amberol, which we shall issue monthly.
Mr. George M. Nisbett, formerly manager of our Chicago office, now has charge of the Mexican Company; and under his management we expect the season of 1909-1910 will be a recordbreaker, as the prospects for doing a large business in Mexican territory were never brighter than at present.
CINE SILENTE MEXICANO / MEXICAN SILENT CINEMA 