14
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
animation of the patent, and its bearing upon the organ trade, but upon the
question of the rascalities which they charged upon the defendants, and which
were alluded to in our previous article.
It will be remembered that one Moses O. Nichols, as shown by the evi-
dence, was hired by Burdett's partner, the forger Waite, to give his aid in
concocting and carrying out a scheme to ruin Estey. They secured, through
Burdett's lawyer in New York, the exhibits upon which the defendants de-
pended to win their suit, on the plea that they were needed in taking testi-
mony ; and having access to such exhibits, they, it is charged, altered and
mutilated with the intention of smirching the Esteys, and preparing the way
for a piratical attack upon the entire organ trade of this country.
October 20th, 1880.
TRADE NOTES.
PAYSON.—Mr. E. S. Payson, connected with the house of Henry F. Mil-
ler, of Boston, was in Chicago the week before last. He has been doing some
rather extensive traveling for this house, having been to Norfolk, Va., Wash-
ington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, parts of Pennsylvania, Western New York,
thence to Chicago, and afterward to Milwaukee, Cincinnati and St. Louis.
He said that he would stay out longer if there were any use in doing so, but
his house is at present unable to fill its orders.
MILLER.—The Henry F. Miller piano is still handled by J. Bauer &
Co., in Chicago, and the agency will probably remain with that house unless
It has been supposed by some that the defendants have been obliged to Henry F. Miller should open a branch establishment in Chicago, of which
pay large amounts of money in connection with this suit, but a careful in- there is some talk of his doing.
quiry and examination into the matter shows us that there is no foundation
WEBER.—The Root & Son's Music Co., Chicago, have bought a very large
"whatever for such a supposition.
number of the Weber pianos since they have handled that instrument.
The defendants have never paid a single cent of damages, neither do they
HAINES.—Mr. Millikin, connected with the house of Haines Bros.,
expect to be obliged to pay a single cent of the award in this celebrated case.
Chicago last week. He has been flying about that part of the country
The recent decision in this matter has tended in a great measure to confuse in
the public mind concerning the true state of affairs. The decision in the case with very profitable results to the Messrs. Haines.
simply determined how much money was involved in it, and for what pro-
WATERLOO.—The Waterloo Organ Co., at Waterloo, Seneca Co., N. Y.,
portion of that the defendants were liable. I t seems to be generally supposed has been engaged in organ manufacturing in that town for several years, and
by the public that patent matters are very different from others, and that one is doing a nice business.
statement of the case is a complete and final statement. But this is far
Music TRADE ABROAD.—According to the English papers, the music
from correct. At the time of Waite's flight from justice, the Burdett-Estey
abroad shows more activity than it has for the past four years, and
organ suit had merely reached an additional step in its progress, where it trade
would pause until mrther action should be taken by the Esteys, who now, as better prices are being obtained.
a question of law, assume the control, and become the plaintiff in error in
GEO. WOODS &. Co.—Mr. James E. Phelps, of the firm of Geo. Woods &
Co., of Cambridge, Mass., is noticed by the English papers of October as
the case.
being in London arranging business with his agents.
(To be continued.)
ERARD.—The Parisian firm of Erard celebrated its centenary of existence
by distributing about $12,500 among the workpeople.
THE PIANO-LEG CARVERS' STRIKE.
THE MEANING OF THE EECENT DECISION.
AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL ORGAN.—The Automatic and Manual Organ, now
INCE our last issue there has been a strike among the men employed in
on exhibition at the American Institute Fair, of which we gave a short notice
carving piano-legs.
The strike was determined upon by the Union, on Saturday the 9th inst. in our last issue, possesses many novel features ; but as several important
The men claimed that before the general strike of last spring, they were re- improvements and alterations connected with it are in progress, we shall re-
ceiving an average of only $9 to $10 per week. The strike ^then resulted serve a detailed statement of the organ until our next issue, when we shall
in increasing their wages about ten per cent. The leg carvers claimed also be able to give a very full account of this remarkable invention.
that they were poorly paid in comparison with the workmen in other branches
CORNISH & COMPANY.—A fire occurred in the organ factory of Messrs-
of the piano business. They demanded that on an average their wages Cornish & Co., Washington, N. J., at about 1 A.M. on Friday, 15th inst.
should amount to $15 per week.
The fire was fortunately discovered at once by the telegraph operator, who
Most of the employers conceded that the carvers' wages were too low, gave the alarm, and the flames were speedily extinguished with but slight
aud, in most cases, yielded to their demands. The only manufacturers still damage to the building. The origin of the fire is supposed to be the ignit-
holding out, as we go to press, are A. Weber and Wm. E. Wheelock & Co. ing in some manner of waste in the filling room. Messrs. Cornish & Co.
state that the fire will not interfere at all with their business, which i»
" booming."
KIND WORDS.
LUMBER.—Over 200,000,000 feet of lumber have been sawed this seasoa
r p H E MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW, formerly the Music TRADE
_1_ JOURNAL, has greatly improved its appearance by the change. We do at the mills, on Ottawa River, Canada.
not like the attack on Weber in a few numbers back, for which they claimed
T. SHRIVER & Co.—Messrs. T. Shriver & Co., of 333 East 56th Street, in
so much courage and independence. If Weber had been an advertiser there this city, have a fine display of piano-plates at the American Institute. They
would have been some sense in their claim of independence. Is it inde- have been fortunate in securing a conspicuous part of the fair for their ex-
pendence to praise up some of the third and fourth-class manufacturers who hibit, and judging from the names cast in the plates, we infer that they
are advertisers and run down Weber, acknowledged as one of the best, be- make plates for nearly all the prominent piano firms in this city.
cause he is not ?—Molineux's Organist's and Conductor's Monthly.
[The reason for the above chivalrous defence of Mr. Weber will be found
SCHIRMER.—Mr. Schirmer, of 35 Union Square, has become fairly settled
upon the last advertising page of the aforesaid publication.—Ed. MUSICAL in his new store. He has such a rush of business that some of it seems to
CBTTIO AND TRADE KEVIEW.]
have gone to his head, and made it ache so that he is hardly able to speak to
his friends when they call on him.
BECKER'S FINGER EXERCISING MACHINE.
CINCINNATI INDUSTRIAL EXPOSITION.—The Cincinnati Industrial Exposi-
tion was a complete failure. A local paper says that it was not well patron-
To the Editor of the Musical Critic and Trade Beview.
MR. F . L. BECKER, of this city, has recently shown us an exceedingly in- ized either by exhibitors or visitors ; that many of the industries which pro-
genious apparatus which he has devised, for the purpose of exercising and vide comforts, necessaries and luxuries, were totally unrepresented, and the
strengthening the fingers of piano students. From the wording of his patent general management was not worthy of a great industrial centre like Cin-
for the machine, we inferred that it was designed as an attachment to the piano, cinnati.
and under such circumstances doubted its efficacy, as we stated in our late
HARDMAN, DOWLING & PECK.—Messrs. Hardman, Dowling & Peck report
brief notice of the invention in these columns. Examination of the device a very active business. They are making all the pianos they can, but are
itself, however, shows this impression to be inaccurate, as the contrivance is still about 150 behindhand with their orders. Their agents are continually
entirely distinct from the instrument, although it is provided with keys increasing their orders and report that their instruments are giving general
analogous to those of a pianoforte, and the hand is adjusted to it in like satisfaction. A remarkable change has taken place in the business of this
manner to the hand in actually playing. The keys may work against springs house during the past six months, and the infusion of energy and capital has
arranged so as to offer varying degrees of resistance, and in such case the had its effect in both the volume of business and the quality of the instruments
pupil's fingers operate the same as in real practice, or the keys are them- manufactured, as well as in minor details of money and labor-saving improve-
selves caused to rise by means of a rotating cylinder provided with rollers ments.
placed beneath them, so that the fingers are worked against the pressure
afforded by the muscles. This pressure must be maintained, and the pupil
STEINWAY & SONS.—Mr. M. Steinert, the New Haven agent for the Stein-
is advised, in case he allows it to decline, by the non-ringing of bells struck way piano, reports an active business in these instruments, particularly in
by rods attached beneath the keys.
grands and high-priced pianos.
Mr. Becker is an able musician and instructor, and his device is the
PROSPEROUS BUSINESS.—The quarterly circular of the Mercantile Agency
outcome of long practical experience.
I t is strongly commended by
many of our best pianists, and we have no doubt but that it will prove a of Dun, Wiman & Co., shows that for the third quarter of 1880 the number
valuable aid to both teacher and pupil, besides tending to decrease much of of failures was 979, amounting to $12,121,422, as compared with 1,262 fail-
During the first nine
the wear to which pianos are now subjected at the hands of the latter in the ures last year, amounting to $15,275,550.
months of *1879 the liabilities of failures were much less than one-
practice of finger gymnastics.
half those of the preceding year, being only $81,000,000 in 1879 as
PARK BENJAMIN & BRO.
compared with $197,000,000 in 1878, and, as will be seen, the casual-
ties for the past nine months exceed by little half those of 1879. Should this
SHRIVER'S HYDRAULIC ORGAN BLOWER.
ratio of improvement continue to be shown during the next three months,
r p H E Hydraulic Organ Blower, manufactured and patented by Messrs. T. the failures for the year will be less, as compared with the number engaged
_L Shriver & Co., which can now be seen at the American Institute Fair in in trade, than at any period since we have undertaken the compilation of
this city, operating the bellows of the Jardine organ on the music stand, is these figures.
a machine of much interest to every organist and to every church where
INCREASE OF FACILITIES FOR EASTERN EXPORTERS.—It is reported that
there is an organ and sufficient water to render a hydraulic blower available. hereafter the steamers of the Allan Line, which run between Liverpool and
It will be noticed at the Fair that the machine is noiseless in its operation Baltimore, will call at Boston. The change was brought about by the Cen-
and entirely self-regulating, working fast or slow, as the organist uses more tral Vermont Railroad Company.
or less wind by heavy or light playing.
F. L. BECKER.—Mr. F. L. Becker, of 122 E. 13th street, this city, has
Mr. Damon, who at any time may be seen, on inquiry at the office of
the Superintendent of the Fair, will exhibit the operation of the blower to issued a new circular, containing a large cut of his latest improved finger
exercising machine.
anybody who may wish to examine it.
S