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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
ant rooms in the PALMER House, which are to be
refitted. Mr. BAUMGARTEN and I took our supper of
kieler aprotten mU pilaen nearly every evening at the
Rathskeller, on Dearborn street, and he gave me a
great deal of information about artistic decorative
work. He has a branch office in the grand PULLMAN
BUILDING, on Michigan avenue, which is hardly
eclipsed by any building of the kind in New York.
AN INSTANCE OF PROGRESS.
T
HE recent formation of the McEwen Co. we re-
gard as a notable instance of a progress which
will certainly not be ephemeral. The origi-
nal company had built up a large business in a won-
derfully short time, but there was evidence that
much could still be done to extend and establish the
name and reputation of yie firm. A decision once
made, the action was prttnpt and decisive, and the
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plan of a stock company was determined upon.
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On the last TueadaV/of October the company was
Speaking of the PULLMAN BUILDING, reminds me organized with large fapital, and the following offi-
cers were elected : Charles Taylor, president; E. H.
that T. FLOYD JONES and I lunched together there.
McEwen, vice-president; Joseph H. Parsons, secre-
The restaurant is at the top of the building. The
tary, and Samuel Parsons, treasurer.
cuisine is excellent. (My eyes! how JONES can eat
The business ability and* experience of these gen-
pie when he puts his mind to it.) JONES, I think, will tlemen may be assumed at the outset, for they have
get things straightened out in good shape in Chicago. already shown their strength in their various walks,
He proposes to let all of the large building formerly and have organized because they know each others'
power.
occupied by the HAINES & WHITNEY COMPANY except
For the present they continue in the Fourteenth
the ground floor and basement, which will fully hold Street warerooms, but soon the offices and ware-
the extensive stock of pianos required in the busi- rooms of the " Sterling " piano and the "Sterling"
ness, and I do not think the ceilings will ever again organ will be removed to a more commodious build-
be cleaned with "Vienna bread. JONES says that ing in a central location, and in a neighborhood
where the surroundings will have less of a miscella-
business is good, and ED. AMBUHL agrees with him
neous business character, and be more in accordance
and DAY backs them both up. Now, when three with the artistic and aesthetic atmosphere which they
such truthful men tell you a thing, you are bound to believe should surround a musical instrument of the
believe them. I have not the least doubt it is the highest rank, like the piano.
Their aim, as we understand it, is for the best;
truth, for I did not hear a single complaint about
their highest effort will be to stand only in the front
dull times while I was in Chicago. Mr. JONES is rank, and their progress will be watched on all sides
careful and methodical, and shrewd withal. I never with the keenest interest.
That they will use every energy to extend the fame
saw him out of humor, and he always has a warm
grasp of the hand for a friend; but then, so have of the " Sterling " piano goes without saying. They
are none of them men to halt by the way.
MR. JOHN M. SMYTH.
M
E. JOHN M. SMYTH, who has been known in
a business way in Chicago mainly in the
house-furnishing line, has lately added
pianos to his other goods. He has an immense es-
tablishment, and keeps everything conceivable that
can be needed in house-keeping, furniture, uphol-
stery, crockery, etc., etc. His piano department,
however, is quite distinct from his house-furnishing
department, being in a well-fitted wareroom where
the instruments are shown to good advantage. There
is an entrance to the warerooms from the house-
furnishing stores through an arched passage-way.
Mr. Smyth has recently taken the agency for Ernest
Gabler & Bros, pianos, and expresses his great satis-
faction with those instruments. He says he finds
they are great favorites in Chicago, as large numbers
have been sold there in past years. It is not difficult
to sell a Gabler piano in Chicago.
Mr. Smyth does an immense installment business,
and, having abundant means, can sell his goods suc-
cessfully in that way. His store is always full of
customers; he is one of the busiest men we ever
saw, and is an influential man in local politics. He
also handles the Baus and Connor pianos. Mr. J.
Molte, jr., is in charge of the piano warerooms, and
we should judge was thoroughly capable of filling the
position with ability.
A NEW PIANO CONCERN.
ESSES. GEOVESTEEN & FULLEE have
sold out their stock, business, good-will,
etc., and a company has been organized
under the style of Grovesteen & Fuller Piano Co.,
with a capital of $100,000. The new firm consists of
Samuel L. Boyd, president and treasurer; George
DAY and AMBUHL.
W. Carter, general manager, and George N. Carter,
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secretary. The business will be continued at the old
GIVE HIM ROPE ENOUGH AND HE WILL
By the way, why can't we have such office buildings
stand, 71 Mercer street, New York city, where the
HANG HIMSELF.
about Union Square as they have in a corresponding
firm will welcome all old friends as well as any new
locality in Chicago. There is 0. L. Fox, of the Indi-
HAVE heard a good deal of talk in reference to ones. Their aim will be to place upon the market a
the Gilbert pianos that were advertised in last good piano at a medium price, and try to excel in
cator, who has two handsome offices in the fine build-
week's Musical Courier, and it has been told to this particular line. The new concern invites the
ing of the ADAMS EXPRESS COMPANY, on Dearborn
me that the announcement which appeared was trade, who already handle the Grovesteen & Fuller
contrary
to the principles advocated all along by this
street, with a strong room, built like a safe, and hav-
journal. But to show that I have not deviated one piano, to continue with them, and they will also be
ing double iron doors with combination locks. There jot from the original platform, I will reproduce it, pleased to quote prices to other dealers throughout
are two elevators in the building, and every other verbatim, as it first appeared in the Musical Courier the country.
last spring. Here it is :
convenience. Fox has recently improved the appear-
According to my view of the stencil business, it is
One of the neatest and handsomest inventions I
ance of the Indicator, and intends to bring out a subdivided as follows:
saw in Chicago, was the patented piano-cover of
Class I.—Manufacturers who openly stencil.
splendid annual number next month; but I don't
Class II. — Manufacturers who stencil clande- Mrs. S. E. Eichey. They are something entirely
new, are beautifully embroidered, and contain seve-
think he will beat the tremendous number which stinely.
Class III.—Dealers who sell stenciled pianos, stat-
BILL and I will bring out on the 5th of January to ing to the purchasers that the pianos are manufac- ral novel and valuable principles.
THE Brand Manufacturing Co., New Britain, Conn.,
celebrate the formation of our partnership associa- tured for them.
Class IV.—Dealers who sell stenciled pianos, have arrested Linwood Hamilton, of the defunct firm
tion. I will tell you more about this big number at claiming to manufacture them.
Now, there is nothing in the Gilbert piano to con- of Paull & Hamilton, Lancaster, Pa., and the trial
another time.
llict with the above platform. "Gilbert & Co." is a was to come off Nov. 5th. Mr. Fred. Brand, who is
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registered trade mark, owned and controlled by Mr. now in Lancaster, gives us to understand that they
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Thomas F. Scanlan, who unhesitatingly announced shipped Paull & Hamilton goods which they did not
that fact to the trade through the columns of the
Mr. AUGUSTUS NEWELL told me when I was in
Courier. He owns the trade mark and he use, but sold to the Miller Organ Co. after the fail-
Chicago that he was making preparations for the Musical
makes the piano, and he says so, and he means ex- ure for about one-third the value of said goods. The
manufacture of ivory as well as celluloid keys upon actly what he says. He uses the columns of the Brand Manufacturing Co. propose to make it hot for
Musical Courier as the best medium to announce this
a large scale. To this end he is increasing his facili- fact at one bound to the piano trade of the United this concern. The Music TRADE EEVIEW may be
ties, putting in a new boiler and building an addition States. We examine the piano and say what we think able to give them some testimony which will be of
of it, and the whole transaction is as clean as a value.
to his factory, so that before long he may be able to whistle and in strict conformity with our principles.
THE Mason & Hamlin Organ and Piano Co., Boston,
turn out from three to four thousand sets of keys
We are afraid that our above esteemed contempo- Mass., received a gold medal at the London Inter-
per month. He has already received one order for raries has decidedly put his foot in it. In the ex- national Inventions' Exposition for their organs.
ivory keys from New York City. He intends to tremity of his virtuous indignation he has been very The Smith American Organ Co., Boston, also received
equalize the price between ivory and celluloid keys severe in denouncing the devilish wickedness of a medal.
which he expects will meet the approval of the trade. manufacturers who stencil names upon the instru-
GREENER'S lawyer is now threatening Weser Bros.
ment for other parties, but in the above case we
Certainly there is no better mechanic in the West, and should be pleased to know if he does not really sup- He offered to settle first for $150, but has now got
possibly not in the East, than Mr. NEWELL, and I port the very practice which he pretends to condemn. down to $50.00 We think an offer of $5.00 would be
accepted.
shall watch the progress of his new venture with in- Mr. Scanlan has a perfect right, we contend, to sten-
AUGUSTUS BAUS has been elected Lieutenant, Com-
cil
any
name
he
pleases
upon
his
pianos,
which,
by
terest. It can only mean that there is to be keen
pany
D, 12th Eegiment. Mr. Holt, wareroom tuner
the way, stand well with the trade; but to say that,
competition with longer established key-makers.
to put the name of Gilbert & Co. is not a stencil of Baus & Co., is corporal and treasurer of the same
Mr, NEWELL has a fine factory, one of the best in name, because Mr. Scanlan owns the "trade mark," regiment.
the country, and in addition to his reed and key is absurd.
W. T. HUNT, Denver, Col., chattel mortgage for
work he is making a new transposition instrument,
All "stencil" names are owned as "trade marks." $143.
A. SQUIRE, Cincinnati, Ohio, has given a chattel
invented by a Western farmer with musical tenden- If we are going to put a fine point upon this matter,
cies. It is not only a clever, but a useful invention, the New England Piano Company make the " New mortgage for $1,000.
and is beautifully made by Mr. Newell. It will bjB England" piano, and when they make pianos with
M. S. LUDWIG, Philadelphia, Pa., judgments for
other names upon them they are engaging in the
$793.
supplied so that it can be built into an organ by the "stencil" business.
H. C. PERSHING, Washington, Kansas, has sold out.
manufacturer, so as to form a part of the instrument,
The whole question is this in a nut-shell: la there
or separate so that it can simply be placed upon a a Gilbert & Company piano factory ? If so, where ?
JOHN P. DERR, Greenville, Pa., has taken George
All this talk about the "stencil" business is bosh, Graul into partnership. The firm name will be Derr
piano or organ key-board.
unless the stencil is used for illegitimate purposes.
& Graul.
CHARLES AVERY WELLES.
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