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Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
thanatinpan. Bah! it is disgusting." And the disgust
which was depicted, on his faee had not worn off as
we left the wareroom.
*
What a grave mistake the various musical papers
* *
make in their constant and violent puffing of inferior
We print elsewhere some facts about the Steck pi-
makes of pianos and organs! What possible value ano, which, although not entirely new to the trade,
can the opinion of a musical paper have that prints are interesting. Mr. George Steok, although having
on its editorial page, as the Courier did quite recent- disposed of his moneyed interest in the concern, de-
ly, a lengthened and extravagant puff of a piano which votes just as much time to, and takes the same in-
everybody in the trade knows costs some $10 less than terest in its affairs, as formerly. We produce in the
anything Joseph P. Hale ever dreamed of? And what article referred to three testimonials, selected from a
is the good of posing as the immaoulate protector of Hat comprising hundreds, as showing the estimation
the morals of the trade, and straining out what in which the Steck piano is held from an artistic point
often is but a hair if you are perpetually swallowing of view. With dealers it is even more popular, and
a camel? There is nothing more detrimental to the deservedly so, for, besides being one of the best
welfare of any trade than the fullsome praise of selling pianos in the market and commanding
third and fourth-class work, and the putting it on a a good price, the dealer knows that when a Steck
level with first-class work. If you want to say a piano goes out of his wareroom the purchaser will
good word for a manor his ways of doing business do not come back with complaints. Indeed the best
so, but don't say his work is first class when it isn't, advertisers of the Steck piano are those who pur-
and when every bit he turns out is a standing evi- chase them, for no more durable piano is manufac-
dence that you are a liar! There's a good word to tured or could be, as every dealer who handles them
be said for most people in any business. The thing can testify.
is to say it in the right way and in the right place, and
There seems to be a determination on the part of
that is where journalism and brains come in. For
certain manufacturers of organs to sell, even at no
my own part I do wish some of my esteemed con-
profit, rather than not sell at all, and a first-class re-
temporaries would set their aim a little higher and
sponsible dealer can make his own prices and terms
not go into hysterics of slush over every ten-dollar
with some of the organ manufacturers. It is surprising
bill they get, even though it be backed by a drink and
to see the low prices that some organs are sold for,
a cigar.— The American Musician.
which seems to us to mean only ruin to the manufac-
All very true, but the writer of the above must
turers. The consignment plan is carried on to a great
bear in mind that pianoforte and organ manufacture
extent. Some manufacturers consign their goods on
has attained such perfection that there are compara-
unlimited time, to be settled for when sold, which
tively few worthless instruments manufactured now-
means the cash within one year after the instruments
a-days. Many of the medium priced instruments
are consigned, or notes extending from one to three
are really excellent and well worth the price asked
years. We recently learned of one transaction in
for them, and while the manufacturers do not claim
which a note was given for 47 months from date.
for them the merits of the higher grade instruments,
Many organs are sold by dealers on $3.00 monthly
it nevertheless must be conceded that they are really
payments, which is o lly a fair rent fof a good organ.
fine In workmanship, both as to finish and internal
This kind of business may be all right if the agent
mechanism, and are entitled to their meed of praise.
has the capital to back him in doing it, but as a rule
*
* *
these long time notes and leases are turned over to
What is really a great, growing evil, and one which the manufacturers and they are the ones who have
is manifestly hurtful, is the undercutting of certain the load to carry, and a burdensome load it is unless
manufacturers. We had a conversation with a prom- they have unlimited resources. A change should soon
inent manufacturer, whose wareroom is on 14th be effected and all this kind of business be dis-
street, and he expressed himself thus: "The retail couraged.
trade is being seriously injured by certain manufac-
* *
turers cutting under their agents." To our inquiry
There is another growing evil in the trade, that
as to just what he meant, he continued : " Now there has reached such a point that we feel it our duty to
is a piano manufactured in Boston, whose general say something regarding it. We refer to the reck-
agency is right on Fifth avenue there. This concern less way in which some of the dealers in pianos and
advertises its retail trade largely in the leading New organs are speculating in real estate. Now let us
York dailies, and as you well know, these big dailies look at this subject in its true light. The dealer
circulate hundreds of miles outside of New York City, buys goods of the manufacturer, and in payment
in towns and cities where this very concern has sub- gives notes, say on four months' time. Before these
agencies. Now wh,at protection has a dealer, say notes become due the goods are converted into cash,
within 200 miles of New York, who handles these in- and instead of banking the money so as to have it to
struments, when a customer can come into his ware- take up the notes when due, the dealer invests it in
room and say: • Why you ask two hundred and real estate. When the time comes to pay the notes
twenty-five dollars for this piano, and here I can, for the dealer has no money, it being locked up in spec-
$10 go to New York and return, and buy the very ulations, and the manufacturer is compelled to re-
same piano from your head agency for one hundred new the paper for four months more. Of course, if
and seventy-five dollars, and only have to pay $8 or the speculations prove profitable, then the dealer can
$10 monthly.' Of course I do not question their right meet his obligations, but if, on the other hand they
to do business in this way, but I do not see how they prove disastrous, then the manufacturer must suffer.
can hold their agents, but that is not the point I was The whole matter can be sifted down to plain gam-
getting at. It is the injury which this system of do- bling, and the dealer, as a rule, virtually does it
ing business works that I complain of. People come with the manufacturer's money. This thing should
Into this wareroom who, we will say, know little of be stopped at once, unless the dealer does the spec-
pianos. They know the reputation of these pianos. ulating with his own money, being indebted for noth-
The price is not too high, they say, and—well, they ing to the manufacturer.
will call again. They go out, and run up against one
of these too numerous so-called piano warerooms,
THE EMERSON PIANO CO., Boston, are as usual
and purchase, for a mere song, what looks to them
like a first-class piano, but what is really little better rushed with orders. Their new style upright num-
ber 14 is having a remarkable run.
A. W. C0LBURN & CO'S FACTORY BURNED.
T
HE alarm of fire on Thursday morning of last
week started the people from their morning
slumbers about 4.30 P.M. Soon as people
awoke they discovered a bright light up Pleasant
street, and to the sorrow of every one it proved to
be the factory of Geo F. Colburn. As no one was up
for the day, and the night police had left the street,
4 o'clock being the hour to go off duty, there was
some delay in giving the usual alarm. The fire was
first discovered in the southeast corner of the new
building. The flames spread so rapidly that it was
impossible to save anything, and the building, ma-
chinery, stock, etc., were a total loss. The fire de.
partment were active and efficient as soon as they
were aroused from their slumbers, but were too late
to save either building or machinery. The firm was
known as A. W. Colburn
piano and organ sharps, musical merchandise and
horn goods.
The firm, composed of Geo. F. Colburn and son,
has been organized some three years. Mr. Colburn
bought the interest of the son's partner while busi-
ness was established at Northboro. The partner
was lost on the City of Columbus in the fatal wreck.
The company was transferred from Northboro to
town about the first of January. They had re-fitted
the factory with a large lot of new machinery, a new
boiler and engine at considerable expense. Much of
the help was formerly employed at Northboro before
the business was moved to town. Fortunately they
have all procured situations until the business is re-
established. What is to be done? is a question often
asked. In an interview with Mr. Colburn on Tues
day morning he said : " We had just got well under
way and were prepared to fill orders, it is our pur-
pose to rebuild as sopn as we can possibly get a
frame for a new factory. Several of our hands can
use carpenter's tools, and they will be employed in
rebuilding, with other additional help as is needed.
Workmen are now engaged in clearing away the de-
bris, and business will be resumed at the earliest pos-
sible date."
There was insured on the building, engine, piping,
and horn stock finished or in the process of finish-
ing, $3,200, in favor of Geo. F. Colburn.
A. W. Colburn & Co. held insurance policies on
machinery, unfinished stock, etc., amounting to $3,-
265. The insurance has been adjusted. It is hoped
by all there will be no obstacle in the way of a speedy
erection of the factory and a rapid increase of busi-
ness.
GAZETTE.
J. H. AMBROSE, Forest City, Iowa, chattel mort-
gage, $42 on cattle.
L. J. WHEELDKN, Bangor, Me., succeeded by The
L. J. Wheelden Co.
GEO. GARDNER, Lowell, Mass., chattel mortgage,
$950.
J. J. WHITE, Huntingdon, Pa., judgment, $174-^
judgment and execution, $50.
G. E. VAN SYCKLE, Bay City, Mich., succeeded by
W. D. Richardson.
A. W. FISHEB, Toledo, Ohio, renewed chattel
mortgage, $134.
LEE & WALKER, Philadelphia, Pa., judgment and
execution, $28,451.
J. & R. KiLGOUB, Hamilton, Out., assigned.
WM. H. TAYLOR, Caribon, Me., quitclaimed home-
stead for $200.
C. W. YOUNGMAN, St. Paul, Minn., selling out at
auction.
E. B. VANCE, Columbus, Ohio, chattel mortgage,
$273.
J. M. EPPSTEIN, Le Mars, Iowa, chattel mortgage,
$500.
FRANK WEST, Nashua, Iowa, chattel mortgage,
$100.
T. M. DEVAULT, Asheville, N. C, sold real estate f
$1,000.
GIJOVEB & DUNN, Brunswick, Ga., damaged by
fire; loss quite heavy, but probably covered by In-
surance.
GEO. P. SMITH, Terre Haute, Ind., deed, $l,."$00.
J. W. HuiiSiGER, Grinnell, Iowa, mechanics' lien,
$94; real estate conveyance, $100.
J. E. STEVENSON & Co., Easton, Md., dissolved.
A. L. & M. A. WARE, Millis, Mass., filed voluntary
petition in insolvency.
A. W. BRINKBRHOFF & SONS, Upper Sandusky,
Ohio, A. W. Brinkerhoff dead.