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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
294
The action of the firm of Colby, Duncan & Co. to-
wards its men is one which must win the applause
and commendation of every manufacturer in the
trade. It means that the firm intends to run its own
factory and not be dictated to by walking delegates
or any other outside disturbers. Elsewhere in this
issue will be found a copy of the agreement which
the firm requires its striking employees to sign be-
fore they can resume their work in the factory. Thus
far out of two hundred men who struck about a week
ago forty have signed and returned to work. We
suggested to one of the firm that it would be a good
idea to make a list of the names of those who refused
to sign the agreement, which is a perfectly fair and
just one to all the parties interested, and send it to
all the other manufacturers, and by this means take
a step toward putting a stop to these frequently oc-
curring strikes, which as a rule are brought about
through outside interference, and generally for very
trivial reasons. We believe the manufacturers would
gladly lend their aid by refusing to employ a work-
man who could not show a satisfactory reference
from his last employer. The attitude which Messrs.
Colby, Duncan & Co. have taken in this matter is a
plucky one and one which will benefit them in the
long run, and although they are crowded with orders
which they cannot fill, they will find that they will
not lose anything in the end, for they will find that
the disposition of their agents and the entire trade is
to lend them a helping hand in their manly fight.
*
• *
THE strike at the factory of Wm. E. Wh«elock &
Co. is a small affair, as only the men in the varnish-
ing department have gone out. The men who are on
strike were making from $18 to $19 per week, which
is good wages, and there was no cause for any trou-
ble. Messrs. Wheelock & Co. will not suffer in the
least, and orders will be filled promptly.
*
•
*
THEBE IS a genuine boom in the wholesale trade.
The manufacturers all say they are driven to their
utmost capacity. If the year continues as it has
begun, it will be one of the most profitable ones ever
experienced in the piano and organ trade.
•
ONE would think from a perusal of the syoophantio
accounts in some of our contemporaries of the Chica-
go agency of Chiokering and Sons, that that concern
did very little business before N. A. Cross & Co. took
a hold of them. Wonderful people are N. A. Cross
&Co.
* •
The railroad managers are waking up to the fact
that by charging such high freight rates for points
west of Chicago they are crippling the Eastern manu-
facturers and thus losing money themselves. When
the Inter-State Commerce Act first went into effect
the "Sunset Koute" started out by charging $5.20 per
100 pounds for a piano boxed, against $1.75 per 100
pounds before the first of April. It has gradually
dropped until now this route gives rates for $15.77
per 100 pounds, with the probabilities of very soon
making another reduction. The following letter
which was sent to us shows the condition of freights
at the present:
NEW YORK, May 3d,
1887.
M.
Replying to your letter of the 2d, will say that the
present rate from New York to Los Angeles and
other California points on pianos boxed is $3.77 per
100 pounds. It is true that the U.S. commission have
suspended the operation of the long ana snort haul
clauses in the Inter-State Commission Law, so far as
it affects California business, and while the rate
above quoted is lower than that which we put into
effect April 5th ($5.20), it is quite likely that we will
be able before long to name even a lower figure, as
there is a meeting of Transcontinental Lines to be
held in Chicago to-morrow, for the purpose of agree-
ing upon a thorough tariff to the Pacific Coast points»
to meet competition of water routes.
Yours truly,
E. HAWLEY, G. E. A.
«
• *
Southern Pacific Co.
Mr. Lawson, one of the partners of Wm. E. Wheel-
ock & Co., told us, while visiting them the other day,
that they had received more inquiries that they
could trace direct to our paper than any other ad-
vertisement they have.
BAUS WINS AGAIN.
AST year Augustus Baus & Co. entered into an
advertising scheme with Louis H. Allen & Co.,
advertising agents, whereby the latter firm
were to insert tho advertisement of Augustus Baus &
Co. in 1,000 different country newspapers. The plan
was as follows : Baus & Co. gave due bills entitling
the holder, by paying a certain sum of money, to
have a Baus piano. Allen & Co. were to have a com-
mission of $5.00 on each completed contract. Baus &
Co. were at liberty to end the contract at any time
by giving ten days notice, and it was understood that
only fifty contracts per month wore to be placed.
Not many months after the contract was made,
Baus and Co., becoming convinced that this system
of advertising did not pay, notified Allen & Co. to
discontinue the contract. They wrote Baus & Co.
that they would do as requested, and stop the ad-
vertisement. Imagine then the surprise of Baus & Co.
when they were presented with a bill amounting to
$2,582, with the claim that during the last ten days
500 contracts had been placed.
Of course Baus & Co. refused to pay tho unjust
claim and Allen & Co. commenced suit. The case
came up before Judge Sedgwick who, upon hearing
the argument, at once dismissed the case with costs
and 1%. per cent, allowance to tho defendents' council.
Allen & Co. were not satisfied with this decision
and appealed to tho higher courts. The Cieneral
Torm of the Superior Court has now decided in Baus
& Co.'s favor, dismissing the appeal for judgment of
the lower court and directing judgment absolute in
favor of Augustus Baus & Co. against Allen & Co.
for costs and allowance of attorney's fees. Thus ends
a case where sharp practice was used to beat the ad-
vertiser and which, if successful, would have been a
serious matter for those who advertise largely. In
another column will be found the opinion of Judge
O'Gorman, which is very interesting indeed.
L
THE BRAUMULLER PIANO COMPANY.
URING the past few months we have had many
inquiries regarding the Braumuller Piano Co.
and we consider it only just to inform the en-
tire music trade just what this firm are doing. Last
November the Braumuller Piano Co. started manu-
facturing pianos in this city in a modest way. Al-
though for years this concern has been known to the
New York trade as dealers, they did not commence
manufacturing nor solioit outside trade until six
months ago. They have done nothing but a cash
business, preferring to sell less instruments at a mod-
erate margin than going into the reckless consign,
ment business- Although starting the businoss mere-
ly as a venture, it has proved very successful and at
no time have they been up with their orders. The
firm now consider that the business is on a sound fi-
nancial basis which justifies them in enlarging thoir
f cilities. This they have done by renting the large
factory at Nos. 553, 555 and 557 West SOth street.
This factory has facilities for turning out twenty
pianos per week and we believe that the firm will
reach that number in a short time. The members
of the firm will devote their entire time at the fac-
tory overseeing the workmanship of the pianos, and
for this reason the officos and warerooms have been
removed to the factory. The firm are now fully set-
tled in their new factory and ready to meet all orders
promptly.
D
LUDDEN & BATES SOUTHERN MUSIC HOUSE.
ANNUAL ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
HE annual election for officers and directors of
the Ludden & Bates Southern Music House
was held on the first Tuesday in April, and re-
sulted as follows:
President, W. Ludden; Treasurer, J. A. Bates;
Secretary, John D. Murphy; Directors: W. Ludden,
J. A. Bates, John D. Murphy, F. E. McArthur.
Mr. J. A. Bates, who has been acting aa General
Manager of the business, finding his duties too ardu-
ous in the present state of his health, asked to be re
lieved of a portion of his responsibilities, and accord-
ingly Mr. F. E. McArthur was appointed Superintend-
ent of the Music, Musical Merchandise and art Depart-
ments, and given supervision ©f the store, office and
working force, exclusive of those specially employed
in the Piano and Organ and Tuning and Repairing De-
partments, which will remain under control of Mr.
John D Murphy, who has been their efficient mana-
ger since the organization of the company in 1884.
Mr. Bates being thus relieved of a vast amount of
detail work and responsibility which has taxed his
powers so severely for many years past will, through
the co-operation of these two experienced and emi-
nently capable gentlemen, be enabled to secure im-
peratively needed rest and recuperation, while at the
same time giving the businoss the benefit of his over-
sight and advice.
His health has already been very much improved,
and it is expected that a few months more of relaxa-
tion will restore him to his old time vigor.
Owing to his disability since Sept. 1st, the current
business has boen under charge of Messrs. Murphy
and McArthur, and it is a gratifying fact that under
their skillful management the house has not only
held its own but has steadily gained in prosperity.
New lines of goods have been added, new business
methods adopted, the discipline and efficiency of the
working force greatly increased, and, bost of all, the
amount of stock on hand and tho outstanding ac-
counts have been actually decreased over $38,000
since April 1st, 1886, thus giving the company that
much additional cash working capital.
One of the most marked and satisfactory changes
made was the adoption of the strict cash system in
the sale of all goods, excepting pianos and organs.
This was a bold move in a credit-cursed city like
Savannah, but it was carried through without loss of
paying trade, and the results have satisfied the house
that "there's millions in it."—Savannah, Ga., News.
T
WILL FIGHT IT OUT.
HE movement set on foot by the New York
Maennerchor, the German ginning society
which Captain Gunner forbade to uso the piano
at their rehearsals, is growing in importance. Seven-
ty-six German singing societies of New York and
Brooklyn were represented at a recent meeting at
Arion Hall, St. Mark's place and Third avenue. They
will henceforth be known as "The Organization of
United Singers of the State of New York." The fol-
lowing permanent officers were elected : J. O. Hundt,
President; M. First, Vice-President; H. Hegge, Cor-
responding Secretary; E. Sanger, Recording Secre-
tary, and W. Helnings, Treasurer.
Several of the delegates said tliey thought that the
singing societies would ally themselves with the
brewers and the proprietors of the concort halls, but
Mr. Richard Katzenmayer, secretary and delegate of
the Arion Society, disclaimed any such alliance,
though he knew he could count upon their moral and
also financial aid, if that became necessary. Mr. Kat-
zenmayer then explained the object of the organiza-
tion in a stirring speech, and declared that the right
to listen to music while drinking a glass of beer
would be made an issue at the next election.
The assessment was put at $25 a member. If any
of its members are arrested, the Maennerchor Society
will probably make it a test case and fight it in the
courts. To provide for any emergency, the following
gentlemen were appointed an Agitatation Committee:
Messrs. Weisskittel, It. Katzeumayer, G. Von Mal-
titz, H. Hoenak, F. Hennor, E. Gutmann and J.
Heinrichs.
T
KKANICH & BACH are having their usual good
spring trade and an uncommonly good retail trade at
their Twenty-third street wareroom.