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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
2OS
CHICAGO, NOV. 30,
1889.
Write ! Yes, certainly ; but what shall I write about ?
I might enter into a dissertation on the character and
quality of certain rumors as numerous as were the
razors at the colored camp-meeting. Rumors all relate
to Lyon & Healy and Lyon, Potter & Co. No one
knows yet what agency will replace Steinway in the
former house, but several good ones'have been nameS.
Mr. Healy has been closeted several times this week
with representatives of eastern factories, but if he has
reached a decision outsiders don't know it. It has been
definitely settled that Lyon, Potter & Co. will have the
Steinway and Braumuller agencies, Mr. O. L. Braumul-
. ler's recent visit to this city having resulted in this lat-
ter advantageous arrangement. Other manufacturers
are looking for representation with Chicagohouses and
have been here wire-pulling during the week. Among
the representatives in the city were Messrs. Henry
Kroeger, R. W. Cross, Henry Behning, Sr., S. Shonin-
ger, John Church, Jr., O. L. Braumuller, and R. M.
Summers representing the A. B. Chase Organ Co.
Business has been just fair, the manufacturing branch
of Chicago's organ industry being about as quiet as at
any time during the last few years. This is in a meas-
ure accounted for by the heretofore unseasonable
weather, and the natural result thereof—the diabolical
condition of roads through the country. Dealers, how-
ever, find the local trade aggregating fairly in spite of
the Thanksgiving interruptions.
I think a few changes in locations will be made here
January 1st, although I am not at liberty to mention
names. The Shotnacker Piano Co. have been looking
for quarters for some time past, and unless they can
secure them they cannot hope to gain much headway.
A comparatively new piano in Chicago, on a second
floor and over well-known piano warerooms, is terribly
handicapped. I understand that Antonio de Auguera
severs his connection with the Shoninger branch with
the exit of 1889. Tony has been a great card for Shon-
inger & Co., and has earned his salary. Where is he
going ? A friend of mine told me he knew, but only
on the promise of secrecy, so he would nt tell, I
guessed, and he replied, "you guess like the rats." Now,
you know rats can and do guess rather straight toward
the cheese, Eh ? Well then, maybe Tony is going to
retrace his footsteps and again take up his work selling
Hallet & Davis, Emerson and Kimball goods. In any
case, he's going to receive a large salary and a fat com-
mission.
*
* *
I heard a very funny, fresh story this morning. It
seems that a certain manager of a branch house in this
city, after dining out and having some '• fun with the
boys" up to eight oclock, decided to go and see Fanny
Davenport. He was fortunate in securing an orchestra
chair and, " dressed in his best suit of clothes," he was
ushered down the aisle. About two-thirds to the wind-
ward, he naturally felt a little gay, and had laid aside
his over-coat when Miss Davenport rushed on the stage
and ejaculated, as per her role, " No ! no ! I cannot
marry you, I do not love you." The manager turned
suddenly, and picking up his coat, threw it over his arm
made a bow and remarked in a voice loud enough to be
heard all over the house—" AH O. K., Fannie, that set-
tles it," and strode out with steady pace. Did the audi-
ence shout ? Well, yes - rather, and the shouts were
renewed at intermittent intervals through the play.
*
" Th<' addresses on some letters received here would
make you laugh," said a mail man the other day.
" Here's one in your line." It read, " To the best and
cheapest music house in Chicago." "Who will you send
it to?" I asked. "Oh ! some of the State street con-
cerns." Another letter was addressed to '"The Piano,
Maker."
* *
Mr. Tuttle, with Lyon & Healy, had a rather queer
experience at Ada, Ohio, some years ago, when he was
on the road. It seems that he was negotiating for the
sale of an organ and found as competitors two young
"dude" fellows who, by playing "spooney" on the
farmer's wife and "daughters had secured their favor and
influence. Tuttle's substantial appearance, however*
pleased the farmer and he was determined to buy from
Tuttle. As he was about ready to sign the contract the
old lady came in and told her husband not to " buy from
him," 'she wouldn't have the pesky thing in the house,"
etc., etc. This made the old man more than ever de-
termined, and he ordered the daughter to " bring the
ink." She wouldn't do it, however, and knowing that
the iron was hot, Tuttle rushed out of the front door to
his wagon, opened his valise, secured his stylographic
pen, rush<-d in and had his contract signed just as the
mother and daughter ordered him "out of the house.' 1
Tuttle drove on some twenty miles, and returning a
few days later was greeted, as he passed the farm house,
by the old farmer, who said, " Mr. Tuttle, I thought you
were square, and I trusted you 'gainst the advice of* my
wife, and I was sorry to find you'd deceived me." Tut-
tle was astonished by this startling piece of business and
asked, " how?" " Well sir, ] found everything just as
you represented except that the keys are made of boiled
rice." It was some time before Tuttle recovered his
equilibrium, and when he did, he investigated and
found that the dudes had made the wife believe that the
celluloid keys, then in vogue, were made by compress-
ing boiled rice, and the old man's life had been made
miserable by the disgruntled wife and daughter. Tut-
tle settled it.
f. A. FLEMING.
ALEXANDER & CO. SUCCEED HARVEY S.
CRANE.
M
R. HARVEY S. CRANE, manufacturer of
piano-hammer and polishing felts, Paterson,
N. J., and Un'versity place, N. Y., has issued
the following circular :
NEW YORK, NOV. 18,
1889.
GENTLEMEN : It gives me great pleasure to an-
nounce that I have this day made arrangements with
Messrs. Alexander & Co., to take entire charge of my
retail business, thereby affording me the opportunity of
attending more strictly to the manufacture of my piano
and polishing felts, and hope and trust that my exer-
tions will not be wasted.
I enclose their card, and hope that they may receive
a fair share of your patronage.
.., , ,. . .
Yours respectfully,
H.S.' tiiAvtL
The firm of Alexander & Co. consists of James Alex-
ander and Howard W. Walgrove. The first named was
Mr. Crane's former head salesman. Mr. Walgrove, up
to a short time ago, followed the profession of wool
broking^
GLASGOW, KY., NOV. 30,
New York City.
GENTLEMEN: The Dennison Organ & Music Co. are
getting in their new holiday goods. Their trade
is booming. They made some heavy shipments of
pianos and organs to the South and West this week.
They also sold a large quantity of small musical instru-
ments, such as accordions, banjos, guitars, violins, mouth
harmonicas, etc., etc. This firm have quite a number
of orders to be filled just as quickly as may be. Owing
to their heavy shipments this month their stock is some-
what reduced, many kinds of instruments being entirely
closed out. They will have plenty of goods on hand
right away.
——•••*
The Dennison Co. have two branch houses both do-
ing splendid business. Since the organization of this
Company they have been perfectly satisfied with their
sales each month. Even during the dull summer
months, as some music men call them, this firm had no
complaint to make of dull trade. They are now impor-
ters of some of the goods they handle. They recently
ordered from London, England, a big supply of fine
violin, guitar and banjo strings, known as the celebrat-
ed Mii'ler strings.
Yours truly,
H. D. & N.
EXPORTS AND IMPORTS.
CUSTOM HOUSE, BOSTON, MASS.,
Collector's Office, Nov. 19, 1889.
Exportation of Musical Instruments from this port
during the month ending Oct. 31, 1889:
To England:
Two hundred and forty (240), organs.
One (1) piano,
M
R. ^HENRY BEHNING, SR., the genial and
popular head of the firm of Behning & Son, N.
Y., returned on Saturday, Nov. 30th ult., from a
four weeks' Western trip. Mr. Behning visited Kan-
sas City, Mo., St. Louis, Mo., Chicago, III., and many
other important Western cities. The trip was an ex-
ceedingly prosperous one in every way. Mr. Behning
made several new deals, besides booking large orders
from his old established agencies. The merits of the
Behning piano are becoming as highly appreciated
throughout the boundless West as in the towns and
cities of the East. Their popularity in New York may
be estimated in some degree from the large purchases
that are made at the warerooms in i2Sth street, between
Third and Lexington avenues, N. Y.
PATENTS AND INVENTIONS.
Organ pallet, No. 414.396, G. O. Girardin.
Organ pedal, No. 414,504, W. Doherty.
Key bottom for pianos, No. 414,488, C. Brambach.
Violin tail piece, No. 414,923, F. P. Snow.
Leaf turner, No. 415,051, J. Miller.
Music box, No. 415,034. H. A. Gautschi.
Music leaf turner, No. 414,870, J. Reisinger.
Banjo, No. 415,019, E. Boutanger.
$12,998
-
Total;
239
543
$13,780
To Nova Scotia:
Two (2) organs,
Three (3) pianos, -
All other and parts of
$325
400
Total,
-
Ttr Newfoundland Latfradnr:
Four (4) organs,
$1,625
-
Total,
To Br. Poss. in Australasia :
Forty-two (42) organs
Total,
600
600'
-
$2,665'
$2,665
To Azores, Madeira:
One (1) organ,
Total.
To Porto Rico:
All other and parts of
Combined total,
Importation of Musical Instruments into the Port of
Bteston during the month of October, 1889.
Countries.
Value.
Belgium,
$729
France,
-
-
-
-
.
_
-
6,328
Germany,
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
10,819
England, -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
403
Total,
Musical instrument box or case, No. 414,231, W. B.
Loring.
-
All other and parts of
THE BEHNING PIANO IN THE WEST.
PROSPEROUS TOUR OF HENRY BEHNING, SR.
1889.
Messrs. BILL & BILL,
$18,279
T H E Lyon & Healy Co., Chicago, 111., have purchased
all the patents, machinery and stock on hand of the.
Peloubet Organ Co., Bloomfield, N. J., and will remove
same to Chicago on or about Feb. rst, 1890. Mr.
Peloubet, the former proprietor of the works, has been
engaged to superintend the new Lyon & Healy factory.
The stock of the Peloubet Company comprises a great
variety of styles of organs suited to churches and large
organs. The Lyon & Healy Company will make not
only the special Peloubet organ, but the Lyon & Healy
reed organ.