Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
•
QVQAN PR
o
VOL. XVI. No. i
published Every Saturday.
THE ELECTION AND THE TRADE—OTTO WESSELL
AS A CAMPAIGN ORATOR—THE ACTION
MAKERS' PROTECTION LEAGUE—WES-
SELL A SUCCESS — FRANKLIN
MURPHY—ANOTHER HAR-
RISON AND REID
CAMPAIGNER.
THE HEAD OF THE MURPHY VARNISH CO. EN-
THUSIASTIC—R. M. WALTERS—INDICATIONS
RELATING TO THE FALL TRADE—HAM-
MERSCHMITT & CO. AND THE
" MEHLIN " — PRESIDEN-
TIAL ELECTORS.
THE " C O U R I E R " MAKES LOVE TO GILDEMEES-
TER & KROEGER — EASTERN VISITORS TO
CHICAGO — THE WORLD'S FAIR MAN-
AGEMENT AND MUSICAL EXHIBIT-
ORS—DE KOVEN AND ABSTRAC-
TIONS—A NEW FIRM—
LEINS & CO.—HARRY
E. RICKSECKER.
air is filled with election politics. Even
the ordinarily peaceful atmosphere of the
music trades is charged with the factional forces
of a most interesting and exciting presiden-
tial contest. By the time "The Reviewer " next
appears in these columns, however, the question
shall have been decided for another four years,
and the anxiety and disturbance which seem to
affect business so generally, will have given
place to a more stable and permanent condition
of things.
*
*
*
*
*
*
I was pleased to learn that Otto Wessell, the
silver-tongued orator of the action making
fraternity, "rose to the occasion " in fine style
on last Saturday evening, at a meeting of the
Action Makers' Protection League, which was
held in Koch's Hall, 446 West 56th street. The
occasion was a political rally of that body. The
affair was to have taken place out of doors, but
the weather god made things so unpleasant for
the action makers that they were compelled to
fall back on Koch instead, for the time being.
There was a good and enthusiastic attendance.
The very sound and able arguments which Mr.
Wessell delivered in favor of the McKinley tariff
on piano materials, before the committee in
Washington, when that, now historic, measure
eDWARD LYMANBILb
*
Hew Yorl(, ffovember 5,1892.
was being carried through, were brought for-
ward again with a broader and more compre-
hensive application to support the administra-
tion and its policy, and they carried force and
conviction to every one present.
*
*
*
*
*
*
I should have liked to invite R. M. Walters
and sundry other members of the opposite camp
around, to hearWessell's sturdy blows on the
citadels of Tammany democracy resounding
through the locality. Among others who deliv-
ered addresses were Arthur P. Wade, James Fay,
the candidate for the Assembly, and Jacob
Bauer, who aspires to the municipal post of
alderman. I hear that Wessell has been work-
ing very hard for Republican success. He has,
meantime, faith in the triumph of the cause he
advocates.
*
*
*
*
*
*
Mr. Franklin Murphy, head of the Murphy
Varnish Co. of Newark, N. J., who owns a con-
trolling interest in one of the leading Republi-
can organs in that State, has also been laboring
with might and main to aid the Harrison and
Reid party. Voice and pen have been devoted
to the latter. Anybody acquainted with the de-
velopment of the Murphy Varnish Co. can trace
the influence of its pushing and energetic prin-
cipal on the fortunes of the firm. Like Mr.
Wessel, he looks forward with confidence to the
national election returns of next Tuesday.
*
*
*
*
*
*
I have been informed that R. M. Walters has
been showing the officers of the visiting French
war ships the sights, and entertaining them with
characteristic liberality. He conducted them
to Judge Ryan's court on Monday, where they
were interested spectators of the proceedings.
*
*
*
*
*
*
The fall revival of trade in the piano shops
was rendered somewhat evident in the adver-
tisements for '' help '' which appeared in the
last issues of the Sunday press. There are quite
a number of " wants " to be filled in the facto-
ries, it seems, notwithstanding the fact that
there are enough piano makers around to meet
every possible demand in that direction. Manu-
facturers can usually find workmen for every
emergency. Economic law appears to regulate
supply and demand with results satisfactory to
the employers as a general rule. In view of that
fact '' The Reviewer '' has always looked with
some disfavor on the recent proposed revival of
the apprentice system in connection with piano
making.
*
*
*
*
*
Hammerschmitt & Co., of 114 Fith avenue, are
advertising themselves with an intelligence and
originality of method which immediately at-
tract attention. They have started into a field
already well filled with competitors, but they,
however, seem destined to win an important
place of their own without waiting long for it.
Mr. Hammerschmitt, who practically directs
the business, believes that the piano purchasing
public can be dealt with advantageously and
$3.00 PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
profitably by keeping a miscellaneous stock of
reputable instruments of all grades on sale.
They have opened their '' piano parlor '' upon
these lines, and in that respect stand alone
among retail houses, hence their excellent
chances of success. It was announced this week
that Hammerschmitt & Co. have made a con-
nection by which they will put the " Mehlin "
at the head of their instruments. They could
not have made a more satisfactory move. The
sterling musical qualities of the '' Mehlin ''
piano have been recognized from the start in the
wholesale trade of the country. It now remains
with Hammerschmitt & Co. to do justice to the
instrument in the great retail market of the me-
tropolis.
*
*
*
*
*
On Tuesday the Police Department of the city,
in keeping with the regulations of the late ballot
law, announced through the favored organs of
the press that certificates of nomination had
been duly filed on behalf of William Steinway,
26 Gramercy Park, New York city, for the
office of Presidential Elector on the Democratic
ticket, and Horace Waters for a similar office on
the Prohibition side. Both names head the re-
spective lists.
*
*
*
*
*
*
A strange quarrel recently arose between the
Committee of the Vienna Musical Exhibition
and the pianoforte maker, Boesendorfer. The
latter exhibited a valuable pianoforte, and en-
gaged a famous pianist to give recitals on it.
The Committee, however, objected, declaring
that the crowd of people attracted by such per-
formances would spoil the flower-beds in the
Rotunda. Herr Boesendorfer had to give in,
but not without protesting. He, therefore, wrote
to the Committee that '' he had thought he was
exhibiting his pianoforte at a musical exhibition,
not at a horticultural show.''
*
*
*
*
*
*
Just listen to this from '' the only American
music trade editor," as he exhibits himself in
the latest issue : "The Courier pats itself upon
the back because of a successful prediction.
Announcements have frequently been made in
these columns that the Gildemeester & Kroeger
piano is one destined to achieve eminence, and
verification of this statement is of daily occur-
rence. '' Shade of Lindley Murray ! And so
"the Courier pats itself on the back ? " The
hand of "Mr. Diggs " is certainly visible here-
abouts. Further on he writes with an innocence
wonderful in one so supremely endowed with
foxiness : '' There appears to have been a gene-
ral impression that the Gildemeester & Kroeger
concern is a small one of inconsequence, but
this is a grave error." What a compliment to
the heads of that '' concern ! '' Whence this
'' general impression '' about the alleged '' in-
consequence " and smallness of Gildemeester &
Kroeger ? Then observe the '' Only Editor ''
falling into his own trap and mussing himself
up generally in the assurance that •' this is a
{Continued on page 271.)