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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
spective on this side of the medal. A new de-
parture has been made by Mr. St. Gaudens in
the figure typifying America on the reverse of
the medal, for instead of the customary female
figure, there is an upright, vigorous looking
male American. Underneath this figure will be
incribed the name of the exhibitor and the class
of goods for which the award was made. They
will be three inches in diameter. Those to whom
the perfected designs have been shown unite in
declaring them the best things of the kind they
have ever seen. The date of distribution has
not been definitely decided upon ; everything
depends upon the progress of the work at the
mint.
FIRE AT THE STARR CO.'S FACTORY.
PRESS ASSOCIATION dispatch, received
Thursday morning, reported the total de-
struction of the splendid plant of the Starr Piano
Co., Richmond, Ind. Report estimated the loss
at $300,000 with only $40,000 insurance. The
latest facts which we are able to learn at the
time we are closing our last form is, that the
two principal buildings are burned. The vast
stock of lumber, dry-houses, machinery, books,
etc., are saved, and the loss was placed at $100,-
000. The fire started at 1.30 on Tuesday morning.
It will be impossible for the Starr concern to at-
tend at once to business, but with their well
known energy, we trust that it will not be long
before they will have made suitable plans for the
filling of orders. This is the second time that
fire has visited the Starr Company within the
past twelve months. Mr. James M. Starr was
in New York when he received a telegram an-
nouncing the destruction of the Starr factory.
t
estimated that there are over eighty mil-
lion dollars lying idle in the banks of this
city. This accumulated reserve fund is at pre-
sent earning nothing for its owners. Last year
there was a great deal of newspaper talk over
the fact that millions of dollars in gold were be-
ing shipped to Europe. This was used with
great effect in the struggle over the repeal of the
Sherman law. We fail to see the difference in
the effect, where that amount of gold lying in
this country idle is of much more importance to
the business interests of the country than if it
were in Europe. Just now it is practically re-
tired and is inaccessible for business purposes.
This vast currency, now side tracked and utterly
unresponsive to the touch of industry, should
again be returned to fill the vast arteries of trade,
the exhaustion of which has paralyzed business.
It seems to-day that this country is suffering not
only from business depression, but that the de-
pression is chiefly caused by the selfish indiffer-
ence of the American Congress. The contrast
between our National Congress and the English
Parliament is strong. The latter took only one
holiday before Christmas and only one holiday
after Christmas, reconvening on the Wednesday
following, while the Congress of the United
States at a daily national loss which is almost in-
calculable, is still indulging in, if not festivities,
supreme indifference to the welfare of their con-
stituency everywhere.
iJPF any member of the music trade press were
S»9 asked to select the most popular man in
the trade, whom could he name more popular
than Mr. Nahum Stetson ? His courteous and
gentlemanly treatment of the press while offi-
cially connected with the Piano Manufacturers'
Association has been at all times apparent.
Always will-
ing to re-
ceive a n d
give the offi-
cial news re-
garding the
doings of the
I Association,
Mr. Stetson
has also dis-
played all of
those higher
attributes
t h a t go to
make the
man. These few words of personal tribute to Mr.
Stetson are prompted by his recent relinquish-
nient of the position of Secretary of the Piano
Manufacturers' Association, which position he
has filled with so much honor, and to whose
active and earnest interest in its welfare the
Association owes much of its present high stand-
ing. We feel in thus expressing ourselves we
are echoing the opinion of the members of the
piano trade and the music trade press.
RECENT dispatch from Elgin, Illinois,
gives the information that a wealthy
resident there, by the name of Clark Burr, killed
his son Charles with a shot-gun during a quar-
rel resulting from the latter taking music lessons.
The information is meagre, and one is left in
doubt as to the kind of musical instrument that
the young man was devoting his time to master,
or which it was, vocal or instrumental music,
that excited the ire of the parent! The time
when the altercation took place also is some-
what speculative. But it is related that the old
gentleman was a, little spryer than his son, for
the young man was endeavoring to extract his
pistol from a side pocket when he was shot down.
Such a startling crime as this and the causes
that led to it make one shiver and reflect. It
might have been that a worn-out instrument-
of several decades back was being tortured
directly over the head of the old man after
he had retired ; the cause might have been that
the ceaseless one and two and three, that
has driven so many listeners into asylums,
tempted a desperate parent to commit the awful
deed or, possibly young Charles might have been
straining his vocal chords under the inspiration
of a fair young music teacher, and thus have
excited the wrath of this parent, who might,
perhaps, have been a rival, endeavoring to touch
heart strings.
The extenuating circumstances however are
shrouded in gloom. Only this is known, the
young fellow was a martyr to music. Suppose
the abhorrence to music and musical sounds
should take the form of an epidemic and spread
like small pox or cholera. Why manufactories
9
would be closing up faster than they are at
present under the Cleveland administration.
Fortunately this is an isolated case.
Why, this Sucker probably never knew that
not so very long ago even the stars sang to-
gether, and if they sang at the opening very like-
ly there will be a planetary chorus at the closing
of all things mundane, and with Burr's well
known antipathy to harmony he will undoubt-
edly be allowed, at that concert, instead of hang-
ing around the throne and plunking on a banjo,
the privilege of making alternate trips with a
wheelbarrow, while some one holds his fan.
annual election of officers of the Piano
Manufacturers' Association of New York
for '94 occurred last Tuesday at the Union
Square Hotel. The names of the officers, as
announced by us last week, are: President,
Wm. Steinway ; 1st Vice President, Robt. Prod-
dow; 2d Vice President, A. H. Fischer; Secre-
tary, L. P. Bach; Treasurer, W. F. Decker;
Executive Committee, John Evans, B. F. Fischer,
S. Hazelton, C. B. Lawson, H. P. Mehlin, Geo.
Nembach, N. Stetson, F. G. Smith. An in-
formal reception took place after the election, at
which were present a large number of the piano
manufacturers of this city.
BECHT, the well known road repre.
sentative of the Pease Piano Co., is spend-
ing a few days in the city before making a Spring
trip. " Charlie " is one of the most popular
boys on the road. His all pervading geniality
causes him to receive a warm welcome every-
where.
MAN who accomplishes a great deal and
says little is George Bothner, one of the old
reliable action houses, that have been part and
parcel of the evolution of the piano trade in the
metropolis. He always manages to keep busi-
ness "humming," and is not complaining.
IT has been customary for the past few years
for Messrs. Goetz & Co., 81 and 83 Court street,
Brooklyn, to issue a souvenir catalogue, which
is always eagerly sought after, as invariably the
music contained therein is up to date. This
year's musical catalogue is just out. It has an
unusually attractive first page, and in addition
to explaining the merits of the instruments they
handle (which, by the way, are sold on the most
liberal terms), it contains seven pieces of the
latest and most popular music. Inclose 5 cents
postage and they will mail you a copy.
Miss ELLA FREDERIKA STEINWAY, daughter
of the late Mr. Albert Steinway, was married to
Mr. Charles F. Schmidt, Jr., at the Church of
Divine Paternity, Thursday evening, January
nth.
EDWARD H. DURYEE was appointed, Wednes-
day, receiver for the firm of E. Alsdorf & Co.,
Newark. E. Alsdorf & Co. failed about a week
ago. Aside from pianos and organs, they car-
ried on quite an extensive business in bicycles.
THE moulding and sounding board department
of the factories of A. Dolge & Son, commenced
work again Monday morning after an inter-
mission of one week.—Dolgeville Herald, Jan.
nth.