Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
an extensive addition to their already spacious
factory. This building will be out of the con-
tractor's hands in a short time, and will give
them unequalled facilities for the promotion and
development of their business. It is now said
that they contemplate adding the covering of
piano hammers to their other enterprises, an
outcome which, judging from the growth of their
business in the two lines in which they are al-
ready engaged, might be expected. This will
enable Strauch Brothers to furnish the trade
with the action and its indispensible adjuncts—
the keys and covered hammers. With the com-
pletion of their new building they will have
ample facilities for meeting that demand which
always rewards enterprise and pluck.
DEBSOMANIA.
HERE is every indication that Debsomania
is on the decline. The prompt action of
President Cleveland has done much to prevent
further rioting and to restore peace and confi-
dence in the disturbed cities of the West.
Inspired, no doubt, by the example of his dema-
gogue partner, Governor Altgeld, Debs, the Pan-
tata, has written a scolding letter to the President
taking him severely to task for upholding United
States laws and protecting United States property.
It seems, judging from the failure of Sovereign's
order, that a majority of the labor men of this
country, who are really the country's backbone
and sinew, are not in sympathy with the rule of
the mob. The cause of honest labor never has
been nor never will be advanced by mob rule ;
that kind of rule has never created anything but
distress. How much better off will honest labor
be in this country for the interference of Pantata
Debs?
It is a part of the inevitable logic of the situ-
ation that the wage-earners of all classes will
suffer most. They can study the work of Debs
and his associates at leisure, and award them
such praise as they think they deserve.
We understand that Debs is drawing his salary
with accustomed regularity, whereas his dupes
are drawing nothing and are forced to live on it.
It is likely that a time will come when workmen
will cease to beggar themselves, while Pantatas
of the Debs stamp may live on the fat of the
land and have their doings heralded by the
trumpet tongue of fame.
It should be understood that Pantata Debs is
something of a property holder, besides drawing
a salary of $3,000 a year. Debs and his follow-
ers claim that they discountenance rioting, dis-
orders and incendiarism which have been part of
the strike. They claim that this is not the work
of their followers. Granted that this is true,
why have they not shown a desire to repress
rioting by taking sides with the peace-loving
people instead of against them ?
Why should Debs, an impudent popinjay,
have the presumption to arraign before the world
the Executive of this great nation for simply
doing his duty ?
We will predict that it will only be a short
period before the better elements of the laboring
classes become fully convinced of the selfishness
of Debs, and will make of him an ex-Pantata.
S
WHAT DID HUGH HARDMAN CON-
TRIBUTE ?
OME time ago we stated that in our opinion
the interests of Mr. LaGrassa would be
materially advanced by the removal of the name
Hardman from the instruments made under his
supervision. Legally, Mr. LaGiassa has a per-
fect right to the Hardman name as he at present
is using it, but is not an instrument placed at a
disadvantage for which injunction suits have to
be explained before a basis of competitive argu-
ment is reached ?
Do reliable dealers request a change of name
if everything is perfectly satisfactory to them ?
An ancient contemporary in attempting an
ebullition in favor of the LaGrassa firm asks
how much help the firm of Hardman, Peck &
Co. receive from the ghostly Hardman. An
absurd question, and betrays either the ignor-
ance of the writer or his unwillingness to view
the situation fairly.
Hugh Hardman disposed of his interests and
his name. At that time there was no especial
value attached to his name, at least no more
than could be attached to the name of the
maker of many of the cheaper pianos of that
period. Leopold Peck, the principal purchaser,
at once devoted his energies toward perfect-
ing and improving the Hardman piano. This
he succeeded in accomplishing after years of
expert application and the expenditure of vast
sums of money. Again, after perfecting the
instrument and forcing it to a position where
it commanded the admiration and endorsement
of experts in two hemispheres, he added to its
fame by unstinted advertising, and in this alone
a princely sum was expended.
What did Hugh Hardman contribute to this ?
Let him answer.
The Hardman piano of years ago could be no
more compared with the Hardman piano of to-
day than could the ancient spinet be compared
with a modern grand piano.
Did Hugh Hardman contribute to this change ?
Mr. Peck, we say Mr. Peck because he has
been the aggressive head of the firm, has created
a valuable property of the Hardman name.
He could have accomplished just the same re-
sults if he had adopted the name Hardwell or
Hartman—or any other name for that matter.
But he bought the name Hardman as applied
to pianos and created out of it a valuable trade
mark.
Did Hugh Hardman contribute anything to-
ward this ?
Mr. LaGrassa, a former employee of Hardman,
Peck & Co., had a perfect right to engage in
piano-making on his own account, but is it not
strange that he should have selected as a part-
ner Hugh Hardman, a man past eighty years ?
Has he not by pursuing this course given rise
to the belief that he desired to obtain a certain
amount of recognition which the Hardman piano
had won ?
Take the two names—Hardman and LaGrassa
—which of the two, if you were not previously
accustomed to the sound, would appeal to your
ear as being the most musical ?
Why, LaGrassa of course.
f
Still he choose to place Hardman, the octo-
genarian, to the front.
At the first they advertised the H. Hardman
piano. Hugh Hardman had retired years and
years ago. Was he known as a piano maker ?
And LaGrassa, a name much more euphoni-
ous was relegated to a rear position.
By the sole use of his own name Mr. LaGrassa
would at once give to his instrument a distinct
individuality, and place his own actions beyond
the reach of criticism.
MR. REINHARD KOCHMANN, the popular road
representative for Hardman, Peck & Co., is the
proud father of a bouncing twelve pound boy.
The junior Kochmann became a lusty and vigor-
ous citizen of the Republic last Tuesday morn-
ing. Thus the ranks of the traveling fraternity
are being slowly but surely augmented.
MR. H. W. METCALF, of the Brockport Piano
Co., Brockport, N. Y., was in the city last
week. He made a short trip through the South
and East and succeeded in making some im-
portant connections for his house.
MR. C C. CURTIS, President of ihe Manufact-
urers' Piano Co., expects to leave for Europe
within the next two weeks.
THE piano store fixtures of W. B. Hall and J.
F. Lewis, at 309 Montgomery street, Syracuse,
were sold out by the Sheriff, June 28th. The
plaintiff in the action, Mrs. Julia E. Hall, pur-
chased the property for #190. The judgment
was for $633.84.
MR. CASH WILLIAMS has opened a music store
at Wilcox, Neb. He carries a full line of Estey
goods.
MR. C. C. POLK, formerly a dealer at Rich-
mond, is now. located in Valparaiso, Ind., where
he intends to re-engage in business.
MR. O. W. WILLIAMS, who has recently occu-
pied the position of Secretary and Treasurer of
the Levassor Piano Co., Cincinnati, O., has pur-
chased an interest in the business of Hockett
Bros. & Puntenney, and the firm name will be
immediately changed to Hockett Bros., Punten-
nay & Williams. It is their intention to open a
branch house in Cincinnati in the early fall.
JAMES H. WILSON, who has been a buyer for
Lyon & Healy's small goods department for the
past seven years, has purchased the piano stool
and scarf business of the James Dalton Co., at
155 Market street, Chicago.
NOTWITHSTANDING that the majority of the
trade papers shipped Mr. Freeborn G. Smith off
to Europe last week, he is still pretty much
alive in this city and Brooklyn. As we announ-
ced in last week's issue, Mr. Smith may leave
for Europe at a later period.
MR. R. O. BURGESS, traveling representative
for the Needham Piano-Organ Co., is making a
summer trip through the West in the interest of
his house.
AT the warerooms of the Automaton Piano
Co., Broadway and 28th street, some splendid
Doll uprights are being admired nightly by
passers-by. They are in fancy woods and hand-
somely finished.