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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
giant. I'm proud of his friendship, and to no
one am I indebted for more genuine favors than
my dear and good friend, " P o p " Dearborn.
"Ben," he said, "business is bad. Now
don't give me a ' song and dance ' about the
good times that you saw. I can sell pianos on
promises, but these things don't pay my bills.
That woman you just saw me talking to told me
that when she bought the piano she thought I
was a gentleman, and because I insisted on getting
money that was due me, she changed her mind.
I told her that when she first came in the store
to buy I took her to be a lady, but I too
had changed my mind. Are my collections
good ? Yes—so d— good that my collectors
haven't dared to come around to get their salary.
I've heard so many different excuses for not
being able to pay that I could start an agency
and make a fortune supplying dead beats with
material enough to last them as long as they
live."
Ask Joe how many pianos he's sold, and then
you'll know how business is—eh, Joe? Why
it's so bad that Joe and the fellow that wears
the white jacket in the basement, on the corner,
don't speak as they pass by, because Joe takes
water with his meals, now, and tells his many
friends he's signed the pledge.
What a good natured, whole-souled fellow Joe
Allen Is, too. He has more friends than any
man I know, and carries the Penn. R. R. trade
in his vest pocket. Everybody knows him and
everybody likes him, simply because they can't
help themselves. He's a crack-a-jack salesman,
too, and swears by Dearborn as Dearborn swears
by Joe.
Walker of North 6th street.
All through Eastern Pennsylvania and South
Jersey, yes even through Delaware, Walker, of
6th street, is a household "speech." Away
from the line of trade entirely, in a modest
house, this man does an immense business.
Shrewd as you make " em," with a smile that
makes you feel at home even before you shake
his hand, he's a hard one to beat as a salesman,
and he worries "those fellows on Chestnut
street a heap."
N. Stetson & Co.
Ben Owen was my host here, the only Ben.
Ben looked absolutely radiant. Talk about
your Diamond Kings, they 're not in it with Ben.
Might as well compare the City of Paris with a
mud scow. And since that trip to Europe noth-
ing holds him down. He's absolutely be-
wildering, dazzling, stupendous. He's trimmed
those lilacs, and now the " winds " dally with
him no longer, but it's an improvement. You
can now understand all he tells you, the
" whisks " do not get tangled up with his teeth
any more. He is a good fellow, though, no
better anywhere, and an Ai piano man. Knows
his business from the beginning, and I consider
him the man in the place. '' We are doing little
or nothing, Ben," he said, " and so is everyone.
Don't take any " j o l l y " about big trade from
these " shouters " unless you are a creditor. I
know just what's what. Business in Philadel-
phia at the present moment is dead."
Stetson & Co. ceitainly have the most beauti-
ful warerooms in town, and should do a big
business if anyone dots.
My trip is ended. Home, sweet home, is
mine once again. Back to God's own country.
To my dearly beloved city of New York, to my
THE
home, to all those from whom I have been away
so long. Never was man more impatient to see
his loved ones. I have covered a lot of ground,
enjoyed a trip that has been filled with pleasure
and business. I have renewed old acquaint-
ances and hope made new friends. Everywhere
the trade has shown me every courtesy. I hope
that in these letters I have offended no one; I
certainly did not mean to.
I have tried to give as nearly as I could the
statements as I heard them, so that the trade
can judge for themselves as to the outlook. My
own opinion is that business will NOT improve
very much this year. The output at present is
too great for the demand. The manufacturer in
his anxiety to sell is making inducements and
cutting prices that are ruinous to the entire
trade. A lot of salesmen make prices where
there is no possibility of making a sale just to
hurt the other fellow, etc., etc.
There are a hundred evils that must be rem-
edied, and the sooner the better. For the
many favors shown me, I desire herewith to ex-
press my sincere thanks, and hope that at some
future time I will be able to reciprocate. The
many letters received from those upon whom I
called, thanking me for what I have written,
while they are very gratefully acknowledged,
place me in an embarrassing position, as no one
is obligatory to me, it is just the other way, all
the obligations are mine.
I've reached the end—my work is done,
I'm home at last again,
And as I bid adieu to all,
I pray " Auf. Wiederschen. "
H. JANSSEN.
The London Ivory Sales.
Last Quarterly Auction for 1894 Ter-
minated Recently.
/SjTTO GERDAU, sole agent for Hein. Ad.
T53 Meyer, Hamburg, has received by cable
the results of the last London quarterly ivory
sales of this year. It commenced on the 23d
inst. and has just terminated, and contained the
following assortment : 35 tons from Zanzibar
and Bombay, 31 tons from Egypt and Malta, 36
tons from the west coast of Africa; total, 102
tons, against 92 tons same time in 1893 ; 106
tons 1892, 106 tons In 1891 and i n tons in 1890.
The changes in this auction follow: Zanzi-
bar and Bombay—Soft large tusks sold £2@3
higher; medium and small, £1. Egyptian and
Malta—All averages about £1 easier. West
Coast—All averages from £1 to £2 dearer.
Ball points—2^-inch and over advanced £14 ;
smaller sizes, £7.
The next will commence on the 22d of Janu-
ary, 1895.
Annexed is a list of prices paid in the sales.
Zanzibar and Bombay—Sound, good soft,
average 60100 lbs, £5961 64 ; 50-60 lbs, £si(" 59 ;
40-50 lbs, £SA<357'
West Coast—Sound, good, hard, average 60 lbs
and more, ,£37(442 ; 50-60 lbs, ,£34(1138 ; 405°
Egyptian and Malta—Cracked, good, soft,
average 60 lbs and more, ,£47(^50 ; 50-60 lbs,
^45©47 ; 40-50 fts, ^44@46.
Ball points—2^ inches and more, ,£95;
2%-2i/ % inches, £83.
Prices paid for exceptional lots are not quoted
in the above report.
CELEBRATED
STEGER
M
Bellmaking in America.
'IIDELLMAKING is one of the great industries
&^ in this country, yet how seldom we hear
of it! Foreign countries recognize that our
bells are superior in tone to any olher make, and
evtn the Japanese are sending orders to this
country for bells. The Japanese have long been
regarded as famous bellmakers ; but they do not
hesitate to apply to American manufacturers
when they find it to their advantage to do so.
There is grim humor in the fact that the fire-
alarm bells to be ustd in Tukio have been ordeied
of a manufacturing firm in Jersey City.
The largest bell in America is in the cathedral
at Montreal, and it weighs 28,000 pounds. The
btll in the public building at Philadelphia is lo
weigh between 20 coo and 25,000 pounds. There
is a bell at Erfurt, Germany, cast in 1479, aQ d
one in Notre Dame, Paris, cast in 1680, each
weighing 30,000 pounds. The great Chinese
bell at Pekin weighs 120 000 pounds, is 14 feet
high and 12 feet in diameter. By the way, the
Chinese ustd to make their bells nearly square
in shape. The largest bell is, of course, that
in the Kremlin at Moscow. It is over 19 feet in
height, and measures nearly 23 feet across the
mouth ; its thickness at the point where the
clapper would strike is 23 inches ; the cost of
manufacturing this noble work of human art was
aboui $300,000—Record, Chicago.
John Philip Sousa.
The
1
flarch King " and His Famous Band
— His New Opera Completed.
6W0HN PHILIP SOUSA, the great bandmaster,
~* whose famous organization has been greet-
ed with such enthusiasm at the Auditorium dur-
ing the past week, is known as the "March
King "—a title naturally arising from his capti-
vating marches. It may not be generally known
that he does not confine his compositions, how-
ever, but gives his fancy free rein. Indeed, he
has just completed an opera for De Wolf Hopper.
His judgment on musical matters is frequently
sought, and his opinion on instruments daily
demanded. After a critical examination he
emphatically declared, "The Kimball piano is
first class in every respect."—Chicago Tribune.
Especially Interesting.
P
LYMAN BILL is well known in
<^^ this State as a member of the Bill, Van
Bergen & Clark firm. The Forum has just re-
ceived an interesting volume, entitled " The
Last of the Danvers ; the Story of a Fatalist,"
written by Mr. Bill. It is the narrative of an
expedition from St. Cloud to Montana by Cap-
tain Danvers in 1865, in which party was J.
Oscar Bill, a brother of the author, who then
took the photographs with which the book is
embellished ; these include St. Cloud in 1865, a
Night's Bivouac on the Plains, a Montana Fort,
Interior of a Frontier Fort, Fording the Red
River of the North, Interior of Fort Aberorombie,
Commandant and Wife at Fort Abercrombie,
and various other Northwestern scenes. The
tale is well written, and will be especially inter-
esting to the old soldiers and the residents of
North Dakota and Montana.—Daily Forum,
Fargo, N. D.
PIANOS
PATENTED 1892.
are noted for their fine singing quality ol
tone and great durability. The most
profitable Piano for dealers to handle.
STEG-ER & CO., Manufacturers,
Factory, Columbia Height*.
235 WABASH AYR, CHICAGO.