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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
From A Traveler's
Note Book.
One Pleasant Thought for a Traveler—
Southward-Bound — Four Thousand
riiles Straight Ahead—Trade and
Traffic Crippled—Affairs in
Baltimore — Knabe En-
trenched—The Stieff
Warerooms.
A Variety of Woods—Lertz Extensions.
A Strong Triumvirate—Sanders &
Stayman
A Great Southern
House—George F. Willig & Co.
Otto Sutro — A Remark-
able Family.
' *
Heinekamp will Continue—Comments on
Dolge's Speech—A Missing Pianist.
HERE is one pleasant thought
for the snow-bound traveler
just now, that is, if his route
lies South, he will in time
get out of the snow belt,
while in the North, judging
from appearances, there is enough snow to
last until next 'July. My path is toward
the South, and as I have a stretch of about
four thousand miles ahead of me before I
right about face, I expect to reach trie land
where less raiment by day will suffice, and
where the scanty covering afforded by the
Pullman monopoly will answer all the re-
quirements by night. Just now the cov-
ering provided by the latter in part return
for the two dollars exacted, answers very
nicely to fill in the yawning crevices where
otherwise the night wind would sough
mellifluously and unobstructedly. Let me
emphasize, the blankets answer very com-
fortably to stuff in the cracks, but for cov-
ering we have to fall upon our pajamas.
How about trade, you ask? Well, in the
language of De Wolf Hopper, "there are
things that perhaps 'twere better not to
dwell on.'' There hasn't been enough trade
within the past ten days to dwell seriously
or at length upon. The principal enter-
prise visible everywhere during the past
week, is that evidenced in the removal of
Of Course...
A high-grade piano costs more
than an instrument which is in
that class known as "medium,"
but what a satisfaction to sell a
high-grade piano, and how pleasant
to meet the customer and friends af-
ter the sale is made, particularly if it is a
BOURNE
Just make a minute right here to write
to 180 Tremont Street, Boston, and find
out about it.
the tons of "the beautiful" which has been
so bountifully and widely distributed over
our land. In Baltimore it was the same as
in New York—business of all kinds stag-
nated by reason of the blocking of the local
avenues of supply. Otherwise than the
sudden and temporary annihilation of the
arteries of commerce, business had looked
encouragingly for the new year. January
trade, while not up to former years, was
satisfactory in that it was better than its
predecessor. Wait until they have all dug
themselves out from underneath the snow-
banks and counted noses again before we
try to check up for this month. Trade in
Baltimore was, during January, very pleas-
ing in many respects; while the total of
sales was not up to former years, yet I am
told that the proportion of cash sales ex-
ceeded the record of any previous year,
which goes to show that the extended de-
pression has not entirely sapped the reserve
strength of the people.
How that familiar lettering — "Wm.
Knabe & Co."—strikes one in every city!
Go where you will on "piano row" and
when you see that lettering you are remind-
ed of an old friend. What a tremendous
influence that house exercises on the musico-
industrial affairs of this nation. Quiet,
dignified and progressive, they have planted
the gonfalon of Knabe on the heights of
fame, and entrenched there as it is in the
stronghold of public esteem, long will it
stay. Let me add, that while in Baltimore
I heard many condemnatory expressions
from members of the trade anent the at-
tacks made upon the Knabe firm by some
of the trade papers.
At the Stieff warerooms, I saw some very
handsome specimens of the piano-makers'
art; pianos in a variety of woods gives the
purchaser a good range for selection, an'd
he would indeed be difficult to please who
would not be able to gratify his taste by
the variety of instruments on exhibition in
the Stieff warerooms. Mr. Christ. Meyer,
of Meyer & Weber, Chicago, was here on
the day of my call; he selected a fine as-
sortment for his establishment. The firm
of Meyer & Weber have met with very
gratifying results in the sale of Stieff
pianos, and naturally they cling closely to
them.
Al. Lertz piloted me through the estab-
lishment of R. Lertz & Son. The acquisi-
tion of the adjoining store, formerly leased
by Hermon Day & Co., has given to that
firm a big room available for the exhibition
and sale of pianos. The newly-acquired
space, and the agency for the Chickering pi-
ano, have caused this firm to loom up promi-
nently in the piano affairs of theMonumental
City. Since January they have added the
Briggs to their line. There is no doubt but
that they will do well with a piano which
possesses the excellence of the Briggs.
Chickering-Briggs-Sterling—a strong tri-
umvirate, 'that!
Just a step beyond the Lertz establish-
ment are Sanders & Stayman. This firm
have exercised for many years a potent in-
fluence on the musical affairs of Baltimore
and vicinity. They have a large and well
appointed music emporium here, and main-
tain a branch in Washington as well. They
carry a very complete line of instniments,
including Weber, Decker Bros., Fischer,
Estey pianos, and an endless variety of
Estey organs. The Estey instruments are
warm favorites of this firm. They are also
agents for the ^Eolian. Just now they are
fitting up a room to be used exclusively for
the exhibition of the ^Eolians.
Across the street, a little further down,
Geo. F. Willig & Co. have musical head-
quarters known to all Baltimoreans. Mr.
Willig has concentrated his energies more
especially upon the sheet music business,
and in this has been successful.
I had a pleasant chat with Otto Sutro.
Mr. Sutro does not take an optimistic view of
the business situation, but his views upon
all matters are expressed in that calm,logical
way that at once impresses you that Mr.
Sutro is a philosophical student of events
and carefully watches the trend of affairs.
What a remarkable family are the Sutros!
Seven brothers, every one of whom has
achieved success in his particular sphere.
Notwithstanding the outside conditions
were not favorable, I noticed considerable
activity in the Sutro warerooms.* The
pianos which are prominently displayed
here are the Steinway, Mason & Hamlin
and A. B. Chase.
There is a rumor that Wm. Heinekamp
& Son would shortly discontinue the manu-
facture of pianos. I learned, however,
from them that such is not their intention.
They have manufactured pianos for a num-
ber of years, but have disposed of their
entire product at retail, therefore the terri-
tory where their instrument^ are known is
limited.
Late trains! Everywhere the same cry.
I shall probably be anchored in Washing-
ton awhile, where 1 may be able to gain
some information regarding the long-lost
awards gained at the World's Fair. I have
heard many comments in the trade since
leaving New York about the remarkable
speech of Alfred Dolge, and his ideas re-
garding the nationalizing of the labor
problem, as incorporated therein. It only
goes to emphasize the fact, which was pub-
lished in the Music TKADK RKVIF.W, that
Dolge's shot would be heard ''round the
world." It has excited the attention of
thinking men everywhere.
I notice among the passengers ot the de-
layed steamship La Gascognc, the name of
a new pianist, a student of Paderewski's,
who is to appear this spring under the
management of Charles F. Tretbar.
A PIANO factory is about to be started in
Indianapolis by M. B. Pierce, a well-known
tuner and tone regulator. He has leased
floors in the Wright & Wright building,
and will have a specimen instrument ready
soon.
R. C. ROGERS, road representative of the
James F. Haven Co., manufacturers of
piano stools and scarfs, has left for an ex-
tended trip through the South.