Music Trade Review

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VOL XXL
No. 17.
Published Every Saturday at 3 East Fourteenth Street. New York, November 16,1895.
From A Traveler's
Note Book.
A TRIP DOWN EAST THE ALLEN CARS PECU-
LIARITIES OK TRADE
THE CHICKERING
TRANSFORMATION O. A. FIELD AND MA-
SON & HAMLIN HENRY F. MILLER DOES
NOT OPPOSE TRADE PAPERS THE RE-
CENT MOVES OF THE DITSON CO.
MAY
BK FAR REACHING
THE
VICTORIES OF VOSE—THE HAL-
LET & DAVIS IN THE WEST.
A CHAT WITH MR.
POWERS.
LARGE EMERSON SHIPMENTS—A MORNING AT
THE
BRIGCS FACTORY BEAUTIFUL CASES.
HUSTLING "JACK" MERRILL WAREROOM
CHANGES—THE STEINERT HALL.
HE reason why the worst sleep-
ing cars in the United States
are run between New York
and Boston can be attributed
no doubt solely to the fact
that there are no competing
lines, therefore the traveler
may conceal his disgust as best he can, and
perhaps revolve frequently in his mind
how that oft-quoted Vanderbiltian phrase
applies to the passengers who leave New
York from under the great arch built by
the old Vanderbilt fisherman, whose great-
granddaughter is now wedded to an En-
glishman with a string of titles which
would stretch from the Forty-second Street
Depot to the Harlem Bridge. I have fre-
quently remarked one should go West to
find good train service—in fact, I think
west of Chicago the^ finest sleepers in the
world are found. But I am digressing.
To return to the Boston trip.
I have of late dreaded that night trip in
the draughty cars, and it was with consid-
erable reluctance that I fell in line last
Sunday night to procure my ticket for a
sleeper. When my turn came, the young
man who had the diagram in charge in-
formed me that all the "lowers" were
gone, but that he could give me a stateroom
on an Allen car. Now, that name struck
me as something odd, and there was also
something enticing about occupying a
stateroom for $3.00. I quickly produced
the requisite amount, and received my
pasteboard in exchange. It was the pleas-
antest trip which I have taken for some
years over the New England road. The
Allen cars give one, although not a luxuri-
ous stateroom, one quite well appointed
and a tremendous improvement over the
ordinary sleepers, which are in vogue over
that road, a proper place for which would
be in some railroad hospital, when they
could fall into the desuetude desired by
travelers.
$3.00 PER YEAR-
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
Hamlin goods in his new establishment.
He has been to Boston and has gone.
Charlie Becht was here, and Mr. Field will
handle the Brambach pianos.
..
* *
There are still dying echoes of the recent
dinner. There are those who believe that
a representative of a music trade paper was
secluded in a convenient nook, where he
was enabled to jot down the points touched
upon
by the different speakers. The pub-
* *
*
lished report of Mr. Henry F. Miller's re-
There is no denying the fact that trade marks appear to be entirely misleading as
has been spasmodic all over the country far as his allusions to the music trade press
this fall. In many cities which I have were concerned. Mr. Miller says that he
visited I think that the volume of trade said and firmly believes that there are
has been at times peculiarly disappointing, many things which should be condemned
and then again there have been spurts of in trade journalism. He particularizes
trade, so to speak, which have brought up when he refers to them, but he does not
the average for the month fairly well, and condemn; and on the contrary, he supports
in that way I think dealers will have bal- what he terms legitimate trade journalism.
anced up a fairly good trade at the close of Mr. Miller has a perfect right to his opinions
the year. Such a condition, however, is on any subject. He has a right to give
exceedingly depressing at times, and de- vent to them on a public occasion. A
cidedly exhilarating at other times.
newspaper has also a perfect right to criti-
What wonderful changes have been made cise him for. the expression of his senti-
in the Chickering factory! The transform- ments, but it should pause at criticism in
ation conducted under the guidance of ex- crossing the line to virulent abuse. .
pert mural artists has completely changed
*
the old dingy rooms into beautiful and tes-
The recent large deals in the West which
thetic halls, wherein are tastefully displayed
the latest products of the Chickering factory show the constant changes which are stead-
It is needless to dwell in detail upon the ily going on in the conduct of music trade
excellence of the Chickering pianos, music- affairs show that the trend of the music
ally and artistically, at the present time. business is toward consolidation and ab-
I may say, however, that the name and sorption is further emphasized by the late
fame of Chickering need not rest upon the deals of the Oliver Ditson Co., in which
traditions of the past, the present work of stores at Haverhill, Dover and other points
the house amply justifies that progress and in New England will be controlled by
enterprise are borne upon the gonfalon of them, must impress itself upon members
who are studying the situation, that the
Chickering.
Ditson Co., who hitherto have not been
.•.•--•»
• .*
noted as a great piano house, are rapidly
I recollect the many conjectures as to branching out and becoming a more and
what Mr. O. A. Field, lately retired from more important factor in the sale of pianos
the Jesse French Co., St. Louis, would do throughout New England. If this trend of
after his severance with that firm. THE affairs continues it will be indeed difficult
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW was the first paper to predict with the immense capital which
to give an authentic statement of Mr. this corporation possesses, and with its
Field's future location. It has been defin- well known name, a name familiar to every
itely arranged now as to what line of goods boy in the New England States, where its
he will represent in St. Louis. There was extensions and ramifications will cease. It
a flocking and gathering of the clans at will, however, be clear to those who are in-
that point when the Mason & Hamlin terested in the situation, that the gentleman
people concluded satisfactory arrange- who is at the head of the piano department,
ments, and the result is Mr. Field will have who as his unkind critics rem arked some
a full and complete line of the Mason &
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