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TRA
RETI
VOL. XXI.
N o . 2.
Published Every Saturday at 3 East Fourteenth Street.
In The West.
FIRE AT OTTAWA — THE WESTERN COTTAGE
ORGAN CO. BIG LOOSERS — THEY WILL RE-
BUILD THE WANDERINGS OF TAYLOR THE
FAKE TUNER
NOW AT DES MOINES.
WILLIAM STE1NWAY IMPROVES RAPID-
LY AT MT. CLEMENS
JOSEPH
SHONINGER WILL VISIT THE
EAST THE FALL OF RAY J.
V. STEGER—THE STEINWAY
AGENCY WITH ADOLPH
MAYER • POPULAR
WILL BUSH.
L
AST Saturday the factory of the West-
ern Cottage Organ Co., at Ottawa, 111.,
was destroyed by fire. The paper reports
state that the damage is about $150,000.
I think this incorrect, as I question if the
whole business was worth anywheie near
that sum, including stock, factory and
everything else. It is said that there is
only $10,000 insurance upon the building
and stock. This concern was formerly at
Mendota, 111., but owing to some special
bonus given by the city of Ottawa, re-
moved there some five or six years ago.
They have recently been making the Mer-
rifield piano in connection with their or-
gans. The name Merrifield is taken from
the principal stockholders of the company
—it being controlled by Merrifields.
That notorious C. C. Taylor, the fake
tuner, is continuing his work down at Des
Moines, la. The State Gazette of that
city contains about a two-column account
of his latest exploits. This time he has a
companion, and it is their practice to charge
extraordinary prices for their work. After
putting up the tariff to $7 for tuning a
piano they work in $10 additional for the
insertion of what they term a "Patent
Mouth Pad." These frauds have been
pretty thoroughly exposed in the columns
of the Western papers, but still they seem
to find fertile fields for the continuance of
their work.
Cyrus N. Brown, a piano player of abil-
ity, has been occupying considerable of the
public attention in Milwaukee during the
past week. He was connected with the
music establishment of E. F. Thayer, of
Waukesha, Wis., and made rather a sensa-
tional marriage in Milwaukee, which at-
tracted toward him considerable attention
from the press of that city.
New York, August 3, 1895.
fc r
As'Fwrote'you last week,"" there is every
prospect of a good business this fall. The
Musical limes publishes to-day a long let-
ter from William Steinway, who is at
Mount Clemens, Mich. Mr. Steinway is
improving very much in health, and takes
a very hopeful view of the business situa-
tion.
Joseph Shoninger will leave for a vaca-
tion East.
Alfred Shindler, the Hardman repre-
sentative, is also going to spend a few days
in the East.
The Kansas City Star contains an exten-
sive account of one Walter Ray, formerly
a music trade salesman, entering the store
of Martin Schneider & Co. and stealing
two mandolins. His course seems to have
been pretty straight downward without
many curves.
J. V. Steger continues to receive big
orders for the Steger, and as for the
"Singer," he is getting rapidly in shape
to supply plenty of them, for his new fac-
tory is moving skyward.
It is announced that the agency for the
Steinway piano in Omaha is now placed
with Adolph Mayer, who was formerly a
member of the firm of Max Mayer & Bro.
Max Mayer devoted all of his time to the
jewelry business, while Adolph was the
piano man. Some months ago he started
for himself, and has been fortunate enough
to secure the Steinway agency, which gives
him a remarkable prestige in Omaha.
The Sioux City Tribune contains the fol-
lowing in reference to the wanderings of
Will Bush: "W. L. Bush, of the firm of
Bush & Gerts, piano manufacturers, Chi-
cago, has been in this city the past two
days, the guest of C. H. Elmendorf. On
Saturday evening Mr. Bush entertained a
number of the members of the Hawkeye
Club at the club house. He is inevitable
as a mimic, story teller and singer, and
kept some of the staid members of the club
interested until daylight Sunday morning.
He has visited Sioux City before, and each
time has made a large circle of admirers."
Newman Bros, are doing remarkably well
with their new piano-cased organ, and I
have heard many dealers speak in the high-
est terms regarding their instrument.
James E. Healy will leave shortly on his
vacation, which he will spend in the East.
AN exchange announces that P. J. Healy
will learn to ride the bicycle.
$V°o PER YEAR-
SINGLE COPIES,™ CENTS.
A Chickering Prize Winner at the
World's Fair brings $3,000.
NOTABLE piano sale was effected at
the Chickering warerooms this week.
John G. A. Lieshman, president of the
Carnegie Steel Works, Pittsburg, Pa.,
came to New York and dropped into the
Chickering warerooms. Under the guid-
ance of J. Burns Brown he inspected sev-
eral instruments. He was much pleased
with one of the World's Fair winners, and
his interest in that particular piano, under
the seductive tongue of Mr. Brown, became
intensified, and the result was, he pur-
chased the instrument for $3,000. This
magnificent piano is the last but one out of
the notable nine which were the prize win-
ners at the World's Fair. Visitors at the
Chickering exhibit will no doubt remember
the instrument which Mr. Lieshman has
purchased. It is in the Louis XVI. style,
finished in white and gold, and exquisitely
hand-painted. It only goes to prove that
there are men who appreciate art work as
applied to pianos, and are willing to pay
for it if their pocketbook is long enough.
However, there are not many millionaires
who can go a cool three thousand on a
piano. Mr. Lieshman is one of the few
fortunate in possessing the cash, and for-
tunate in possessing the superb Chickering
grand which attracted so much admiration
at the World's Fair.
A
Piano License Unconstitutional.
JUDGE SIMONTON, Asheville, N. C,
^J has decided that section 25 of the Rev-
enue Act of North Carolina, compelling
piano agents to pay a special license of
$250, is unconstitutional, for the reason that
it is in violation of that provision of the
United States Constitution granting to
Congress the exclusive right to regulate
commerce between the States. • W. J.
Hough, of this city, representing a Chicago
piano firm, was arrested on July 20th for
failing to pay the special license. Habeas
corpus proceedings were begun, resulting
in Judge Simonton's decision.
HARRY B. TREMAINE, general manager of
the ^Eolian Co., New York, is enjoying
fishing at White Lake, Sullivan County,
N. Y.