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THE MUSIC TRADE REVlfcW.
IO
From A Traveler's
Note Book.
the community, and then shocks or kills a
competitor.
They tell a good story on a party of ex-
FIRMS WHO ADVERTISE LIBERALLY ARE THE cursionists who went on a personally con-
ONES WHO ARE IN THE LEAD TO-DAY THE
ducted tour to Mexico last winter. The
OTHERS ARE BEHIND IN THE PROCESSION.
party was in charge of Charles Gates, of
HEARD IN A SMOKER OPINIONS OF TWO
Toledo, O., but included prominent people
TRAVELERS—AN ADVERTISEMENT MAY
from other cities, among them being Phil
BE COMPARED TO AN ELECTRIC CUR-
Armour, the pork-packing prince, of Chi-
RENT— A MEXICAN REMINISCENCE
cago. Mr. Currier, of the Whitney-Currier
IN WHICH SOME NOTED MEN
Co., Toledo, was, I believe, with the com-
APPEAR
WHAT THEY SAW.
pany. They traveled in a special train,
UNIVERSAL POPULARITY
which stopped at all the interesting places
OF THE MALCOLM LOVE
en route long enough to give the excur-
PIANO — A HUSTLING
sionists ample time to see the sights, and
MEXICAN FIRM.
sometimes they saw some not down on the
bills. This story concerns one of them.
, They stopped at a small town near the
Mexican
frontier—name omitted lest after
HERE is one important matter
this
tale
is printed excursionists should
which must impress itself
swarm
to
see it. While strolling along a
upon every traveler who
little
stream
half a dozen of the male mem-
visits the dealers in musical
bers
of
the
party
came across an inclosure
wares throughout this coun-
with
the
legend:
"Bathing for ladies—
try.
That is the pianos
Do
not
look."
which are best advertised in the trade press
No more was necessary. They were out
are sold in the largest numbers by dealers.
Take some firms, who to a certain extent to see the sights, and this sign was suffi-
have ignored the trade press, and they have cient. The fence was not too high to climb,
dropped woefully behind in the procession. and when a Greaser policeman happened
While talking with a traveler the other along that way he found six staid and sup-
day, he said: " I have had an awfully dull posedly respectable heads of families hang-
season. There is no mistaking that one ing over that fence, gazing with all the
great reason is my firm have not been strength of their dozen eyes.
liberal patronizers of the trade press, and
Accordingly, he gathered them in, and
as they are not travelers, they fail to under- escorted them down to the little adobe jail,
stand why I should not do better in my where they were locked up to await bail. As
travels. I can tell you pushing a piano the time for the train to depart approached
under such conditions is in very truth the wives of the six prisoners began to
difficult."
look about for their worser halves. Then
a
Mexican official came to the train and
The same day, while in the smoker of a
notified
them of the trouble. Mr. Gates,
North bound train, I met another well
who
had
luckily stayed with the train, at
known traveler, who said: "Yes, I am
once
went
to the rescue.
homeward bound, and have closed up an
First
he
interviewed the prisoners, and
excellent year's business, and I can tell you
then
he
went
before the local alcalde to
that I appreciate one thing highly, that my
plead
for
them.
• Luckily that official spoke
firm have been liberal advertisers in the
English,
and
also
enjoyed a joke.
trade papers, and it has made my task a
"These
men
are
all American gentle-
comparatively easy one. Now, I have been
over some sections of the country which men," urged Mr. Gates. "Highly respected
were entirely new to me, and no sooner citizens of some of our largest communi-
had I presented my card, when in numer- ties. "
ous instances, the dealer said, 'Oh, yes; I
"Well, they should not have looked over
have heard all about your piano; I am the fence; they saw the sign."
interested in it. Have seen it mentioned
" I am convinced that they did not see
highly in the trade press. Your firm must the sign," insisted Mr. Gates.
be hustlers.'"
"Why?" inquired the alcalde.
"Because there were half a dozen more
There is a point right there. It is not
alone the direct benefit received from mak- in the party, and if they had seen that
ing the pianos known to dealers, but there sign all would have been there."
"Release the prisoners," said the alcalde,
iii a silent force behind which causes a man
to prefer to do business with a firm which while his sides shook with laughter.
is fully up to the times and realize the
tremendous power which lies in advertising
than with the firm who are eschewing all
I have never known a dealer who has
modern methods of giving their wares pub- handled the Malcolm Love piano but
licity. An advertisement may be compared have found him enthusiastic in its praise.
with the electric current. The newspaper The reason of the firm's uninterrupted
is the switchboard, the advertiser is the progress is wholly attributable to the fact
operator.
When the advertiser would that they have been manufacturing instru-
electrify the public he manipulates the ments which have been heartily appreciated
switchboard, and the powerful current by the live dealers. The Malcolm Love
which he so thoroughly controls enlivens piano is surely winning its way daily to a
L
higher and stronger position in music trade
affairs.
In the Mexican papers I notice no house
in the music trade which appears so prom-
inently in printers' ink as that progressive
firm of E. Heuer & Co. I recollect that
before I reached Mexico City last winter
the advertisements of E. Heuer & Co. }
seen in the Mexican papers, impressed me
with the idea that there was one Mexican
concern that was following up modern
ideas. Mr. Heuer has given the "Crown"
piano a tremendous prominence in our
Sister Republic.
In various papers he
carries a large advertisement, in which ap-
pears a fine electro of the "Crown" pianos.
Vose in Canada.
A
& S. NORDHEIMER, of Toronto,
and Vose & Sons Piano Co., of
Boston, are to be congratulated on the
deal consummated Friday of last week,
whereby the former house will represent
the Vose piano throughout the Dominion
of Canada. The Vose will be sold in all
their various branch warerooms, and it is
safe to say that their sales will mark a big
increase in the output of the Vose factory.
#
Otto Wagner in Town.
O
TTO WAGNER, who has recently
become the managing partner of the
great Mexican music house of A. Wagner
& Levien, whose headquarters are in the
City of Mexico, arrived in New York last
Wednesday morning. We had the pleasure
of renewing our former acquaintance with
Mr. Wagner, made in his country last
spring. He is stopping at The Waldorf,
and gives a good account of Mexican trade.
His firm have recently opened at Gaudala-
hara, where on the day of opening they
sold two Stein way pianos. This branch is
under the management of Mr. Otto Wal-
thers. Mr. Wagner will remain in town
some two weeks. His firm are agents for
the Steinway pianos in Mexico, and have
disposed of many of these celebrated in-
struments to prominent Mexicans.
Regina Music Boxes.
O
NE of the busiest places to visit these
days is the big factory building of
the Regina Music Box Co., at Rahway, N.
J.
A representative of THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW had a very pleasant chat with Mr.
L. Tietz, secretary and treasurer of the
company, a few days ago. He said in
course of conversation: "Our instruments
are growing in popularity every day,
and the volume of business we are now
in receipt of is testing the capacity of
the factory."
The bustle and activity
prevalent was the best possible verification
of Mr. Tietz's statement.
The Regina
music box will be a great seller during the
holiday weeks—at least that is the opinion
of dealers who have placed heavy orders in
anticipation of the demand.