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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
capital—his replies were not so prompt.
"Weber had a remarkable faculty for at-
N an interesting interview with an Indi- tracting people to him, and a naturally
cator man about the late Albert Weber, generous and open-handed way of doing
Chas. C. Curtiss, says: "The personality business, which, of course, was satisfactory
of the dead piano manufacturer is yet living. to his customers. There was nothing small
His name is never mentioned that it does about him. I recall that when I had occa-
sion to purchase a piano for my own use, and
not at once excite the deepest interest.
asked
him at what price he could afford to
"1 remember well my first interview
let
me
have it, his characteristic response
with Mr. Weber," continued Mr. Curtiss.
was:
'You
pay half and I'll pay the other
" I t was just after the great fire that we
half,'
which
was more generous than I had
first met. I was then bookkeeper for Lyon
expected.
& He'aly, who had established themselves
in the church at the corner of Wabash
avenue and Sixteenth street. It was, I
think, the first and only time that Mr.
Weber visited Chicago. I remember very
well that I was engaged in footing up a
column of figures when he entered the office
and began a conversation in his usual mag-
netic style with Mr. Lyon, who was stand-
ing next me. It seemed as though the
total of every row of figures would result
in nothing but 'Weber piano.'
I was, in
fact, so much engrossed in what he was say-
ing as to be totally unable to get a correct
result, and finally abandoned the attempt.
The Weber piano was at that time handled
in a small way by Root & Cady, who
carried the Steck as their leader. Weber's
ALBERT WEBER.
superiority in the upright piano, which was
just beginning to come into use, gave him
"Weber was ever alive to the interests of
a strong pull, and I think that that advan- the Weber piano, and never lost an oppor-
tage helped him greatly to the position that tunity to speak for it. The late John
he afterward attained. His visit was a Church told me of his having attended a
short one, but long enough to impress dinner at the Manhattan Club in New York,
everyone in the office with his vigorous of which Weber was a well-known and pop-
mentality.
ular member. After the menu had been
"I never forgot the man, and as I became disposed of, various speakers were called
well acquainted with him in later years, upon, and late in the evening Weber him
the powerful influence which he exerted on self, who never pretended to oratorical
all those who came in contact with him, ability, was asked to speak. He did so by
however briefly, was greatly enhanced. complimenting the extent and variety of
He was truly a remarkable character, and the subjects covered by the previous speak-
as his business had grown from small pro- ers, but suggested that a very important
portions, he had acquired a habit of attend- matter had been entirely ignored. This he
ing to everything himself, or at least seeing announced was the Weber piano, and then
every person who came into his establish- proceeded with a witty and forceful talk in
ment, no matter how urgent other demands a jocose spirit that relieved it from any
might be. In those days the stenographer appearance of bad taste, and which was
was not an adjunct of every office as now, welcomed by vociferous applause and
and Mr. Weber wrote all his letters himself, laughter.
outside of formal acknowledgments. As
"His remarkable qualities were fully de-
he was subject to constant interruptions monstrated at the time of the Centennial
during the day, and was an assiduous first- Exposition, where, without reference to the
nighter at operas and concerts, it was his merits of the case, it cannot be doubted
habit to write these letters after, and he that he carried off the lion's share of the
was often found at his office during the advantage to be derived. In fact, he got
small hours of the morning, engaged in this so much that what was left divided among
occupation. He had on his desk a paper- the others did not count for very much.
weight, under which it was his custom, This was no doubt the turning point of his
after drawing off orders, and passing re- fortunes, and in three years succeeding be-
mittances over to the cashier, to pile his fore his death his business had increased
letters, and I remember well his hearty and extended remarkably. I think that he
laughter when I one day unearthed from told me shortly before he died that his bus-
this aggregation several letters of my own, iness had grown more than 200 per cent, as
to which I had vainly endeavored for as the result of the remarkable generalship
many months to secure a response. I think that he displayed on that occasion, and the
that it was his custom, in fact, to answer quality of his piano. Weber's upright
all the letters from each agent about once a piano is really a wonderful instrument,
month, if he had good luck, but when bus- and, I believe, is generally conceded to be
iness was very gqod, or when money was so by the trade at lar^e. Its superiority
very tight—for in those days Weber was cannot be questioned, and it never has been
doing a large business on quite a moderate better than it is to-day. In fact, the piano
Weber's Characteristics.
I
has been improved in some minor points so
that it is actually better to-day than it was
during Mr. Weber's life. Mr. Wheelock,
who is now at the head of the house, is not
only one of the ablest men in the trade,
but, moreover, is so extremely conscientious
and honorable in all his dealings that the
quality of the instrument is in no danger
of deterioration under his direction."
Household Furniture.
PIANO COMES UNDER
THAT
HEAD,
ACCORDING
TO SUPREME JUDICIAL C O U R T DECISION.
PIANO comes under the head of
"furniture or other household ef-
fects,' according to a decision of the Su-
preme Judicial Court, filed recently, and as
a result C. L. Gorham & Co., of Wooster,
Mass., will have to pay to Mrs. C. D.
Lee about $250 as the result of taking an
instrument from her apartments in the
Hotel Glenwood in Boston. Mrs. Lee
bought the piano on the installment plan for
$325, in November, 1889, and had paid
$200 toward the purchase price, when she
made a default in the payments. The
defendants then took the instrument away.
Mrs. Lee brought suit, and claimed that
she was entitled to certain papers, including
the copy of contract. The defendants
claimed they had sent her the papers, which
she denied.
It was also contended by the defendants
that the statute referred to "furniture and
other household effects," and that this did
not include the piano. The Court holds
otherwise, and a verdict for the plaintiff is
sustained, the defendant's exceptions being
overruled.
A
Investigating the Acton Fire.
T
HE newspapers of South Acton, Mass.,
say that the townspeople are greatly
interested in the outcome of the investiga-
tion into the disastrous fire which burned
the large piano stool factories of A. Merriam
& Sons. Aid E. F. Stone, of Lowell, of
that district, has been at Acton, and held
an interview with Mr. Merriam and em-
ployees who were in the building at the
time of the discovery of the blaze.
The total loss is now finally estimated at
$25,000, $15,000 on the stock in the build-
ings and $10,000 on the three main build-
ings. There was no insurance on the build-
ings, but the stock under cover was insured
for about $10,000. It is said on good au-
thority that the shops will not be rebuilt at
present. If it should be deemed advisable
to build in the near future the factories
would be made much smaller.
Incorporated.
T
HE C. Janke Co., of Galveston, Tex.,
has been incorporated with a capital
stock of $50,000. The incorporators are C.
Janke, Chas. E. Solomon and Chas. F.
Kleinecke. They will manufacture musical
instruments.