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THE MUSIC T^\DE RFVIFW.
Mr. Brown said to me: "You can see we ent in control of the Executive branch of
have a well equipped plant, that is, for a our governmental affairs.
The Powers House, in Rochester, is the
new plant, and you can examine the instru-
great
rendezvous for the members of the
ments which we are manufacturing, and I
trade
who are traveling in central New
am sure you will say that they possess
York.
They all recognize the cuisine of
merit. I have been for a long time in the
that
hostelry
as of a character far beyond
piano business', formerly at Jamestown,
the
ordinary
hotels
scattered through the
N; Y., later with the Colby Co.•, and I am
State.
Gathered
there
Tuesday night were
in it to stay, and see no reason why we
C.
H.
O.
Houghton,
of
veneer fame, who
should not make a great success of this
is
on
his
trip
West,
with
a new line of
business. Yes, the Burdett name is a good
samples
and
a
fresh
stock
of
stories as well,
one, and the piano we make is also good."
* *
Samuel
Winslow,
Jr.,
who
is
making his
*
first
trip
among
the
trade,
representing
the
I did not find dealers in Buffalo com-
plaining bitterly over the stagnation of Hastings & Winslow varnish. During his
trade. Some of them tell me that the)' father's protracted illness he has assumed
have had a trade quite up to their expecta- the route usually covered by his father,
tions, and others say, "Well, just a little Henry Spies and Augustus Baus, two
slow, but what can you expect in January ?" piano presidents, who are on their way
Buffalo can boast of well equipped music West and South traveling in a "Majestic"
emporiums. Almost every line of piano way. When I left, Col. Daniel F. Treacy
manufactured is represented in Buffalo. was coming on the next train.
* *
Take, for instance, the establishment of
*
Geo. F. Hedge & Co. The customer would
Down in the snug little city of Oneonta
indeed be difficult to please who could not is manufactured a piano which has been
find in their warerooms something to sat- long before the trade, but lately its star has
isfy his taste, be it artistic or otherwise, in begun to shine more and more brilliantly.
the magnificent and varied assortment of I refer to the McCammon, which instru-
pianos which they carry.
ment under the wise and judicious man-
At the Kurtzman factory they had not agement of the present officers of the
completed their business calculations for company, is destined to achieve still greater
the past vear, and were at the time of my prominence and become more and more a
call engaged in a business conference. I feature in the musico-industrial affairs of
believe it quite possible that there will be this country. When Geo. B. Baird and C.
a change in the policy of this firm, that it F. Shelland assumed the management of
the McCammon Pianc Co., they had to
will be more aggressive in the future.
While in Buffalo I met W. F. Boothe, clear away considerable of that objection-
who is on a trip for a week or two visiting able debris which had accumulated so as to
the dealers in New York and Pennsylvania. obstruct the onward course of the company.
In asking Mr. Boothe how business was This they have effectually done, and they
have not only placed the company on a
with him, he said:
"Business is great. You know how high basis, but they have steadily improved
many pianos we are going to make this the McCammon instruments, until to-day
everv fair-minded person must admit that
year?"
I replied that I was in entire ignorance they possess qualities which are of a high
musical and artistic character.
regarding his intended output.
"Well," he said, "my boy, we will make
The McCammon piano has long years
six thousand pianos in 1896."
behind it. But its successful 5'ears have
At this announcement I succumbed.
been under the present regime. There is
"And," continued Mr. Boothe, "that is no reason to believe that its career will be
the figure,, and we will do it. See what we other than onward. With an old name
are doing now at both factories. There's behind them -with a well-equipped plant—
the Sebastian Sommer working over time, with a magnificent business record—who
the same with the Gibson," and here Mr. can limit the extensions of the McCammon
Boothe stated some figures which were business? Their campaign for 1896 will be
simply paralyzing. There is no one who an active one. They have at present two
can dispute that Mr. Boothe is a most re- men on the road, and it is probable that
markable man. He has accomplished Mr. Baird and Mr. Shelland will also travel
results which his critics considered impos- considerably among the distant trade this
sible when he commenced piano manufact- year as well.
* *
uring in New York some two or three years
*
ago. But Mr. Boothe has gone steadily
Malcolm Love was absent from town on
ahead, and has built up an enormous a business trip through Pennsylvania when
business. He is in it yet—largely in it at I reached Waterloo. Mr. C. G. Read, the
that.
treasurer of the Waterloo Organ Co., said
that in certain departments business held
Retail business in Rochester is only fair, up well with them, but, like other firms,
although in the manufacturing line Mr. they were not encountering a rushing
Foster did. not seem in a downcast mood January. In considering the business of
over the outlook for the present year for the Waterloo Organ Co., it should be un-
the Foster piano. He said that he did not derstood that aside from the manufacture of
expect very pronounced success until we the Malcolm Love piano, they also conduct
had an Administration of a different a very thriving business in the manufacture
political complexion than the one at pres- of organs. The Waterloo organ has always
had an excellent reputation, and the firm to-
day have quite a large foreign trade. The
Malcolm Love piano is an instrument of
comparatively new manufacture, but dur-
ing the few years it has been before the trade
it has achieved a national prominence.
Dealers have emphasized their heart}'
appreciation of the artistic qualities of the
Malcolm Love piano by placing large orders
for them. Artists who have played upon
them have been unstinted in their praise
of the musical qualities of these instru-
ments.
The firm have not aimed to become the
largest manufacturers in the country, but
they have aimed to produce pianos of high
artistic excellence. In this it seems that
they have succeeded.
* *
There is no town included in my itin-
erary which gives me greater pleasure to
visit than that bustling little Adirondack
metropolis—Dolgeville. There is an ac-
tivity and a charm which indeed is difficult
to find elsewhere. Since it has been con-
nected with the outside world by bands of
steel, the business interests of that town,
founded by that profound and philosophical
man — Alfred Dolge—has thriven and
extended. As I said on my last visit there,
Dolgeville was fast becoming a music
trade center, with its great felt mills, lum-
ber mills, case factory, piano factory and
iron foundry, wherein are cast all the metal
parts which enter into the construction of
a piano. The only part remaining ot the
piano for Dolgeville yet to produce is the
piano action.
I never have visited Dolgeville but that
I was glad to get there, and I never have
left without feelings of regret. There is
that charm about Dolgeville hospitality
that seems different from any other. It
is always given in that free, open and
cordial way which makes the giver glad to
give and the recipient glad to receive.
It was on the day of the Twenty-seventh
Annual Reunion that I was there. The
annual reunions are always evenings in
which serious thought, good cheer and good
fellowship are harmoniously blended;
therefore, all Dolgeville looks forward to
them with much longing. That night
appears the dreaded "Scrutinizer," which
neither spares any nor fears any. Itstren
chant blade cuts far and wide.
William Dolge further accentuated the
pleasure of my short tarry in Dolgeville by
giving me a most enjoyable sleigh ride,
which, taken in the clear mountain air,
with most entrancing scenery on all sides,
including the view of the frozen Falls, .
made a glorious scenic picture so charming
in its effect—and one which I shall l<»ng
remember with pleasure.
* *
*
The firm of Chase & Smith, Syracuse,
can be counted among the most progressive
on the list of music dealers in this
State. They have well arranged music
rooms, wherein is carried a complete stock
of pianos, musical instruments and all
musical accessories. In the early spring
they will move to the adjoining building,