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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
With the Travelers.
**"TRADE is looking better lately," said
I
Tommy Atkins, when THE REVIEW
man met him the other day.
"Where are you in from now, Tommy?"
"From the West."
"And trade out there is——"
"Dull as blazes in some localities, but
fine in others—sort of sporadic, you know.
Say, that Shaw piano is a hummer. I
know some of the boys will agree with me
when I say that it is a hard piano to beat."
"You are not traveling for the Shaw,
are you?"
"No; sometimes I wish I were; could do
better with it than
"
"Some others, eh, Tommy?"
"You bet; but say, did I tell you about
the fellow I met out in Detroit?"
"No, go on."
"Why, I was standing on the rear plat-
form of a Woodward avenue car, when an
old fellow with a tawny mane boarded it.
He had among other chattels a basket of
eggs, and after watching things for a while
he said to the conductor, who held him up
to get his nickel:
" 'You must have lots of things on your
mind?'
;
"'Yes.'
" 'You have to stop and start, help people
on and off, collect fares, and do a heap of
work. It must be an awful strain on you.'
"'Yes.'
" ' T h e n there's that thingumbob up
there,' pointing to the trolley. 'You have
to keep an eye on that, don't you?'
"'Yes.'
" 'And look at every pole to see that the
'lectricity is all right?'
"'Yes.'
" 'If that thingumbob should slip off and
slew around and hit the car the hull crowd
of us would be knocked into a cocked hat,
I take it?'
" 'Yes, we should.'
" 'None of us would ever know what hit
us, and we'd be so mixed up that our friends
couldn't tell one from the other?'
" 'Yes, that's so.'
" ' A n d here you stand,' resumed the
man with the eggs, 'here you stand as cooi
and calm and smilin' as a knot on a log,
while the horny hands of death may be
stretched out at any minit to yank us in!
I don't see how you do it! You are. a
brave man, and I want to shake hands
with you!'
The conductor shook with him, and he
waved his arm through the air and con-
tinued:
" 'I don't see how you do it—can't really
see!
Why, all the strain I have on my
mind is to keep the hogs from gettin' out
of a hole in the pig pen, and yit I can't
sleep nights! Here, before I go inside to
sot down and figure how much seven dozen
of eggs will come to at 13 cents a dozen,
lemme shake that noble and terrific hand
agin!'
"Thanks, I don't mind if I do; it is about
time for an appetizer," and Tommy and
THE REVIEW man sauntered in the direction
of the Union Square "Caif."
The Steck Piano in Boston.
T
HE many Boston admirers of the cele-
brated Steck pianos will be pleased to
know that an agency for the sale of those
popular instruments has been opened by
Mr. F. I. Haivey, at i64A Tremont street,
in this city, and that at all times the Steck
pianos can be seen there. The national
reputation of the firm of George Steck &
Co., as piano manufacturers is second to
none, and from all parts of the world words
in praise of their instruments from leading
musicians have been heard. Mr. Harvey
will be pleased to receive calls from any
one interested.—Boston Times.
Rene Grunewald's Enterprise.
R
ENE GRUNEWALD, of New Orleans,
is making a big success of his gui-
tar and mandolin business. The demand
for these instruments is not confined to the
South, but extends to the North. Mr.
Grunewald makes a specialty of the direct
importation of fine mahogany and Spanish
cedar, and is now supplying a large num-
ber of manufacturers. His stock of necks
for guitars and mandolins are considered
to be of the best, and being sold at reason-
able prices, he is building up a big trade
in this special line. Mr. Grunewald de-
serves success in all his enterprises.
The flcCammon Piano Co.
I
N the springtime the wide awake dealer's
thoughts turn toward good pianos—such
as the McCammon, for instance, which
have been deservedly classed among the
phenomenally successful instruments of the
day. They are widely known as quick
sellers, and as they possess absolute value,
both.in beauty and tone qualit) 7 they can be
safely commended to purchasers.
The
advances made by the McCammon Co.
during 1895 are bound to be still further
accentuated during the present year. The
policy of the house is progressive, both in
commercial and technical fields. Success
will attend their efforts, because they are
laboring to that end.
The Wilcox & White Organ Co.
Increase Capital Stock.
A
T a special meeting of the stockholders
of the Wilcox & White Organ Co.,
held at their office in Merklen, Conn., last
Monday, February 24th, the capital stock
of said corporation was increased from
$200,000 to $250,000, by a unanimous vote
of the stockholders present
This important move will enable them
to take care of their constantly increasing
business, and to increase facilities which
have become absolutely necessary in order
to "catch up" with the demand for the
"Symphony" and self-playing piano attach-
ment, for which they are already over-
whelmed with orders.
The business of the Wilcox & White Co.
is in a remarkably healthy condition. Since
January 1st their books show an increase of
nearly 40 per cent, over the corresponding
period of 1895.
The favorite "Symphony" has made
"leaps and bounds" in popularity during
the past year, and this popularity will be
accelerated during 1896, judging from the
plans outlined by the company. The reg-
ular organ business has also given the
greatest satisfaction.
The members of the Wilcox & White
Organ Co. are to be congratulated upon
their progressiveness.
McPhail Agents.
T
HE McPhail piano will be handled in
Scranton, Pa., by L. B. Powell & Co.
Greenleaf & Snavlin, of Syracuse, N. Y.,
are another firm who are having a great
success with the McPhail. A deal to han-
dle a large number of instruments was
recently consummated. This firm is a
comparatively new one. Mr. Greenleaf,
however, is a well-known musician, and
has been interested in musical affairs in
that section for many years.
Do You Wish to Increase Your
Trade?
T
HE "Wissner" pianos of Brooklyn—or
greater New York—are instruments
that dealers, ambitious to increase their
trade during 1896, should look up. Their
"place" in the artistic world is a high one.
Leading musical authorities have placed
themselves on record in this connection.
All who have sold these instruments are a
unit as to their excellence, and the same
can be said for the •purchasers.
F. S. CABLE, secretary of the Chicago
Cottage Organ Co.,-will leave on a visit to
the European agents of his house next week.
R. O. BURGESS, road representative of
the Wegman Piano Co., Auburn, N. Y.,
has returned from a Southern and Western
trip, which was more than successful, con-
sidering the times. The Wegman piano
has a wide circle of admirers in the South
and West, who give satisfying proofs of
their fealty in the shape of orders.