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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
that high class of skill and ingenuity which
is only seen in the true inventor, for the
Bronsons are in very truth an inventive
AN ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF BUSINESS REVIVAL THE LIGHT FROM THOUSANDS OF FACTORY family.
Their bronze panels are not only
WINDOWS—CHRISTMAS TRADE IS DISAPPOINTING
AN INTERESTING PLANT AT
artistic in every way, but add decidedly to
BEACON FALLS—COMSTOCK, CHENEY & CO. A BUSY^CONCERN A
the beauty of the instrument. I have them
VISIT TO DERBY—SUCCESS OF THE STERLING CO.
on
my piano, and will say that after a use
A CHAT WITH BERNHARD SHONINGER.
of seven or eight years they are as bright
and attractive today as the day they were
A Railway Reverie. .
the idea that as soon as the result of the placed in. They are practically indestruc-
She muses! A faraway look
election was declared that we would spring tible, which cannot be said of any other
Steals into the hazel eyes,
back into our old place, and everything panel. The designs are most artistic and
And the untried weallhof the open book
be almost as rose-colored as when the panic many manufacturers have special de-
At the window neglected lies.
first struck us.
Reposing, a slender hand reclines
signs prepared for them which they use
Those people are beginning to see and solely.
Ungloved, with a careless grace,
And the languid swoon of the afternoon
fully realize the unsoundness of their ideas.
*
Comes over the perfect face.
The return to good times must be grad-
What a magnificent plant Comstock,
ual. As long as each month is a trifle bet-
ALKING with a member of the ter than its predecessor then we are on the Cheney & Co. have at Ivoryton, Conn. A
trade the other day regard- right road—my moral about the mills in day can be well spent in that town touring
ing a recent trip taken New England. It means that there is a the vast establishment of this concern. In
through New England, he demand for the class of goods made in those their action department they are now par-
asked me in the course of factories. It means that while factories ticularly busy, and, I may add, that in my
our conversation:
were closed and the doors locked for travels over the country I find that the
"What impressed you as being the months, that in those same factories there Comstock-Cheney action is steadily grow-
most powerful argument which you saw are workmen at the bench and the wheels ing in trade favor, and why should it not?
regarding a business revival?" I re- revolving. It will gradually reach out, The firm take a conscientious pride in their
plied: "It was passing, after nightfall, extend to other trades, and as fast as the work, and the members of the company
through the great manufacturing towns of people are employed they will then have exercise a personal supervision over every
department of their business. Thoroughly
New England—Lowell, Fall River, Provi-
the means at their disposal to make pur-
wide awake and progressive, believing, as
dence—to see the factories aglow with light,
chases.
they do, only in that which is meritorious,
to see the illumination from thousands of
There is just as much danger of being there is formed a combination of excellent
windows back of which could be seen the
over optimistic as there is in being over reasons why the Comstock-Cheney action is
shadowy forms of workmen standing at
pessimistic. It is always safe to take the rapidly assuming such prominence. The
their posts working far into the night; that
was a sight which no traveler witnessed middle road. The extremists on the side company believe in supplying the trade
last year, not for two > ears previous, and of any question are usually the people to with the maximum quality at the minimum
price. They have worked faithfully on
it was a sight which impressed me as being avoid.
Taken as a whole, the Christmas trade these lines, and the steady augmentation of
the most powerful argument in favor of the
business revival that I have seen for many of this country is not up to expectations, their business shows that their lines are
months." To begin with, I argue, to have therefore the statement is a fair one to say not only safe, but profitable in a business
prosperous times you must have the work- that we all overestimated business condi- sense as well.
man prosperous and to make him prosper- tions. It is.not different in the music trade
They have just completed a new and
ous he must have work, and that too fairly than in other lines. The retail dealers on handsome building which is devoted entire-
remunerative. When there is plenty of whom I have called during the past few ly to the general offices of the firm, located
work, the little bills are paid, and by-and- weeks informed me—I do not mean to say directly opposite the street from their main
bv there is an accumulation; that accumu- all, because there are always a few fortu- plant. It is fitted throughout in extreme-
lation, according to the advanced ideas of nate ones—but the majority informed me ly good taste, without any attempt at over-
our people, usually goes for luxuries or in that their trade during the past two weeks elaboration.
some specific way for home adornment. has not been in volume or quality what they
*
Now, these men, the bone and sinew of our looked for. There is no use in placing
When
you
say
''Sterling,"
about the
country, the real vertebrae of trade, have things in any other light than a fair one,
next
words
that
come
to
mind
are
Blake and
not been performing their proper functions, and it will be manifestly wrong and unfair
Mason,
and
I
saw
them
both
at
Derby,
therefore the great organic laws governing for me to attempt to write in glowing colors
Conn.,
president
and
secretary
respectively
trade and prosperity have not been fully in of trade conditions and trade prospects,
of the Sterling Co. Whether business over
force. The Yankee nation, too, is mighty thereby giving my readers a false opinion.
the country is rushing or slow, the far
impulsive. Our first idea is that simply by One had better say the truth, even though it
reaching
machinery of the Sterling Co. is
declaring our intention to do this and that, is not at all times pleasant, but it does take a
so
perfected
and so well arranged that a
that it is almost as good as doing it, but of- load off our mind, and our conscience is
steady
distribution
goes regularly on and
tentimes we find, to our surprise and cha- somewhat relieved. Christmas trade for
there
is
no
congestion
of stock at the fac-
grin, that it takes a little more than will 1896 thus far is disappointing, and there
tory. And when you say the "Sterling"
power to make certain achievements. It you are.
factory, you will make a correct statement
* *
requires time.
if you say that that is the largest manufactur-
We all of us recollect when Lincoln is-
Did you ever pay a visit to Beacon Falls, ing concern in the musico-industrial lines
sued his first call for seventy-five thousand Conn. ? If not, a run there will amply re- in America, or for that matter in the world,
troops for ninety days, that he, as well as pay you, for you will find one of the most for there is nothing in Europe which even
the majority of the people living north of interesting plants located at that point to approaches the "Sterling" plant in output.
Mason and Dixon's line, supposed that that be found in this or in any other trade. I
The "Sterling" combination is a good
body of men could in that time thoroughly refer to the Homer D. Bronson Co. They one, and the organization is perfect. It is
suppress the incipient rebellion. How- manufacture all sorts of novelties and many comparatively easy to sit down and explain
ever, history records that it took four years, specialties for the piano trade, including the causes of success of this and that con-
billions of property, as well as millions of perforated bronze panels, continuous cern, but the men who do this are usually
men, to bring the wayward children back hinges, music desk hinges and a host of theorists, and theory applied does not al-
again into the Union fold. Now, a great other necessaries for the piano maker.
ways produce the same practical results that
majority of the people seem to be t hugging
In all of their work there is evidenced can be figured out on paper, therefore when
From a Traveler's Note Book.