Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
IO
selves, who to-day are occupying prominent
positions in the main arteries of trade in
either of those cities! Manufacturers have
controlled the sale of their own instruments
in the commercial heart of the countr)',
and year by year they have found it to
their advantage to extend their lines of
trade, so that they embrace in their own
special circle of distribution many other
leading cities.
It is true to a certain extent the branch
system has not been a pronounced success,
but then the system will admit of changes
and revisions like everything else, which is
at the first usually uneffective in its detail
affairs.
The piano business is steadily undergo-
ing changes; profits are being cut lower
and lower; in fact, in many cases, the en-
tire profits are absorbed and lost in the
maelstrom of competition. Is it not pos-
sible that manufacturers and dealers dur-
ing the next few years will realize more
fully than they do to-day that pianos have
been sold on too small margins and on too
easy terms? In what other than the piano
trade can a purchaser for a few paltry dol-
lars down and a trivial monthly payment
secure a values running into the hundreds
of dollars?
Now the question is, is this a wise
policy?
Granting that pianos maintain values in
a way that no other commodity does, still
there is a point beyond which a merchant
or manufacturer cannot advance on safe
and conservative lines.
If the deteriorating elements of trade con-
tinue to multiply in the next few years in
the same ratio that they have in the past,
it will be difficult to predict just at what
point we will have reached regarding trade
conditions. Whether, out of the entire
number of piano manufacturers, there will
be comparatively few survivors, or whether
the logical outcome of the whole business
will be the formation of a gigantic trust,
is indeed, at the present writing, difficult
to predict.
*
*
•
•
The fact is, competition in every line is
reaching such a point that there is very
little in business for anyone. In time,
however, the people will come to their
senses.
It is the same in journalism. Every
paper is trying to produce a better paper
for less money than its competitor, and as
a result journal after journal, magazine
after magazine, drops out of the race, sim-
ply from the fact that it was producing
issues at a loss.
Again, there must be a revision in the
methods of advertising. Why should the
Post Office department to-day give sub-
stantially free transportation to hundreds
of tons of paper in dailies and magazines
which have nothing whatsoever to do with
the matter contained in the publications.
It is matter which is entirely foreign to
the paper and concerns only the interest
of private corporations. I refer to the ad-
vertising pages of every firm. They con-
tain simply requests from business men
for patronage and they travel free.
Now, drummers in every line are forced
to pay their fare, why should the public
pay—for that is what it amounts to—for
the carriage of advertisements in maga-
zines in which they are not directly con-
cerned? They belong to trade journals,
which are the proper and legitimate pur-
veyors of trade news, and not to literary
magazines.
From the monthly summary of the
finance and commerce of the United States
just issued by the Treasury Department,
we glean the following official figures anent
Bradbury News.
the exports and imports of musical instru-
ments for the month of February, the latest
K. G. SMITH BUYS REAL ESTATE—FACTORY
period for which they have been compiled.
EXTENSIONS PLANNED—OTHER ITEMS
OF INTEREST.
The imports for the month show a
marked decrease as compared with last
Freeborn G. Smith, of Bradbury fame, year, the figures being $56,510 for Febru-
has been active in real estate investments ary, 1897, as compared with $71,817 for the
the past week. He has just purchased the same period in 1896. The eight months'
four-story building adjoining the large total amounts to $727,331. For the eight
Bradbury factory, extending to the corner months of last year the figures stood
of Adelphi and Fulton streets. This build- $896,520.
ing contains two stores and six apartments,
The number of pianos exported in Feb-
and in the rear a large open lot, which will
ruary amounted to 49, valued at $13,998, as
ultimately be used for Bradbury factory
compared with 63, valued at $16,133, e x "
extensions. The purchase of this property
ported the same month of 1896. For the
gives Mr. Smith an opportunity of clearly
eight months there were exported 544
demonstrating his lack of sympathy in any
pianos valued at $138,993, against 575
way with the liquor traffic. Although the
valued at $151,136 shipped abroad during
corner store is paying a handsome rent as
the same period of last year.
a saloon, yet Mr. Smith has decreed that it
The number of organs exported in Feb-
must go, and go it must.
ruary amounted to 993, valued at $66,230.
The remodeling and extensive improve- During the same period last year 915
ments of his Raymond street property, to r organs were exported, valued at $50,722.
gether with the recent purchase on Fulton The exports for the eight months foot up
street, looks very much as if Mr. Smith was 9,493 organs, valued at $550,221, against
getting a stronger hold on the piano busi- 8,952 organs, valued at $496,983, exported
ness as his years increase. His vast accumu- during the corresponding period a year
lations will, however, ultimately fall into ago.
able hands, who will perpetuate the present
The value of "all other musical instru-
progressive and successful policy. Like
ments and parts thereof " exported during
his father, F. G. Smith, Jr., seems to find
February amounted to $22,832. In the same
work a tonic, and is equal to any emergency.
month of 1896 their value was estimated at
F. G. Smith, Sr., and N. M. Crosby left $18,864. For the eight months the total
last Monday to be present at the meeting exports footed up $180,057 worth, as
of the adjusters of the various insurance against $194,081 for the same period of
companies who had insured the stock of 1896.
Taylor's Music House, Springfield, Mass.
The imports of animal ivory for the
From there Mr. Smith will go to his case month amounted to 25,644 pounds, valued
factory at Leominster.
at $59,830, as compared with 10,556 pounds,
Speaking of the factory reminds us that valued at $20,089, imported during Feb-
N. M. Crosby, the traveling represen- ruary of last year. The total imports for
tative of the house, has spent considerable the eight months amounted to $214,577,
time at the case factory since the first of against $458,586 worth in February, 1896.
the year, and in a recent chat was quite
enthusiastic over the new and attractive
designs of cases which are being prepared
Alleges Embezzlement.
for the Webster and Henning pianos.
The M. Sonnenberg Piano Co., New
General business with the Bradbury
Haven,
Conn., have lodged a complaint
house is steadily improving, and Mr.
with
the
city attorney of Norwich, Conn.,
Smith and his associates are quite pleased
against
A.
N. Belville, of that city. The
with the outlook.
charge alleges embezzlement, and the police
are on the lookout for Belville.
O. K. Houck & Co., Memphis, Tenn.,
have issued a formal notice of the admis-
A Novel Combination.
sion of Jesse F. Houck as a partner in
their piano, organ, and music business.
J. F. Smith, of Essex, Mass., will move
This contemplated move was announced in his mandolin and drum-making business to
The Review a month ago.
Willow street, Hamilton, where he will go
Taylor's Music House,Springfield, Mass., into the undertaking business in connec-
is occupying temporary quarters at 480 tion with his other occupation, says a local
paper.
Main street, that city.