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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
vantage to be derived from intercourse and
exchange of opinions. Road men are essen-
tial, but in order to understand conditions
thoroughly, it is as absolutely necessary that
the manufacturer should take the road as it is
for up-to-date dealers to visit the factories and
become better acquainted with the products
which they handle.
" To keep in touch with the trade " is a
trite and timely sentence which dealers and
manufacturers should paste in their hats.
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Hardman, Peck & Co. will make the last
payment of their indebtedness, as agreed up-
on in October, 1893, on Thursday of next
week, February 4th.
This will make a sum total of $400,000, with
an interest additional of $50,000, which will
have been paid off in three of the most de-
pressing years in our commercial history. It
it is well-known fact that at the time the agree-
ment was made many of the creditors were
willing to accept fifty cents on the dollar and
did not think it possible that Mr. Peck would
be able to carry out his obligations in this
matter. He has succeeded, and much credit
is due him and his associates for having done
so in the specified time.
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There seems to be an unpardonable igno-
rance of music trade affairs among the writ-
ers for the daily papers. It is very rare to
come across an article which is accurate or
which shows any knowledge of musical in-
struments unless written by an expert, and yet
some writers and editors do not hesitate to
criticise and even satirize what they know
little about.
I noticed a case in point in last Sunday's
" Times," in which the advertising methods
of a firm and their instruments—the merits of
which are conceded abroad and through the
length and breadth of this country—were
criticised in a manner that showed the writer's
entire ignorance of the construction or pos-
sibilities of the instrument. It is evident that
the trade papers have a " mission," and that is
to educate our benighted brethren of the
newspaper press.
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I regret that a previous engagement pre-
vented my acceptance of an invitation to
be present at the fourteenth anniversay and
reception tendered to the Hon. C. G. Conn
by his employees, which occurred last evening,
Tanuary 29th, at the Bucklen Opera House,
Elkhart, Ind.
All who attended must have had a delight-
ful time, judging from the very excellent mu-
sical programme sent me. Among the solo-
ists at the concert I noticed the names of
Jules Levy, Mme. Costa-Levy, K. A. Lefebre,
Hobart A. Davis, Henry Geiss, James F.
Boyer.
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Mr. Hartpence, manager of the local branch
of the Emerson Piano Co., has almost recov-
ered from his recent illness. The early part of
the week he left for Flanders, N. J., where he
will spend a couple of weeks resting.
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The touch of the Northwestern weather
which New Yorkers experienced this week
played havoc with business. Of course there
have been some complaints about retail piano
trade.
Verdict for Strich & Zeidler.
We doff our hats to President Steger, of
Steger, 111. Long may he reign.
In a conversation with Mr. Robt. Proddow
yesterday, he stated that there was no foun-
dation for the statement made that Mr. J. B.
Simpson had purchased the interests of Mr.
E. N. Camp in the firm of Camp & Co., of this
city.
J. R. Holcomb & Co., 12 Rockwell Street,
Cleveland, O., are reported to have made an
assignment the early part of the week. Liabil-
ities are unknown. "*
E. W. Furbush is visiting the trade in New
York State this week.
Frank J. Sohmer is out on his initial trip in
the interest of Sohmer & Co.^He will run as
far West as St. Louis.
J. K. M. Gill, representing the Schaeffer
Piano Co., is on his way East and will prob-
ably Sunday in New York.
The Mason & Hamlin Co. received this
week a large order for organs at their Boston
factory from their representative in Leyden,
Holland.
C. A. Hyde, of Norris & Hyde, Boston,
was married to Mrs. Arabella Brewster, of
Providence, R. I., in Cleveland, O., on Sun-
day, January 17th. It is seldom that a wed-
ding takes place on Sunday in Cleveland, but
Mr. Hyde's father was married in that city on
Sunday, and he desired to " follow in his foot-
steps " on the same day. Mr. Hyde's family
resides in Cleveland. We extend congratula-
tions.
The Temple Music Store on Main Street,
Richmond, Ind., has passed into the posses-
sion of a new firm, to be known as Tracy &
Porterfield. Both members of the firm re-
cently resigned from the Starr Piano Co. to
go in business for themselves. Mr. Tracy
was a voicer with the concern for twenty
years, and Mr. Porterfield was head tuner for
fourteen years. The new firm will handle a
full line of pianos, organs, and general musi-
cal goods.
Fire damaged the music store of Samuel
Britton, Mahanoy City, Pa., to the extent of
$600, Sunday night last. Loss is covered by
insurance.
" We have no reason to complain of trade,"
said Mr. Nahum Stetson, of Steinway & Sons,
to The Review yesterday. " Our January
business has been far in excess of the same
month a year ago. Of course the sales have
been in the high-priced pianos. The condi-
tions are, I think, favorable for continued and
steady improvement in trade."
H. F. Ramsdell, dealer in musical instru-
ments, Eastport, Me., has opened piano rooms
in the Corthell Building on Water Street.
The rooms are handsomely furnished, one be-
ing used by the Glee Club for their assemblies.
I. N. Rice, of the Schaeffer Piano Co., Chi-
cago, has been spending some days in town.
He will visit Boston before leaving for home.
Strich & Zeidler, of this city, have come out
triumphant in the suit for slander which they
brought against Albert Steinert, of the Prov-
idence branch of the M. Steinert & Sons Co.
The case was heard before the Supreme
Court in Providence, R. I., the early days of
the week. Mr. Widenmann's evidence was so
conclusive as to the use of the slanderous
statements made decrying the Strich & Zeid-
ler pianos and questioning the financial status
of the house, that the jury very properly had
no recourse but to render a verdict in favor
of the plaintiffs.
An attempt was made in the cross-examina-
tion of Mr. Widenmann to justify some of the
statements made by Mr. Steinert that " the
Strich & Zeidler piano is a low grade, cheap
piano, of the poorest workmanship, made by
an unknown firm." It proved to be a fizzle.
Paul M. Zeidler gave expert testimony and
proved to the satisfaction of the judge and
jury that the Strich & Zeidler is a high grade
instrument with nothing but the best entering
into its manufacture. He was backed in this
matter by the testimony of representatives of
the houses that furnish supplies.
Although damages were placed at a large
sum, yet Strich & Zeidler were not looking
for money; they were simply fighting against
a gross breach of trade ethics. The verdict of
five dollars damages which the jury returned
justifies the action taken by Strich & Zeidler.
It further demonstrates that efforts to aug-
ment business by discrediting the standing of
a rival piano and its makers is reprehensible
in trade and has no standing in law.
" f Newby & Evans Incorporated.
On Saturday last the Ncwby & Evans Piano
Co.,of New York, was incorporated at Albany
to manufacture and sell pianos. The capital
stock is $50,000. The incorporators and di-
rectors are John Evans, of Brooklyn, A. J.
Newby, of New York, and P. S. Hortz, of
Philadelphia. The merging of Newby &
Evans into the Newby & Evans Piano Co.
will effect no radical change in the business;
merely a broadening out and a desire to se-
cure the protection of the incorporation laws
of this State.
The organization of the Newby & Evans
Co. was effected Wednesday last, when John
Evans was elected President, Philip S. Hortz,
Vice-President and Treasurer, and Alfred J.
Newby, Secretary. The latter is also super-
intendent of the factory.
Prescott Piano Co.
At the annual meeting of the Prescott Piano
Co., held January 25th, the following were
elected directors for the ensuing year: Willis
D. Thompson, J. E. Fernald, Geo. D. B. Pres-
cott, William M. Mason, C. C. Danforth,
Frank P. Andrews, Dana G. Prescott. The
board organized by the choice of the follow-
ing: President, W. D. Thompson; Treasurer
and General Manager, George D. B. Prescott;
Secretary, Dana G. Prescott; Clerk, Frank P.
Andrews; Executive Committee, W. D.
Thompson, J. E. Fernald, George D. B. Pres-
cott.