Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
From a Traveler's Note Book.
BUSINESS CONDITIONS—POINTS
THE WAYSIDE
WORTH
CONSIDERING — MUST BE UP TO DATE
THOUGHTS BY
STRAY SHOTS WITH REVIEW ARROWS AT THE TRADE IN ERIE, CLEVE-
LAND, NORWALK, MONROEVILLE, TOLEDO, DETROIT, ANN ARBOR, MUSKEGON,
GRAND RAPIDS, CHICAGO—THE CHICAGO MUSIC CO.'S TROUBLES—
PLATT GIBBS APPOINTED RECEIVER FOR THAT PART OF THE
COMPANY'S ASSETS NOT COVERED BY THE SHERIFF'S
LEVY
KIMBALL IN PITTSBURG
AMBUHL
BROS. WILL HOLD THE AGENCY.
HE trade currents ebb and flood
with regularity, but there is
no mistaking the fact that
there has been rather a pre-
ponderance—a sort of linger-
ing as it were, of the ebb trade
tides during the past two or
three weeks. But, as I wrote you last,
there is an optimistic feeling abroad which
was not noticeable last year at this time—
a feeling which means that better times
are coming, and after all it is futures that
we all count upon. The past with its follies
and pleasures is behind us.
The iron industry, always a good
trade barometer, shows a higher temper-
ature, which means much as that particular
industry, ranks among as the most im-
portant in this country. There is no ques-
tion but that the renewed activity in the
various arteries of trade into which iron
enters will act as a stimulator in a broad
sense to the general commercial affairs of
the country. That fear and uncertainty of
our business future is rapidly becoming
eliminated and certainty is gradually re-
placing that dread which makes us all
tremble. Human nature, as well as the
business body of the country, has twisted
itself out of all normal shape; but the false
foundation stones are gradually being re-
placed by enduring granite. Therefore, it
is with hearts full of hope that we face our
business future.
*
*
* *
Studying carefully as I have the various
points, from the coast of New England to
my present temporary abiding place, I
have been afforded opportunities to weigh,
as it were, and measure, the different trade
currents which sometimes run crosswise.
I always considered that travel is an
educator in the broadest sense. It is not
alone meeting the people in your own
particular trade or line of business, but it is
listening to the thoughts, ideas and expres-
sions of others as overheard in the depots,
in the club rooms and in the hotel lobbies.
"From the thoughts that shape mankind."
In fact, there is constantly occurring that
broad interchange of ideas upon common
topics of interest that the man who travels
is afforded infinitely superior opportunities
to judge more correctly and with less pre-
judice the affairs of trade and of the
conditions of the country as they really
exist. It is not the man who sits in a
counting-room and adds up cold cheerless
columns of figures who can correctly diag-
nose the business environments of the man
thousands of miles away, who sent in the
check or note which is to apply to his ac-
count. He becomes in a sense a mechancial
figure. Neither is it the man who remains
within the walls of the factory adhering
closely in his work to the old school of
design of case architecture, who naturally
holdss to the delusive idea that because
so and so ordered this years ago that it
should suffice amply and rill all demands
to-day. It is not this class of men who
succeed, and there is no wonder why the
moss and the lichen are growing over so
many business windows. The day has gone
by never to return again when a man, no
matter how strongly entrenched he imagines
himself to be behind the fortifications of
patronage—can dictate absolutely as to
what this man shall take and on what
terms he shall pay for it. The world has
advanced a peg or two; and as we go spin-
ning down the grooves of time we now and
then change the business shading as we
approach the close of the century.
*
*
*
*
I hold and have proclaimed for years
that a man has no right to pose as an edi-
tor of a paper unless he first acquaints
himself with the environments of his con-
stituency in widely separated localities.
How can a man write intelligently or
answer questions intelligently who does
not know by personal observation whether
New Orleans is situated on an island or a
peninsula; or whether the Chinese lan-
guage is the business language of San Fran-
cisco; or whether Volaptik rules in Port-
land. I hold the same that a manufact-
urer cannot successfully meet the require-
ments of his trade unless he is in thorough
touch with its needs and necessities as
well as the general information of the times
respecting changes in any particular line.
The successful men in all lines are the men
who are kept in close touch with the train
of events that lead towards changes and an-
ticipating them to a certain extent. There
are men to-day who will not take good
naturedly a suggestion regarding case archi-
tecture or some minor changes. They con-
sider it unwarrantable interference with
their prerogatives, while the up-to-date
business man's idea is different. He not
only studies to supply that which his cus-
tomer asks for, but to a large extent he
formulates a system of interrogatives which
draw forth certain replies whereby he is
enabled to make changes in his wares that
place him well in front of the procession.
How does he do this? Surely not by re-
maining in a state of ordinary desuetude
at his home establishment. No, it is either
by personal observation and study or it is
by intelligently interpreting the notes and
comments made by his confidential travelers.
In other words, the whole thing may be
crystalized in a few words—it is much
easier to float with the stream than to at-
tempt to force your way against it.
ERIE.
At Erie, when I brought up the Luxton-
Black matter in Buffalo to Mr. MacCarter,
of the Colby Piano Co., he did not feel par-
ticularly anxious to be interviewed in a
lengthy manner regarding his business af-
fairs with the Luxton-Black Co. In a few
words he said that he deemed his action
necessary to preserve his own interests.
Mr. MacCarter is a man of energy and of
force, and he believes in the doctrine of
self-preservation.
By the way, I saw some new styles of
Colby pianos in the company's warerooms,
which, to my mind, are the finest examples
of the piano makers' art that the Colby Co.
haev ever presented. They are destined to
create a wider clientele of admirers for the
Colby than ever before.
At the Shaw factory I met Matthew Gris-
wold, Jr., who is inclined, strongly too,
to pin his faith to the belief that the coun-
try has not gone mad on the subject of cheap
pianos. Mr. Griswold believes that there
are plenty of people in this country who
will show their appreciation of a good
article by purchasing it.
Harry Raymore was at the time of my
call absent on a trip through the New Eng-
land States. He, by the way, had just
closed a deal with Blasius & Sons of Phila-
delphia.
Mr. Brown of the Burdett Piano Co.
showed me some of the latest products of
his factory, which certainly are worthy of
commendation. He imparted to me also
the knowledge that he proposes to push
steadily on with the Burdett business en-
terprise, reaching out in a greater degree
for the wholesale trade.
CLEVELAND.
It is .only a step from The Hollenden in
Cleveland to that big Steinway window sign
of the Dreher Co. in the Arcade. I wonder
if I will find Henry Dreher selling a piano
as I always have done on my former visits,
I thought to myself as I swung open the
door ; and sure enough there was Henry
with that winning smile upon his features,
interesting a customer, his coat lapel
thrown back just far enough to reveal that
eL'gant "Shriners" emblem which he
wears. The " Dreher boys," as everybody
calls them, and probably will until they
pass sixty, are doing their full share—that
is, if you divide trade up into shares—of
business in Cleveland.
The H. M. Brainard Co.,who, by the way,
are the Chickering agents, have just learned
of the peculiar circumstance that an indi-
vidual had been advertising in the columns
of the daily papers of Cleveland a Chicker-
ing piano at a surprisingly low price. Some
of the people who were attracted by the
alluring advertisement considered it neces-
sary to call upon the regularly authorized
Chickering agents to make further investi-
gation. It was found that the particular