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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
THE "SMALL GOODS" TRADE
The "Wonder" Instruments
the War.
in
BIG ORDERS PLACED BY THE WAR DEPART-
MENT AND BANDMASTERS OF MILITARY
BANDS.
The latest issue of C. G. Conn's Truth,
dated for the present month, is quite up to
the high standard of merit of its predeces-
sors. One of the most effective articles is
headed "Testimonials of Recent Origin."
It tells chiefly of the record made with
"Wonder" instruments during the late un-
pleasantness with Spain. The showing is
highly creditable.
At the outbreak of the war, "during a
single week," says Truth, " orders were
placed at the Conn factory by the United
States War Department for over five hun-
dred of the Wonder instruments and apart
from these many of the regiments, instead
of making requisition for the Conn instru-
ments to the Quartermaster's Department,
purchased direct from the factory, paying
for them out of their private means or by
popular subscriptions among the officers
and men of the regiment. As many as
possible of the newly organized regiments
were supplied with Conn instruments, but
many made requisition to the Quarter-
master's Department for them who could
not be supplied, and the complaints from
some of the bandmasters of the regiments,
whose reqiiest for Conn Wonder instru-
ments was answered by the shipment of a
set of cheaper instruments of inferior
quality, are both humorous and pathetic."
The testimony of military bandmasters
whose organizations were supplied with
the Conn products is strong and"convinc-
ing. Perhaps the most emphatic indorse-
Bodiesof beautifully engraved aluminum. Sound-boards
of selected spruce. Tone, B e a u t y , Durability.
. . . . Wonderful in
'
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CATALOGUE FREE.
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ALUMINUM MUSICAL INST. CO, 127 " i & f t f o
Clty .
ment among the numerous selected exam-
ples of professional opinion is that of
Bandmaster D. M. Burns, 2d Georgia In-
fantry. Under date of Aug. 13, 1898, he
writes:
"I have been made happy by the receipt of a
magnificent set of Wonder instruments for my
Among the successful novelties this
season at the Tonk establishment, 26 War-
ren street, is a combination music rack,
music box table and zither table, finished
in mahogany and in oak._ The illustration
band of twenty-five, bearing your name. The gives a good idea of its appearance. This
Quartermaster General was kind enough to ask my
preference, and I promptly named your make, and contrivance is thirty-one inches high. The
although we had to wait some considerable time
for them, we feel richly repaid for the delay. When
the instruments were unpacked and spread out for
inspection the entire Regiment gave them an ova-
tion that you would have been gratified to see.
Your name is the popular toast here now.
The instruments, besides being beautiful and at-
tractive to the eye, are unexcelled in workmanship
and finish, and are perfect in tone, tune and ac-
tion.
"This is the third complete set of your instru-
ments that I have received and unpacked, and I
am also using one of your Wonder Cornets, finest
style of finish, which I bought from your New
York house about six months ago, and which I
would not exchange for any make I ever tried, and
I have played on all standard makes. I have given
your New York house several orders for music,
band accessories, etc., lately and have just fur-
nished our Regimental Quartermaster with requi-
sition for more goods. Wishing you and the Won-
der all the success you deserve, I am,
Yours very truly,
D. M. BURNS,
Bandmaster, 2d Ga. Inf., U.S.V."
This issue is fully illustrated with pic-
tures of professional musicians and others
distinguished in the world of music.
There is not an uninteresting page from
cover to cover. Dealers and musicians
who are up-to-date ought to send to one of
the Conn establishments for a copy. It is
well worth reading.
Gordon Travelers' Report.
Mr. Freeland, in charge of the Gordon
musical merchandise department, said in
reply to The Review's query on Monday
as to the state of business, that excellent
reports are being sent in by the four tra-
velers now on the road in the Gordon in-
terests. Direct orders from dealers are
coming in at a lively rate—so lively that
the packers and shippers are kept extreme-
ly busy all through the working hours.
According to the latest
factory advices, there is no
let-up in the demand for
Menzenhauer-Schmidt Gui-
tar-Zithers. In Germany
and other European coun-
tries, the plans for exten-
sive distribution laid by the
firm members are working
admirably.
Large export
shipments are made weekly
from the factory. Domes-
tic trade is more active than
ever.
The Famous
Sweet=Sound ing
AND
A Tonk Specialty.
MARVELOUS ueo.
top plate is 13x24 inches. General business
is reported as good.
A syndicate might do well to control a
number of street pianos if there were any
method of checking the income gathered,
says the New York Post. If the Italians
have the art of accumulating something
out of nothing, they have also the art of
knowing when to stop accumulating it.
These street musicians frequently work
only two days in the week. They begin
and end in the elegant hours of a bank
clerk, and in these two days earn enough
to keep them alive the rest of the seven.
Their leisure they spend in sleep, drink,
gesticulation.
BAY STATE BOEHM FLUTE. S
JOHN C. MAYNES & CO.. flakers of Bay State Instruments, Boston, Mass.
S. Stewart
Bauer / ^
Stewart Books, Music and JOURNAL.
No. 235. Price, $135.
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S T E W A R T & B A U E R , 1016 Chestnut St., (Mfloor), Philadelphia, Pa.
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