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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
hand-organ manufacturer of Chatham
square, who is familiar with the incomes
of his customers.
There are some 264
licenses issued for Manhattan
Island.
The number is limited to 300. A wise
government has calculated that 300 organs
would be the limit of public endurance. The
fee is nominal. Each organ-grinder must
pay $1, and this fee permits him to play-
anywhere in New York as often as he
chooses, Sundays and holidays excepted.
In addition to this number Brooklyn,
Which seems to be much fonder of such
music than New York, supports as many
more. The entire area of Greater New
York is supplied with 680 organs. There
is an organ for every 5,100 of the popula-
tion. It will be difficult to convince most
people that there are so few, but the fig-
ures are official.
According to the Chatham Square man-
ufacturer the average daily income of each
of these organs is about $2.50. This is
the income usually of two men, or of a
man and a woman. The estimate is con-
servative. When times are good the earn-
ings often exceed this figure. This money
represents the income on an investment of
$300, which is the price of a very good
organ. The army of hand-organ grinders
collect every day on an average of $1,700
from Greater New York. There are 308
days in the year on which these organs
are allowed to be played, so that the aggre-
gate income for this orchestra is $523,000.
Enough is known to make a fairly cor-
rect estimate of sustaining the Metropol-
itan Opera for a season. It is usually
placed somewhat below half a million dol-
lars. It is safe to say the income of the
organ-grinders is $100,000 more than the
cost of the brilliant opera season, with its
lavish salaries.
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The utilization of the piano back is evi-
dently a much discussed topic. In many
of the papers devoted to decoration the
matter is being debated, and so many
unique ideas have materialized that it is
evident the piano back is a sort of bete
•noir to the housekeeper of artistic proclivi-
ties. The latest development in this mat-
ter is an ornamental music rack which is
expatiated on in the following clipping:
" In these days, when economy of space
is of primary importance in furnishing a
room, especially in a flat, the question
frequently arises how one piece of furni-
ture can best be made to serve the pur-
poses of two. A hint as to how a useful
and ornamental music rack can be put at
the back of a piano will not come amiss.
"The first thing needed to make the
music rack are three thicknesses of bamboo,
which can be purchased for fifty cents.
By having the framework of bamboo there
is nothing to affect the sound or spoil the
tone of the instrument.
" T h e largest bamboo makes the up-
rights, which have to carry the crossbars;
the next in size forms these bars, while the
smallest serves for the bottoms and sides
of the various divisions. The framework
should be arranged to take the music
lengthwise.
" T h e best way to put bamboo together
is to make holes in the larger pieces and
let in the smaller ones, gluing them in
position. For the sides only a few pieces
will be required, some three inches apart,
and these may be let in, or they may be
tacked on from the inside with fine French
nails. For. the bottoms of the divisions it
will be enough to let in a few cross pieces
or tack them on like the sides pieces, or
one can tack over a thin piece of wood."
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T H E fluctuations in the market price of
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song copyrights may well give rise to
peculiar reflections, cynical and otherwise,
in the minds of musical critics. In other
words, there is no accounting for popular
taste, in England at all events, although it
must be admitted that exceptional popu-
larity almost always implies intrinsic
merit. The sentiment of a new song more
than its melody, the words rather than the
music, and the appropriateness of the pro-
duction to the particular public fad or
prejudice of the moment have more to do
with success in England, as in some other
countries, than genuine artistic merit. A
sixteen days' sale of the English copy-
right of many songs is now in progress in
a London auction room, and the fact that
the first five days' sale netted more than
$75,000 shows that there is money as well
as music in songs in that country. It ap-
pears also that the market is particularly
good just now, for the highest price ever
realized in England for a song was bid for
Mascheroni's " For All Eternity." It was
knocked down for $11,200. This song has
nearly the full copyright term to run, and
it shares with "Queen of the Earth" the
distinction of being the most popular of
modern melodies in England. " Land of
Yesterday," by the same composer, brought
$1,700.
Other notable prices have been
$1,100 for Richard's "Let the Hills Re-
sound," $1,750 for Lawrence Kellie's
" Love's Nocturne," and $1,575 for T. H.
Cowen's " Mission of the Rose."
It may be interesting to compare briefly
the present popular taste with that of a
few years ago. The first great song auction
took place in 1871, and these were some of
the prices paid for well-known songs:
Hatton's " Good-by, Sweetheart, Good-
ly?" $2,300; Santley's "Only to Love,"
$1,290; Blumenthal's "Requital," $1,500;
Loder's "Brave Old Oak," $1,200; Gou-
nod's "Bethlehem," $990; Arditi's " I I
Bacio," $3,580; Knight's "She Wore a
Wreath of Roses," $2,475.
In 1883 some well-known songs came
under the hammer, and some notable prices
were: Blockley's "Arab's Farewell to His
Steed," $3,200; Blockley's "The English-
man," $2,320; Blockley's " Ring Out, Wild
Bells," $1,180; Wallace's "Sweet and
Low,"$1,070; Wallace's " Why Do I Weep
for Thee," $1,140; Arditi's "L'Ardita,"
$1,800; De Fave's "Tell Her I Love Her
So," $2,320. At another extensive sale in
1890 there were few high prices realized.
Among them were: Warner's " T o the
Woods," $3,400; Leslie's "Four Jolly
Smiths," $1,500; Lee's " H e Wipes a Tear
from Every Eye," $i,ioo t
The W. W. Kimball Co. have taken a
lease of the store in the Arcade Building,
Muncie, Ind., and have appointed W. J.
Holt as agent for that territory.
H. J. Raymore, president of the Ray-
more Piano Co., Albany, N. Y., manufac-
turers of the "musical Raymore " has met
a very gratifying success during his West-
ern trip. This is hardly surprising in view
of the merits of the Raymore piano and
Mr. Raymore's ability and personal pop-
ularity.
Over one hundred workmen have recent-
ly been added to the factory forces at the
Knabe factory in Baltimore. Neverthe-
less they are working over time in order
to catch up with orders.
The Erd Piano and Harp Co., Saginaw,
Mich., report a constantly augmenting
trade. Their local trade is excellent, while
they are making large shipments to deal-
ers in the far West and South. The Hob-
bie Piano Co., of Roanoke, Va., are doing
a big business with the Erd piano, and find
it a great seller.
W. G. Woodmansee & Co. are now re-
presenting the Vose piano in Cincinnati.
Two carloads of different styles are on
exhibition and are evoking the highest
praise from visitors.
The new pipe organ recently built for
and placed in the First Moravian Church,
of York, Pa., by the W. W. Kimball Co.,
has won the highest expressions of praise
from the local papers and visiting musi-
cians.
John Scott Steere, who was associated
with his father, John W. Steere, in the organ
building business at Springfield, Mass.,
died Nov. 26th.
He is survived by a
widow and two children.
Dominick Ottinger, a piano maker of
700 Ninth ave., Long Island City received
injuries at his home on Saturday by falling
down stairs which, it is said, will result in
his death.
It is stated that the Steger factories are
now more than five hundred pianos behind
in legitimate orders. Last week one hun-
dred pianos were shipped. This is a great
showing.
Jacob Beck, secretary of the National
League of Musicians, formerly a member
of Beck's Philadelphia Band, died on Mon-
day at his home in Cape May, N. J. He
was widely known in musical circles.
O. C. Klock will make a short run the
closing days of this week through Pennsyl-
vania in the interests of the Keller Bros,
pianos.
A quarterly dividend of one and one-
half per cent, on preferred stock has been
declared by the Mason & Hamlin Co., pay-
able December 1st.
J. Frank Conover, who recently severed
his connection with the Chicago Cottage
Organ Co., has removed to this city.