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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
\ 1 7 H A T so rare as rain in June, is the
* * way they have remodeled the poet's
effusion in New England and, singular to
relate, drouth and dullness are not synony-
mous terms this Filipino year of 1899.
There are Dewey morns and Dewey eves
but no rainy ones. Business, though, is
surprisingly active, everything considered.
*
*
*
Vose & Sons are busy. During a chat
with Willard A. Vose this week, he re-
marked, "The statement that the Vose fac-
tory is congested with work and shipments
is absolutely correct. We are enjoying a
magnificent business, and what is more we
feel it will not be of brief duration. Mat-
ters on the trade horizon certainly look
very bright indeed."
The veteran piano manufacturer, James
W. Vose, who in point of age, is the senior
member of the industry, is enjoying fine
health. What a magnificent constitution
Mr. Vose has.
Mr. E. W. Furbush has returned to Bos-
ton from his recent trip West.
*
*
*
The recent Chickering deal in Indianap-
olis gives that distinguished concern a sort
of representation to which its prestige en-
titles it. The house of Wulschner is one
of the great concerns of the West. Chick-
ering & Sons are developing a fine trade
from the Boston warerooms—a trade which
has been steadily growing and promises to
reach a greater magnitude than ever in the
early fall.
Mr. H. W. Chase, who has long been
connected with the New York warerooms,
will assume management of the Boston re
tail business, and it will unquestionably be
pushed to greater success. There is no
reason in the world why a vast number of
Chickering pianos should not be sold every
year at retail in Boston.
*
*
*
How the eyes of the Annex editor will
dilate when he learns that the business of
Henry F. Miller & Sons has been the best
of any year in its history. How absurd to
cultivate the idea that Mr. Miller is antago-
nistic to trade papers. On the contrary
Mr. Miller is a profound believer in the
advantages of the legitimate trade press
and has always been a consistent supporter
of journalism. However he has used fair
discriminating powers in his patronage,
and occupies to-day the unique position of
being the only one of many who has ever
failed to knuckle to the assaults of the
blackmailer. If Mr. Miller has never ex-
hibited any stronger claims to trade notice
than his sterling independence regarding
his advertising appropriation, and his
failure to knuckle to the importunate black-
mailing demands, I should say that he
would be entitled to a high niche in trade
esteem.
*
*
And so Henry F. Miller and Geo. A.
Gibson are gentlemen according to the
Annex standard. Considering the source
of this announcement these members of
the trade consider it rather a doubtful
compliment and it is said that Mr. Gib-
son contemplates bringing a damage suit.
That's an ethical point, however, that may
come up later.
*
*
*
You should see the honorable W. Harry
Poole at the baseball bat these June days.
Brother Poole is a hard hitter, strikes right
from the shoulder in all things, business
included.
*
*
*
The members of the industry are figuring
out just how far that mysterious influence
is going to be felt in a well-known house
in the trade, and whether in this case
history is going to repeat itself or not.
The members of the corporation should
use exceeding care as they are monkeying
with the buzz-saw which has exhibited
tremendous kicking as well as destructive
power in the past.
*
*
*
The Everett grand is winning more pro-
nounced laurels every day. Truly a musi-
cal instrument in a large and eloquent
sense, but one that directly appeals to the
cultivated tastes of the public.
*
*
*
A comparatively short time will have
elapsed before we shall have the pleasure
of perusing real stencil literature with the
Association backing. That's the right sort,
keep it up.
*
*
*
E, N. Kimball, Jr., has very clear cut,
logical ideas of trade. Mr. Kimball is one
of the younger members of the industry
whose influence is steadily on the increase.
He is a strong believer in the advantages
of travel, and takes pleasure in running
over the country, thus coming in personal
contact with the H. & D. agents. I may
add that the Hallet & Davis business is in
a very satisfactory condition.
*
*
*
It doesn't bother Francis H. Owen in
the slightest to conduct the McPhail busi-
ness, assuming double work while his as-
sociate Geo. F. Blake is enjoying his honey-
moon in Europe. Mr. Owen has the fac-
ulty of despatching business in an easy,
graceful way. He tells me that it is a
pretty difficult matter to accumulate stock,
that May and June are eminently satisfac-
tory in a business sense. The McPhail
branch at Brockton, too, is progressing
finely. Mr. Blake will probably reach
Boston by July 3rd.
*
*
•
I met William B. Tremaine and E. S.
Votey in the lobby of the Touraine. They
were on their way on a fishing trip down
in Maine where they will be joined by
Harry B. Tremaine. All hard workers,
and a little outing will prove of great bene-
fit to them.
*
*
*
It is said that there are some members
in the industry who have encouraged per-
sonal journalism. I do not credit this
statement. I know that one paper be-
lieves in personal journalism and that the
editor used to say that people would read
his paper on account of the possession of
that quality, if for no other reason.
Unsound reasoning that, and based on a
desire to cater to sensationalism in the
trade. I do not believe in personal jour-
nalism, and while I believe that some few
may read the personal attacks and chuckle
over them, yet I think the advanced
thought of the trade demands that per-
sonal and abusive work be relegated to the
sunless oblivion of Blumenbergia.
*
•
*
Surprisingly large weekly shipments of
instruments are being made from the Em-
erson factory.
Did I say surprisingly
large? Not the proper term either, because
the Emerson is one of the most popular in-
struments in the country, and is made un-
der the supervision of men who thoroughly
understand their work and it is not after
all surprising that there should be a strong
demand even merging into midsummer
for those superb piano creations.
*
*
*
Thos. F. Scanlan is one of those mem-
bers of the industry brimful of energy and
ideas who is indeed difficult to keep down
by forced compression. Last week pianos
numbering sixty-five were shipped from
the great New England factory, and it
would seem from what I gleaned, that
there are plenty of orders coming in. I
believe, too, that Mr. Scanlan will conclude
some deal on his projected Western trip
which will materially augment the New
England output, particularly in •the West.
Depend upon it, the New England wave is
rising.
*
*
*
Alexander Steinert smiles in that easy
way of his, so full of meaning, when he re-
fers to the Steinertone. When Mr. Stein-
ert waxes enthusiastic over any particular
project, you may be sure that his heart is
in it, and just now the Steinertone is re-
ceiving a moderate share of his attention,
which may be interpreted as meaning that
musical Americans will become fully ac-
quainted with the merits of that invention
before Alexander Steinert lets go the helm.
The Steinertone will be manufactured in
the near future in quantities sufficient to
meet the demand. Inquiries are coming
in from over the country, and there is
every reason to believe that the Steiner-
tone will be a permanent addition to mu-
sico-industrial products.
*
*
*
Still after the Esteys' scalp. Still pound-
ing away at Estey representatives. Singu-
lar, is it not, when you come to think it
over that the Annex editor always observes
little trade idiosyncracies among the mem-
bers of the industry who are not represent-
ed in his rapidly decimating advertising
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