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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
To Share with Employees.
STEGER &CO. AND THE SINGER PIANO CO. WILL
GIVE THEIR WORKMEN A PERCENTAGE ON
EARNINGS PLAN IS INTENDED TO
PROMOTE DILIGENCE
WHAT
MR. STEGER SAYS.
John V. Steger has ever been of the pro-
gressive school. He has long labored,
not so much for himself as for those around
him. This is demonstrated afresh by the
agreement which was effected the closing
days of last week between Steger & Co. as
well as the Singer Piano Co., the institu-
tions of which he is head, and the em-
ployees of these concerns whereby the
latter are to receive 3 per cent, on their
earnings. The employees were told some
time ago that their employers were ready
to make such an agreement, and in conse-
quence of this a meeting was called for at
Steger, 111.
J. V. Steger went to Steger to attend
the meeting and there explained to all the
workmen in the employ of the company
the system which he proposed, with their
indorsement, to adopt. The only thing
asked by the company of the workmen was
that they are to use care and diligence and
at all times work for the benefit of their
employer.
No cost was levied upon the employes
whereby they could become beneficiaries
of the scheme and it was adopted without
a dissenting voice.
The scheme goes into effect Oct. 1 and
continues indefinitely. Payments are to
be made once each year in the neighbor-
hood of Feb. 20, and any employee who
leaves the concern before the payments
are made can, by giving the company two
weeks' notice of his intention to leave,
secure all the interest money due him on
his earnings up to the time of his going.
The company reserves the right, how-
ever, to hold this money until the regular
payments are made at the end of the year.
"We decided to adopt this interest sys-
tem," said J. V. Steger, "purely upon our
own suggestion. There has been no dis-
sension among our workmen, and we have
proposed this system in order that the em-
ployees may be drawn nearer to us. It will
be a saving to us and a saving to them. I
told all who were in attendance at the
meeting that it was my opinion that the
company could save $20,000 per year by
the workmen exercising proper care in the
handling of materials, and I told them fur-
ther that it was my desire that they have
the money.
• 'We shall watch the working of the new
system with much interest and if at the
beginning of another year we find that a
greater percentage can be paid to the em-
ployees upon their earnings we will give
them the benefit of it. We are anxious to
help the people of our town and by this
method we can help more of them than by
any other. The workmen enthusiastically
adopted the scheme and gave me a vote of
thanks."
There is no doubt in the mind of Mr.
Steger that the new method will prove a
good one and that it will tend to bring
about harmony in the shops, thus eliminat-
ing the fear of strikes.
"The Scale is 7^3 octaves, overstrung,
3 strings to unison, copper spun bass
The latest Strich & Zeidler candidate for strings, ornamented full iron plate, malle-
trade favor is the charmingly designed able iron nickel-plated pressure bar. The
piano pictured herewith. It is purely Colon- action is double repeating, powerful, res-
ial in casing, 4 feet 6 inches high, and ad- ponsive and light in touch, mounted on
mirably proportioned architecturally — a metal nickel-plated brackets. There are
feature, by the way, of all Strich & Zeidler three pedals, viz.: loud, soft and practice
products. A cut, no matter how excellent, pedal; the latter with full felt muffler.
The full dimensions are: Height 4 feet
will not convey an idea of the strikingly
chaste and artistic lines of this instrument 8 inches; width, 5 feet 4 inches; depth,
—it must be seen—examined—and then en- 2 feet, 4 inches; gross weight, boxed, 950
pounds; c u b i c feet,
boxed, go."
A Strich & Zeidler " Gem."
Hill Demolished.
thusiasm will be pardonable in any piano
man capable of appreciating piano values
at their true worth. And the value is not
alone in the design, but in the tone, con-
struction and all essentials that go to make
an artistic piano; it is certain to prove a
winner or we greatly mistake. We would
advise dealers to give this instrument some
attention this fall.
The Strich & Zeidler new style Colonial
is made in figured mahogany, burl walnut
and quartered oak. Other fancy woods to
order.
In response to an enquiry by The Review
anent a technical description of the in-
strument a member of the firm said:
' 'The case is made of the choicest selected,
thoroughly seasoned hardwood, all parts
crossed and double veneered on both sides;
moulding, projections, etc., made of the
corresponding natural woods. The back-
frame is of hardwood, constructed on the
latest and most scientific principles, var-
nished and finished in natural color.
"The architectural design is on the pure
Colonial style, yet not too severe, but cor-
rect in every detail. The entire upper
frame forming the music-desk, is made
with one panel, decorated by two beautiful
hand carved wreaths. The lower frame
has two panels. Beaded molding is iised
in ornamenting the case top, key-bed pil-
asters and lower brackets, adding greatly
to the artistic appearance of the case.
"Our New Improved Patented Sliding
Fall-Board, used by us exclusively, and
acknowledged by trade and public to be the
simplest and finest fall-board in existence,
is used. The continuous hinges on top are
nickel-plated as also are the handle and
escutcheon at lock on fall-board. The best
ivory and ebony are used in the keys.
A tornado of the Kan-
sas variety struck the
village of Little Falls,
N.J., Sun day afternoon.
It demolished George
Jackson's felt mill, up-
rooted trees and caused
havoc in that section.
The tornado made its
a p p e a r a n c e about 3
o'clock and continued
for ten minutes.
It preceded the first
big shower. The brick
chimney, fifty feet high,
of the felt mill was
directly in the path of
the storm and was rip-
ped from its foundation. The entire roof
was torn off, and then the walls collapsed.
The storehouse adjoining was also demol-
ished, and thousands of dollars' worth of
machinery, manufactured goods and goods
in process of manufacture were destroyed
by rain and wind. Portions of the mill build-
ing were carried a distance of half a mile.
A New Wage Schedule Oct. 1st.
The proposed meeting between manu-
facturers of pianos and organs and the rep-
resentatives of the piano and organ work-
ers' union of Chicago, scheduled for Tues-
day of last week, was a failure, as none of
the manufacturers put in an appearance.
The union's representatives decided to put
into force a new schedule of wages Oct.
1 st. The members of the union are quite
indignant over the snubbing given them
by the manufacturers.
Clough & Warren Co.
The Clough & Warren Co., of Detroit,
Mich., are as busy as they can possibly be.
The resources of their well equipped fac-
tory at Adrian, Mich., are being tested to
the utmost to fill orders. Every effort has
been made, and almost successfully, to
catch up with orders delayed through the
fire which destroyed their old plant the
early part of the year. The Clough &
Warren pianos and organs of to-day are
instruments that appeal to cultivated taste.
They are made under the careful super-
vision of Mr. Warren, and have behind
them an unsullied reputation which amounts
to a great deal when it bears the name—
Clough & Warren. Dealers anxious to
have in stock a paying as well as a selling
line of instruments will do well to look up
the Clough & Warren.