Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1899 Vol. 29 N. 20

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
V O L . XXIX. No. 2 0 .
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 3 East Fourteenth Street. New York, NOY. 11,1899.
$2.00 PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES 10 CENTS.
the manufacturing department as well as
W. L. Bush's Views.
dry houses having a capacity of 300,000
[Special to The Review.]
Speaking of business conditions with
feet of lumber per month in addition to
Leominster, Mass., Nov. 6, 1899.
the Bush & Gerts Co., Chicago, W. L.
large
store
houses
and
lumber
sheds,
the
All the piano case factories in this city-
Bush, secretary and general manager says:
are over-crowded with orders. If their whole covering an area of about four acres. "You may well imagine the relief it is to
From
150
to
200
people
find
constant
and
capacity were double that of the present
those connected with the management of
time they would have trouble in filling remunerative employment, both in the our business, to be in a position to once
mills
and
outside.
The
output
from
the
their orders. There is simply an unpre-
concern is shipped not only to the more prosecute with vigor the sale and ad-
cedented demand for piano cases.
leading
piano manufacturers throughout vancement of the Bush & Gerts piano,
The affairs of the Jewett Piano Co. re-
after having confronted for four months
main about the same. There is still hope the United States, but extensive shipments a condition of affairs which temporarily
of a reorganization of this concern with are also made to all the principal cities of paralyzed every branch of the system
F. J. Woodbury as general manager. His Europe as the sounding boards and other which we have established in our business,
friends in the trade will rejoice to see him products from this factory have a world- which has grown to proportions in which
wide reputation as the best manufactured.
at the head of the concern.
we took a great deal of pride, and always
J. H. Platt, who was so long associated The history of the concern is one to be proud endeavored not only to maintain, but in-
with the Chicago Music Co., at the head of of. Less careful pilots have seen their crease.
their small goods department, has closed ships of finance wrecked during the past
"The strike, which we contested so bit-
up his home for the winter in Chicago and few years, but this concern has made the
voyage
a
success
and
more
than
doubled
terly
as a matter of principle, in our de-
taken his family to Leominster, where in
an
already
extensive
business
and
they
termination
to run our own business, and
April last he purchased an equal interest
feel
more
encouraged
than
at
any
time
dur-
control
absolutely
every feature of our
with A. W. Colburn, the long established
ing
their
business
career,
for
the
outlook
business,
which
necessarily
should be in
manufacturer of appurtenances relative to
is
far
better.
The
copartners
are
of
our
the
control
of
those
who
furnish
the capi-
musical instruments of every description.
most
progressive
and
enterprising
men
tal
and
the
brains
with
which
to
conduct
Mr. Platt also bought a one-third interest
and
the
success
which
has
attended
their
the
business,
will
probably
go
down
in the
with Colburn & Stewart in the Horn and
past
efforts
is
but
an
earnest
of
still
great-
piano
history,
as
the
most
tenaciously
main-
Celluloid Comb and Hair-Pin industry.
er
achievements
in
the
future.
tained
battle
against
Organized
Labor,
that
He says that he would be pleased to see
has
ever
taken
place
in
the
piano
trade,
any of his old musical friends who might
although the outcome has not been entirely
Steinertone Success.
be in the East at any time.
DEMONSTRATED IN BOSTON LEASE OF FAC- what we had hoped for or looked for, owing
to the exceptional strength gained by the
TORY QUARTERS SIGNED.
Julius Breckwoldt & Co.
Word received here yesterday by Mr. Union in the past couple of years, and the
apparent lack of organized movement on
It must be a matter of pride or at Morris Steinert, congratulated him heart- the part of the manufacturers, who are
least excusable self-congratulation for Mr. ily on the success of his new instru- jointly interested, and who will each in
Julius Breckwoldt to look back over his ment, the Steinertone, at its first pub- turn, or as a body, associated together for
career, starting, as he did, in a small way lic exhibition before a Boston audi- mutual protection, have to meet the same
but a few years ago, and working his way ence, by Gebhardt, with the Boston issue which confronted us. What the ulti-
up to realize that to-day the firm of Julius Symphony orchestra, on Thursday even- mate outcome will be, it is hard to predict,
Breckwoldt & Co. stands among the largest ing. The concert was given in the but we, the Bush & Gerts Piano Co., under
of the piano supply trade in the United Saunders Theater, Cambridge. The re- the present existing conditions, and with
States, says the Dolgeville Republican. port given is that the musical qualities the great majority of expert, skilled work-
In April, 1896, Mr. Breckwoldt purchased of the Steinertone were beautifully dis- men, undoubtedly holding membership in
the business for the manufacture of sound- played by Mr. Gebhardt, and that the the Union, feel that we have reached the
ing boards, bars, guitar and mandolin tops, audience was very appreciative. A lease only successful conclusion of the struggle,
from Alfred Dolge, for whom he worked for of the five-story factory building on Park without absolutely discontinuing our bus-
twenty years. This business was enlarged street, where the assembling of the action iness.
from time to time, facilities extended, parts has so far been carried on, has been
"We are pleased to state that the dealers
and scope of trade operations widened. In signed by Mr. Steinert for a term of five all over the country are sending us in
years,
and
the
work
of
fitting
instruments
the spring of this year Mr. Hermann Giese
letters of sympathy, and many of them
and Mr. Breckwoldt joined forces, adding with the new action will be carried on consider our present adjustment of matters
extensively.—New
Haven,
Conn.,
Pal-
the Giese wire mills to the concern and
a virtual victory for the Bush & Gerts
thereby controlling the celebrated Westig ladium.
Piano Co."
wire for this country and Canada, they
Frank L. Youse, the well-known repre-
being the American representatives of the sentative of the Baldwin Piano Company,
Business is booming at the piano action
great Giese wire mills. The firm also of Indianapolis, Ind., and who has a large factory of Grubb & Kosegarten, Nassau,
of friends in Peoria, was united in
utilize the extensive building formerly number
marriage at Muncie, Ind., on Oct. 17, to N. Y. In several departments they are
operated by the Tanner Manufacturing Mrs. Grace Morrison, of Salt Lake City, obliged to labor nights in order to keep up
Co., occupying four immense buildings for Utah.
with the work.
Leominster News.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
quicker play of their mental faculties which
tends to a higher mental and physical de-
velopment. They exercise a greater degree
of independence and will not bow the head
and bend the knee to the dictation of some
TWENTY-FIRST YEAR.
meddling walking delegate. They become
•EDWARD LYMAN
property
owners and feel an interest in
Editor and Proprietor
their special locality. In other words, they
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
are men in all that the word implies, and
~~
3 East 14th St., New York
they are more ready to appreciate the fair
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage), United States, treatment which is accorded them by their
Mexico and Canada, $ZJOO per year; all other countries,
$3*0.
ADVERTISEriENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per employers than the average run of men
insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special dis-
count is allowed. Advertising Pages $50.00, opposite read' who dwell in the hives of the great cities.
ing matter $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should So in the end, the unions, by carrying
bo made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
their demands to the extreme point, will
Entered at the .New York Post Office as Second Clast Matter.
disintegrate the very forces which consti-
NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 11, 1899.
tute their strength, and ultimately lose con-
TELEPHONE NUMBER, 1745--E1QHTEENTH STREET.
trol of the very men whom they seek to
THE KEYNOTE.
The first week of each month, The Review will hold in imperious bondage.
contain a supplement embodying the literary
Geo. P. Bent, that active, aggressive,
and musical features which have heretofore
appeared in The Keynote. This amalgamation virile and independent Chicago manufac-
will be effected without in any way trespassing
on our regular news service. The Review will turer, has caused the following advertise-
continue to remain, as before, essentially a
ment to be inserted in a recent issue of a
trade paper.
Chicago paper:
WILL MANUFACTURERS MOVE?
D E R H A P S the most complex of all eco-
nomical problems which now confront
us is that of labor and its relation to in-
dustry. The industrial spirit of the nation
or a site for one, within 50 miles of Chicago,
is not combative and is willing- to treat
suitable for use in making the
labor fairly in a remunerative way. In-
CROWN
dustry, however, cannot afford to bow to
PIANO.
the dictation of organized labor, because
Must
be
located
where police protection and
the moment that condition arrives, then
justice in the courts can be afforded to men
independence will be retired from the
who wish to work, and where industrious work-
men are entitled to and can enjoy "life, lib-
throne of action. Manufacturers cannot
erty and the pursuit of happiness" without
afford to be crippled by having unjust
being "molested or made afraid" by labor
demands made upon them, because the
unions or "walking delegates," and where
" t h e wicked cease from troubling and the
moment the industrial institutions are
weary are at rest."
hampered immediately the progress of the
Employment will be given to from 300 to
nation is retarded, for, after all, it is in-
400 men at best wages.
dustry which is the creative force that
must be reckoned with in every sub-divi-
BENT BLOCK,
sion of life.
Cor. Sangamon & Washington Boul., Chicago.
The great cities, in their several trades,
to-day to a great extent are dominated by
There is a truly Bent ring in it.
the labor unions, and manufacturers have
Mr. Bent told us a short time ago while
been forced to submit to a large degree of conversing upon this very topic that he
the exacting demands of the union dele- had rather close his factory than to lose
gates.
control of any part, or in any way have
These constant interruptions cannot long his independence as a manufacturer
continue without creating new conditions, thwarted or abridged at the dictation of
which, to our mind, will result in the outsiders.
change of location of manufactories. Great
He evidently realizes to-day that Chicago
cities which to-day are the citadels of the is the hot-bed of the labor problem, and
labor organizations will lose many of their that his interests will best be promoted by
valuable plants, which will be found sub- seeking some other location. His action
sequently in smaller towns where they will in this will be followed by others, as we
not be interfered with by the walking del- learn that Story & Clark, another eminent
egates. The moment industry becomes Chicago institution, are considering the ad-
scattered from the great commercial cen- visability of locating at Dixon, 111.
ters the employees are beyond the control
Manufacturers in this trade know full
of labor organizations. They live more well that while important cities have ad-
wholesome lives, and the natural existence vantages, they have disadvantages as well,
which they follow brings into action a chief among which is the labor problem.
FACTORY
WANTED
QEO. P. BENT,
If we scan the history of this trade, or
the history of that portion of it which has
always carried on manufacturing opera-
tions outside of industrial centres, it will
afford much satisfaction to those who are
considering the advisability of removing
to smaller points.
In New England let us take the plants
at Brattleboro. As far as we have been
able to learn, a more contented set of men,
better housed, better fed and better paid
do not exist than those who have for years
found employment in Estey factories.
Should we look at that huge industrial
plant of the Sterling Co., located at Derby,
Conn., and we will find that it has been
operated entirely independent of outside
interferences. Then if we visit Ivoryton,
Conn., where the huge plant of Comstock,
Cheney is located, employing nearly six
hundred hands, we will find that an entire
village has sprung up around this great in-
stitution, the citizens of which are satis-
fied and are spending no time listening
to the appeals of the walking delegate. In
other words they are contented, and if we
take other points like New Haven, Meri-
den, Deep River, we find also that there
has been no halt in the productive capacity
of the institutions located in those cities by
reason of an introduction of labor prob-
lems.
Passing on to New York State we will
first take Dolgeville, the home of a great
industry, which has been always free from
labor troubles. Auburn, Waterloo, Al-
bany, Brockport, Rochester are important
musico-industrial points, and have always
been free from strikes.
In the West we may take Norwalk, Ft.
Wayne, Richmond, Detroit, Ann Arbor,
Muskegon and Saginaw, all of which con-
tain factories which are important in the
trade, and the labor problem cuts no ap-
preciable figure there.
The union should understand that there
is a point beyond which manufacturers will
not be driven, and it might be well not to
drive them too far towards that point, or
else the men themselves will have passed
beyond their control. The more industrial
institutions are removed from centralizing
organizations, the more, remote the possi-
bility to business interruption.
A SERIOUS ALLEGATION.
TN some way or other the belief has gained
in local circles in Chicago that Eastern
piano manufacturers were interested in as-
sisting the union in Chicago to the extent
of arranging with union leaders for action
similar to what has already occurred in
that city.
There is not the slightest ground for
serious consideration of such an allegation.

Download Page 3: PDF File | Image

Download Page 4 PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.