Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Mr. Kranich's Narrow Escape.
Death of Harvey T. Phillips.
Sohmer on Timely Topics.
WAS BADLY AND PAINFULLY BURNED THROUGH
FIRE CAUSED BY LEAKAGE OF GASO-
LINE IN AUTOMOBILE.
[Special to The Review].
"The circulation of money among the
masses of laboring people in the form of
increased wages is doubtless a stimulus to
the piano business," said Hugo Sohmer
recently to The Review, in answer to a
question as to the effects of prosperity on
the musical industries. "Workingmen are
enjoying the largest measure of the 'good
times,' and that is the best evidence of
true prosperity."
Mr. Sohmer said that he was glad to
note another evidence of healthy trade
conditions, namely, the willingness and
ability of many dealers to meet their obli-
gations promptly, and to pay cash wher-
ever it is possible to do so. "Such a pol-
icy is always the best for themselves, of
course," he remarked, "and that, as a rule,
they adopt the short time and cash policy
when trade is good and sales are frequent,
shows a proper and honorable business
spirit that manufacturers never fail to ap-
preciate warmly."
Mr. Sohmer is of the opinion that the
output of pianos in the United States dur-
ing the next ten years, if healthy trade
conditions continue, will be much larger,
in proportion to the population, than it has
been during the past decade. He bases
his calculations partly on the rapidly in-
creasing development of musical taste
among the people, this taste being culti-
vated largely through the agency of sing-
ing societies and other organizations of a
similar cheracter. He also believes that
the export trade in pianos will show a
great increase, consequent on the growing
realization among people of other coun-
tries that American high-class products
have no superiors in the world, and very
few equals.
Atlanta, Ga., Nov. 6, 1899.
Mr. Harvey T. Phillips, president of
Chas. Kranich, son of Heltrmth Kranich, the Phillips & Crew Music Company, died
of Kranich & Bach, and who is connected Saturday, at his residence, 730 Peachtree
with the 125th street retail branch of the street. Six weeks ago Mr. Phillips had an
concern, met with a very serious and pain- attack of typhoid fever, from the effects of
ful accident while on an outing in his au- which he suffered up to the time of his
tomobile, Wednesday afternoon. He is at death.
Mr. Phillips was 76 years of age. He is
present confined to his home at 65 East
survived by his wife and three children,
--Seventy-second street.
Mr.- Kranich was one of the pioneer auto- Mr. Harvey T. Phillips, Jr., Miss Nellie
mobilists of the city. He has experimented Phillips, of Atlanta, and Mr. James B.
with almost every type of the horseless Phillips, of Colorado.
Mr. Phillips was one of the best known
vehicle, and of late his enthusiasm has been
vented on a recently invented gasoline and most highly respected citizens of this
motor road wagon. It is his custom to city. For more than a quarter of a cen-
take a spin every afternoon, accompanied tury he was t'fae senior member of the firm
of Phillips & Crew, and upon its reorgani-
by one or more of his friends.
He invited a Mr. Maisch, a friend, to zation into a company became the presi-
join him in a spin Wednesday afternoon dent. He was a man of fine business
The invitation was accepted, and they capacity, the strictest integrity and en-
started from Mr. Kranich's place of busi- joyed the confidence and esteem of the en-
ness in 125th street. Everything moved tire community. Hundreds of friends will
smoothly until they reached Mount Morris hear with sorrow of his death.
Park. There they received the first in-
timation that something was amiss, when Great Trade Activity in Canada.
a small boy shrilly informed them by call-
[Special to The Review.!
ing:
Toronto, Ont, Nov. 6, 1899.
" Mister, you'll be blowed up if youse
Canadian piano factories are working at
don't look out. She's on fire ! "
night now, in order to keep up with the
Hastily stopping the wagon, Mr. Kra- demand, which is altogether unprecedented
nich and his friend jumped out. They in the history of the piano trade of the
found the feed pipe which conveys the dominion. Higher wages are being paid
gasoline from the reservoir aleak, and the in some departments of the work of piano-
flames were extended mushroom-like over making, and this with the wages paid for
the entire bottom of the vehicle. There overtime is giving the trade better wages
was imminent danger of the heat causing than for many years.
the main reservoir to explode, and had it
This department of Canadian trade is
done so, it would have probably resulted in purely to supply a luxury to the Canadian
the destruction of machine and occupants. public, and unusual activity in such a
Mr. Kranich pluckily turned off the run- branch of industry indicates in a particu-
ning liquid, but this did not quench the larly satisfactory manner an amount of
flames, which continued to feed on the prosperity in the country to which the
gasoline already freed. Mr. Maisch tried to population of the dominion is unaccus-
induce his friend to let it alone, but rather tomed.
than abandon his machine to the seeming
The activity in the piano factories, how-
distruction, Mr. Kranich undertook to blow ever, is no more marked than it is in other
the flames out. While doing this a valve branches of Canadian industry. The cot-
weakened by the fire blew out, and a con- ton mills of Canada are unusually active.
siderable quantity of burning gasoline Some have orders already on hand, which,
struck him in the face and covered his without an order for another yard of goods,
hands.
should keep them busy till next May.
Mr. Kranich fell back with a groan, tem- Orders for six months ahead show a condi-
porarily blinded. His friend had a police- tion of business the mills have never be-
man send a hurry call to the Harlem Hos- fore experienced, and it promises pros-
pital for help and Dr. Babcock responded. perity not only for the mills and a satisfac-
He found Mr. Kranich painfully burned, tory condition of investments for those
and after temporarily dressing his wounds who have their money in mill stocks, but
sent him home. The family physician was steady employment for large numbers of
then called in and he ordered the injured working people, and a steady demand upon
man to remain in his room for a few days. the retail merchants for the ordinary
Mr. Maisch said he did not understand necessities of life.
how his friend escaped losing both eyes.
The condition of trade in the piano in-
The flames had shot out with great force, he dustry and the cotton industry is much the
said, and it seemed to him as if his friend same in all departments of manufacturing
had been badly hurt. Gratitude to the in Canada to-day, and the result is that the
small boy who gave them the warning was people of the dominion are entering the
uppermost in the minds of both men. winter with fewer unemployed in the coun-
They caused a search to be made for the try than ever before.
urchin, but without success. If he be
At the last meeting of the Alabama
found there is a substantial reward ready
for him. The automobile was not serious- Board of Trade, the Southern Music Co.
was admitted to membership.
ly damaged.
Chas. Keidel, Jr., flanager.
Chas. Keidel, Jr., will assume manage-
ment of the Washington, D. C, branch of
Wm. Knabe & Co. on Dec. 1st. Business
at this establishment, like all the other
branches where the Knabe is handled,
is unusually brisk. Quite a number of
Knabes have recently been sold to promi-
nent Washingtonians, and the prospects
for a continuance of this activity is well
assured.
Trade Wants Cabinet Depart-
ment.
The Board of Trade and Transportation
of New York declared Wednesday in favor
of the gold standard and the establishment
of a separate Cabinet office and depart-
ment to be known as the Department of
Commerce and Manufactures. President
McKinley and Congress will be urged to
establish this new bureau as soon as pos-
sible.
flartin a Record Breaker.
E. N. Martin, formerly Neppert & Mar-
tin, is one of New York's most energetic
merchants in his branch. His business
for October in stools, scarfs and cabinets
places him among record-breakers in that
line. -,
•
-